Cheesy Sausage Bites (High Protein Party Snack!)
Cheesy Sausage Bites
Ingredients
- 16 oz sausage pork ground, low fat
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup cheddar cheese low fat, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese low fat, shredded
- 1 g cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the ground pork sausage, uncooked quinoa, cornstarch, black pepper, shredded cheddar, and shredded mozzarella. Mix until everything is evenly distributed throughout the meat mixture.
- Lightly spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Scoop and roll the mixture into 20 balls roughly one inch in size and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18 minutes until the outsides are golden and the centers are cooked through. The quinoa will have absorbed into the bites and the cheese will be melted and set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
I give you fair warning… two as a serving size will feel nearly impossible because these are delicious. That is like the big warning that I have. I highly suggest if you do bring them to a party that they are already set up on toothpicks so it helps. You only grabbed the two. Also, I would definitely have these alongside of some filler items like veggies with a ranch dip. It is going to be very hard to not go back for more than two.
These cheesy sausage bites that take less than 30 minutes, require one bowl, and disappear fast whether you are serving them to guests or just yourself.
The combination of ground pork sausage and two kinds of cheese is exactly what it sounds like… rich, savory, and satisfying. What makes these a little different from a standard sausage ball recipe is the quinoa mixed in. It sounds unusual but it works. The uncooked quinoa goes directly into the mixture and bakes right inside the bite, adding a subtle texture, a little extra protein, and enough structure to hold everything together without needing flour or breadcrumbs.
These are the kind of snack that works for almost any occasion. Game day, a holiday spread, an after school snack, or just something to grab out of the fridge between meals. They reheat well and store easily, which makes them a solid meal prep option too.
What Makes These Work
The cornstarch is a small but important ingredient. It helps bind the mixture and gives the outside of each bite a slightly firmer texture as it bakes. Do not skip it even though the amount is small.
Using low fat sausage and low fat cheese keeps the calorie count reasonable without sacrificing the flavor that makes these worth making. If you use full fat versions the bites will be richer but they will also release more fat onto the baking sheet during cooking, which can affect the texture.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Start
Spray your hands with cooking spray before rolling the bites. The mixture is sticky and this makes the rolling process much easier and keeps things from falling apart as you work.
Space the bites evenly on the baking sheet so the heat can circulate around each one. If they are too close together they will steam instead of bake and you will lose that golden exterior.
Let them cool for 5 minutes before serving. They are very hot straight out of the oven and the cheese needs a few minutes to set inside each bite.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes or in the microwave for 30 seconds. The oven will keep the exterior a little firmer if texture matters to you.
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