Keto Sausage Balls
Keto Sausage Balls are hearty and delicious. You can throw together a batch with just 5 ingredients and 30 minutes. Feel good about eating these heavenly cream cheese sausage balls because they are also low carb, gluten-free, and grain-free.
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There are many things I enjoy about these easy sausage balls, but the biggest thing is that you can make them for any reason.
In the mood for low carb snacks? Make sausage balls!
Want a classy appetizer? Sausage cheese balls are the answer!
Need a last-minute dish? Take these easy sausage balls to the party!
Any time is the right time to make this keto sausage ball recipe, and once you take that first bite, you will get why they are so addictive. My family devours every single crumb!
I love to make a few low carb appetizers and just have appetizers for dinner. A batch of these, some Spinach Balls, Baked Chicken Tenders, and some Keto Fries, and we have a fabulous spread.
Ingredients
- Ground sausage – I use pork sausage but chicken or turkey sausage both work well in keto sausage balls. Use Italian sausage or hot sausage. Just check for added sugar. You can even use breakfast sausage.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – I use mild cheddar in this recipe but sharp cheddar cheese is delicious too.
- Cream cheese – Make sure it is room temperature so it mixes in easily.
- Coconut flour – This is my secret ingredient to perfect low carb sausage balls.
- Egg – Helps to hold the sausage balls together.
- Salt – You only need a small amount since sausage is already seasoned and cheese can be salty.
How To Make Keto Sausage Balls
1️⃣ Make the Sausage Mixture
Step One: Mix the sausage, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, coconut flour, egg, and salt together in a large bowl.
👉 Tip: If your sausage comes in a casing, slit the length of the casing with kitchen shears. This is much easier than trying to squeeze the sausage out of the casing.
2️⃣ Form the Balls
Use your hands or a cookie scoop to make 30 balls from the sausage mixture.
👉 Tip: Use a cookie scoop to form them into evenly shaped balls. I scoop right from the mixing bowl with the scoop.
3️⃣ Bake the Sausage Balls
Bake the keto sausage balls in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You want them to be golden brown and reach 160 on a meat thermometer.
Storage
After the keto sausage balls have cooled down, put them in a container with a tight fitting lid. They will last in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Additionally, you can freeze the sausage balls too. This will make them last longer and are wonderful for meal planning. Flash-freeze them, then put them in a freezer bag. Always label the container, so you remember what’s in there. They make an easy breakfast or keto-friendly lunch!
More Tips
- Use Parchment Paper – Add some parchment paper or a silicone mat to the baking sheet to prevent them from sticking to the pan. Cleanup is a breeze this way! I use parchment in many of my low carb recipes to save on washing dishes.
- Evenly Sized – Keep the sausage balls the same size, so they are able to cook more evenly. Otherwise, you may have some that get done way before the others.
- Fresh Cheese – To make them taste even better, try shredding your own cheese. It’s fast and really enhances the way it tastes. Plus, it helps keep the ingredients bind together easier.
- Don’t Overbake – Never bake the sausage too long. They become dry and more rubbery if they cook too long.
Variations
- Pepper Jack Cheese – If you are in the mood for a little bit of spice, swap out the cheddar for shredded Pepper Jack. A little bit of spice is so good.
- Parmesan Cheese – If you choose to add some parmesan you can omit the added salt.
- Jalapenos – Add in some chopped jalapenos. I recommend only adding ¼ cup or so because you don’t want to add too much or they won’t stick together properly.
- Green Onions – Toss some diced green onions into the mixture before cooking. Yum!
- Stuffed Mushrooms – I loved these so much I made them into the filling for my Keto Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms!
- Seasonings – Boost the flavor by adding garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning.
Common Questions
How many carbs are in sausage balls?
These have just 0.6 net carbs each. I have the nutrition facts showing a serving of 3 pieces for 1.8 net carbs.
Do I need to use coconut flour?
