Description
Savory Rotel cream cheese sausage balls deliver a zesty appetizer perfect for game day gatherings. Spicy sausage, creamy cheese, and tangy tomatoes combine into irresistible bite-sized morsels you’ll crave at every party.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground sausage, uncooked
- 2 cups (200g) Mexican cheese blend, shredded
- 1 ½ cups (180g) Bisquick baking mix
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (10 oz/283g) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Position oven rack centrally and preheat to 400F (200C), creating an ideal baking environment with consistent thermal distribution.
- Mixture Integration: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ground sausage, cream cheese, drained Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, Bisquick mix, and shredded Mexican cheese. Blend ingredients until achieving a uniform, cohesive texture using a stand mixer or manual mixing technique to ensure comprehensive ingredient incorporation.
- Ball Formation and Placement: Gently roll the mixture into uniform spherical portions approximately 1-inch in diameter. Arrange the sausage balls on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing them to allow optimal heat circulation and even cooking.
- Baking Process: Slide the prepared baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the sheet midway through cooking to guarantee consistent golden-brown coloration and complete internal cooking. Monitor closely to achieve a crisp exterior and thoroughly cooked interior.
- Resting and Serving: Remove sausage balls from the oven and allow a brief cooling period. This resting phase enables flavor intensification and structural stabilization before serving, ensuring maximum taste and textural enjoyment.
Notes
- Chill Before Rolling: Refrigerate mixture for 15-20 minutes to make ball formation easier and prevent sticking to hands.
- Cheese Selection Matters: Use freshly shredded Mexican cheese for better melting and more robust flavor compared to pre-packaged options.
- Even Size Ensures Consistent Cooking: Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to create uniformly sized sausage balls, guaranteeing even baking and consistent texture.
- Moisture Management: Drain Rotel tomatoes thoroughly to prevent excess liquid from making the mixture too wet and compromising ball structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 40mg