Air Fryer Sausage Cheese Balls
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These Air Fryer Sausage Cheese Balls are made with sausage, cheddar cheese, and just a hint of spice creating a delicious appetizer for every occasion!
What’s better than an easy air fryer recipe? An easy air fryer recipe that everyone loves and that’s exactly what these Sausage Cheese Balls are! These sausage balls are one of the best one-bite appetizers and I promise you – everyone will gobble these up quickly.
Growing up I can remember my mom making Sausage Cheese Balls all the time and serving them at parties and family gatherings. They have always been one of my favorite appetizers and now making them in the air fryer makes them even easier to make. Not only are they super easy to make but they are always a huge hit. They are cheesy, flavorful and the perfect finger food recipe for your next party.
If you love easy air fryer recipes, I think you’ll love these Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries and Air Fryer Donuts.
Sausage Cheese Balls Ingredients
- Pork sausage – can use mild or hot
- Cheddar cheese – shredded
- Bisquick baking mix – can use store bought or homemade bisquick
- Parsley – I recommend using fresh parsley
- Red pepper flakes – adds extra flavor
- Sweet Chili Ketchup – an easy homemade dipping sauce (recipe included below)
How to Make Sausage Cheese Balls in the Air Fryer
First grease your air fryer basket with olive oil spray and set it aside. Olive oil cooking spray can be used when air frying at a temperature at 375 degrees or less.
In a large bowl, gently mix together the sausage, cheddar cheese, bisquick, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes. Make sure to mix gently so you don’t end up with tough sausage balls.
Scoop out 1 tablespoon sized portions (about the size of a golf ball) and roll them into smooth balls. Place as many balls as will fit into the air fryer, making sure not to overcrowd the basket.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until the sausage balls register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. If you need to cook the sausage balls in batches, they can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven for up to 30 minutes. Enjoy these sausage balls warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Making this Easy Air Fryer Recipe
- We recommend using freshly grated cheese instead of buying store-bought grated cheese. Freshly grated cheese will have a fresher, creamier taste .
- Lightly wet your hands or spray with cooking spray when rolling the balls to prevent sticking.
- We’ve added a bit of spice with red pepper flakes but feel free to add as much or as little as you like.
- Sausage cheese balls are a great make-ahead appetizer. Prepare ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. We love serving our sausage balls with sweet chili ketchup. Simply mix ketchup with sweet chili sauce for a delicious dipping sauce that goes great with this easy appetizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of sausage should I use when making Sausage Cheese Balls?
You will want to use a raw sausage when making this recipe. We make ours with mild pork sausage and add red pepper flakes for spice but hot or spicy sausage will definitely work. Italian sausage would taste great too just make sure it is raw and not a precooked sausage. Ground beef and ground chicken can be used as a substitute for the ground sausage.
Do I have to use cheddar cheese?
Nope! Feel free to switch things up and use white cheddar, pepper jack, colby, or whatever cheese you love. You can even use two different types of cheese in this recipe. I just recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself.
What’s the best way to store leftover Sausage Cheese Balls?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Can I make Sausage Cheese Balls ahead of time?
Yes! These taste great prepared ahead of time and make them even easier to serve at your next party. Follow the recipe and form into balls. Then refrigerate them up two days before baking them.
Can I freeze uncooked sausage balls?
I highly recommend making them ahead of time and freezing them until ready to bake. Place uncooked sausage balls on a sheet pan and freeze for 1-2 hours. Then transfer sausage balls to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in your freezer until ready to cook. They can be baked frozen. Just add a few more minutes to the cooking time and cook until the center reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
Air Fryer Sausage Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup bisquick baking mix
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sweet Chili Ketchup
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Grease your air fryer basket with olive oil spray and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, gently mix together the sausage, cheddar cheese, bisquick, chopped parsley, and red pepper flakes. Make sure to mix gently so you don’t end up with tough sausage balls.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon sized portions (about the size of a golf ball) and roll them into smooth balls.
- Place as many balls as will fit into the air fryer, making sure not to overcrowd the basket.
- Bake at 375F for 10 minutes or until the sausage balls register 160F on an instant read thermometer.
- If you need to cook the sausage balls in batches, they can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 200F oven for up to 30 minutes. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- We recommend using freshly grated cheese instead of buying store-bought grated cheese. Freshly grated cheese will have a fresher, creamier taste .
- Lightly wet your hands or spray with cooking spray when rolling the balls to prevent sticking.
- We’ve added a bit of spice with red pepper flakes but feel free to add as much or as little as you like.
- Sausage cheese balls are a great make-ahead appetizer. Prepare ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.