Air Fryer Hack: Frozen Sausage Balls, Cooked To Perfection

Air Fryer Sausage Balls are a quick and easy snack or appetizer that can be made in advance and frozen for later. They are made with a simple combination of sausage, cheese, and biscuit/pancake mix, shaped into balls, and cooked in an air fryer for a golden, crispy exterior and tender, juicy inside. The best part about this recipe is its versatility – you can use any type of sausage or cheese and add your own unique twist with spices, herbs, or sauces.

Air fryer sausage balls recipe

Air fryer sausage balls are a quick and easy appetizer or snack. They are a delicious hit and perfect for holiday seasons or game-day events. They are also a great option when you don't want to turn on your oven.

Ingredients

• Ground sausage
• Shredded cheese
• Bisquick
• Seasoned salt
• Milk or water
• Olive oil spray

Optional ingredients

You can use any type of ground sausage, such as breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, brat, or ground pork, turkey, chicken, or beef. If you like things spicy, use a spicy sausage. You can also add a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweet touch, and diced jalapeno or red pepper flakes for a kick.

For the cheese, freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese is recommended, but you can also use other varieties such as Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack.

Steps

Open the package of ground sausage and crumble it into a large bowl. Add the shredded cheese, Bisquick, seasoned salt, and milk or water to the bowl. Use your hands or a hand mixer/stand mixer to incorporate all the ingredients together well.

Roll the mixture into small balls, roughly the diameter of a quarter. You can make your sausage balls as big or as little as you like, but remember that the size will affect cooking times.

Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Place the sausage balls in the basket, ensuring they are not stacked. It is okay if they are touching.

Air fry for a total of 10-12 minutes at 350°F (175°C). If your air fryer has an automatic setting, you can also cook them for 6 minutes at 370°F. Flip the sausage balls halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.

Remove from the air fryer and enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

You can store the uncooked sausage mixture in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for later use. Cooked sausage balls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 1-2 months. To reheat, simply place them back in the air fryer or oven until heated through.

Cooking times and temperatures

When cooking fresh sausage balls, most sources recommend cooking at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes. However, some sources suggest cooking for 5 minutes, flipping the balls, and then cooking for another 5 minutes, or cooking at 390°F for 10 minutes.

When cooking frozen sausage balls, it is recommended to add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time or reduce the temperature if the outside is browning too quickly. One source suggests cooking frozen sausage balls at 350°F for 6-8 minutes.

It is important to ensure that the sausage balls are cooked through. This can be checked by using a thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 160°F, or by cutting one of the balls open to check that the meat is no longer pink.

Freezing and storing sausage balls

Sausage balls can be frozen before or after cooking. To freeze uncooked sausage balls, form the sausage mixture into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour or until the sausage balls are frozen. Then, transfer the frozen sausage balls to an airtight container or freezer bag. Sausage balls can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 weeks or even indefinitely, but they are best cooked and eaten within 1-2 months.

To freeze cooked sausage balls, let them cool completely, and then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month or even indefinitely but are best eaten within 1 month.

To reheat frozen uncooked sausage balls, you can cook them directly in the air fryer or oven without defrosting first, but you may need to increase the cooking time and adjust the temperature to prevent overbrowning. Alternatively, you can defrost the sausage balls in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

To reheat frozen cooked sausage balls, place them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven or air fryer at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through. You can also place a few sausage balls at a time in a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, checking at 10-second intervals to avoid overheating.

Reheating sausage balls

You can also reheat sausage balls in the oven, which some consider the best way to reheat them as it makes the balls taste as fresh as before. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204.4°C) and place the defrosted sausage balls on a baking sheet or oven-safe dish. Reheat for 8-10 minutes, and then for an additional 2 minutes if needed. Let the sausage balls cool down a bit and serve hot.

Another option is to reheat the sausage balls in a toaster oven. Wrap the balls in aluminum foil and place them in the toaster oven for a few minutes, keeping an eye on them to prevent burning. Once done, remove and serve.

You can also reheat sausage balls in the microwave, but they may dry out and not taste as fresh. Place 3-4 balls on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a wet kitchen hand towel. Microwave for about 15 seconds, then flip the balls over, set the timer for 10 seconds, and reheat again.

Sausage and cheese alternatives

You can cook frozen sausage balls in an air fryer. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the sausage balls and the number of batches you need to cook. If you are cooking from frozen, you may need to add some extra time and adjust the temperature to prevent the sausage balls from browning too much on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside.

If you are looking for alternatives to the classic sausage and cheese combination, you can switch up the type of sausage and cheese used in your sausage balls. For example, you can use spicy sausage, or a sweeter breakfast sausage like maple, or even ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken. Just remember to add seasonings like salt, pepper, thyme, sage, or rosemary if using meats other than sausage.

For the cheese, you can use freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, or other cheeses like Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack. You can also add some cream cheese to your sausage mixture for a creamier texture.

• Air Fryer Mini Peppers Stuffed with Cheese and Sausage: This recipe involves stuffing mini peppers with a mixture of sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, chives, garlic, and black pepper. The peppers are then cooked in the air fryer until they are softened and the filling is heated through.
• Italian Sausage with Peppers: You can cook Italian sausage links or brats in the air fryer and serve them with peppers and other breakfast foods.
• Drizzle with maple syrup for a sweet touch, or add diced jalapenos or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.

Frequently asked questions