Yes, using coconut flour allows the keto sausage balls to be fluffy and have a light and delicious flavor. I love the texture that using coconut flour provides. I promise that you cannot taste the coconut flour at all. Almond flour doesn’t absorb liquid the way coconut flour does so I don’t recommend subbing it in this. However, if you have a coconut allergy go ahead and use almond flour.
Many recipes for traditional sausage balls use Bisquick which is definitely not low carb friendly. But it is easy to make low-carb sausage balls without Bisquick. To make my sausage balls low carb I use coconut flour and an egg to help absorb the liquid the sausage gives off when cooking.
Why won’t my sausage balls stick together?
In general, they need both a binding agent (eggs) and something to absorb that binder (coconut flour).
What sauce do I serve with sausage balls?
Well, you can totally eat them without any kind of sauce if you want. The way they taste allows them to be dipped in a variety of dipping sauces and taste great. Just watch out for added sugar when using store-bought sauces on a keto diet.
Ranch dressing, spicy mustard, sugar-free honey mustard, or sugar-free ketchup are all great options. You can also dip them in some sour cream. We typically eat them plain, but if you are serving them to other people, it’s nice to have a variety of sauces available.
Can I make air fryer sausage balls?
Yup, you can make this keto sausage ball recipe in an air fryer at 375 for 8 minutes. Make sure they are in a single layer and not touching. You may need to cook in batches.
Keto Sausage Balls
Ingredients
- 16 oz ground sausage
- 4 oz shredded cheddar
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven o 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all the ingredients and form into 30 balls.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally Published November 16, 2020. Revised and Republished December 8, 2025.
Wonderful flavor! Could eat the whole batch!
These sausage balls are so delicious! Everyone always loves them at our brunches and parties!
Yummy! Thanks for your recipes!!
This is going to sound like a silly question, but do you brown the sausage first?
Nope! You need it to be raw for them to hold together.
These are awesome. I did use Carbquik in place of the coconut flour.
I feel carbquick give it a sweet flavor.
Can almond flour be used in place of the coconut flour?
Yes, but coconut flour or oat fiber works better. You really need something to absorb the oil from the sausage.
The recipe is perfect! I used the meatballs to make pizza bowls. Put a couple of Tablespoonfuls of pizza sauce in the bottom of a ramekin. Topped with halved meatballs. Add diced onion, red pepper, mushrooms. Topped with 2 more Tbsp of pizza sauce and a handful of pizza cheese. Baked til bubbly. The sausage ball texture compared nicely to a hand tossed pizza crust.
I plan on making these with Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese. Since mozzarella is a softer cheese, do you know if I will have a mess on my hands during cooking time? I’m just wondering If I should stick with cheddar cheese.
I would use the low moisture already shredded mozzarella. You should be fine with that.
These are fabulous!! I doubled the recipe and used 1/2 hot, 1/2 reg sausage. It made 70 sausage balls!! Yay! There can’t be enough of these! Hubs LOVES them!!
I made these today hoping they would taste similar to the Bisquick recipe I’ve used for years. They blew me away! They were much better to me than my old tried & true recipe. I’m so happy because they will be perfect for a quick breakfast. My husband loved them as well! Thank you so much!!
Easy, delicious and versatile. The only problem is that they disappeared too fast! Thanks for another great low carb recipe.
I love these sausage balls! I make them all the time. I like pepper jack cheese for spice and tri-color bell peppers. I do not add spinach. They are divine for breakfast!!! And very portable😉
Thank you for this wonderful recipe👌🏻
Wow that grocery delivery sounds awesome. And my husband would LOVE these sausage balls. Thanks for an easy, delish, time-saving recipe!
I can’t wait to try these! I know my whole family is going to love them!
I want to make these but an unsure whether to use fresh or frozen spinach and how to prepare the Domani either way.
It might help to look through the photos. I used frozen spinach that was thawed and drained. If you use fresh spinach you need to saute it first.
Easy and very tasty recipe! I took these to a potluck and they were a huge hit! I used bulk breakfast sausage and added Italian seasoning instead of Italian sausage and it worked well. I baked them as directed and then put them in a crock pot with SF marinara sauce to keep warm. Super easy. Thanks so much!