Day 275.
I found this vegan sausage balls recipe over at Ezra Pound Cake and the story she told alone made me want to make it. It was hilarious. Apparently she’d made some froo-froo little cakes for Valentine’s Day the year before and decided the next year to make something her husband would appreciate more.
Enter the sausage balls…man’s food. She calls them the “culinary equivalent of taking your top off.” Hah. So, I thought, hey, I’m trying to make vegetarian food my meat-eating husband will love. Let’s give this a shot. I replaced the sausage with vegan smoked sausage links that I chopped up. I also used dairy-free cheese. It’s a very simple recipe, which is often the way to my husband’s heart. We’ll have to bring these back around Valentine’s Day.
Vegan Sausage Balls
Adapted from Sausage Balls, makes 40-50
Ingredients
1/2 to 1 pound vegan ground sausage (like this), or chopped links (mild or hot, I used a smoked sage sausage)*
1/2 pound dairy-free cheddar cheese, grated, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 to 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
*You could also use ground beef substitute and some Italian seasoning
Method
Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix cheese, sausage, and Bisquick.
Place the mixture in the food processor and pulse until it comes together.
At this point, I had to add a touch of olive oil because my “sausage” wasn’t as greasy as the real stuff.
Depending on which kind of sausage you use, you may not need to do that.
Place the mix back in the bowl and mix in black pepper and cayenne.
Divide the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll between your hands.
Place the balls on a cooking-sprayed rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
The Results
Oooh. Tasty and so simple. My husband loved them. He took a whole box to work for lunch. The kids, surprisingly, didn’t devour them with as much gusto as I expected. They thought they were just OK, I guess. I thought they were really yummy and even better with a bit of melted garlic “butter” drizzled on top.
I was sad when these came out of the oven looking more like sausage dots than sausage balls (they flattened out a bit). I thought it might be because of the oil I added. My husband assures me that’s how most sausage balls look (I’ve never had them, or even seen them that I recall). But, if you want yours more round, try to go without the oil.
The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook
Want more vegetarian and vegan recipes you’ll love? Check out my first cookbook! I’m so excited about it and I hope you’ll love it. You can find more information about it right HERE.
What are you having for Sunday Brunch, Breakfast or Lunch?
This post is shared at Penny Worthy Project, Cookbook Sundays,Creative Bloggers, and· Savory Sunday.
Vegan Sausage Balls
These vegan sausage balls were popular with my husband. They make a great appetizer for parties!
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 1 pound vegan ground sausage (like this), or chopped links (mild or hot, I used a smoked sage sausage)*
- 1/2 pound dairy-free cheddar cheese, grated, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Bisquick
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- *You could also use ground beef substitute and some Italian seasoning
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix cheese, sausage, and Bisquick.
Place the mixture in the food processor and pulse until it comes together.
At this point, I had to add a touch of olive oil because my "sausage" wasn't as greasy as the real stuff.
Depending on which kind of sausage you use, you may not need to do that.
Place the mix back in the bowl and mix in black pepper and cayenne.
Divide the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll between your hands.
Place the balls on a cooking-sprayed rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
