Cheddar Cheese
Flavorful and Melty Sharp cheddar lends a satisfying savory, cheesy flavor that matches well with sausage.
Freshly Shredded: For optimal melting, shred your own cheese; grated cheese that comes in packages sometimes has anti-caking agents that change the texture.
Frozen Hash Browns
Crispy Texture: Use shredded frozen hash browns — they lend a crispy texture and a mild potato flavor.
Thawing Tip: Thaw and squeeze excess moisture from the hash browns for the best texture.
Full ingredient amounts & instructions are at the end of this post in the recipe card.
Preparation
Preheat Oven
Fire up the oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). So they all cook through and brown nicely.
Line Baking Sheet: Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. That way, they’re nonstick, and cleanup is simple.”
Mix Ingredients
Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft, then beat in the biscuit mix, shredded cheddar cheese, hash browns and ground breakfast sausage.
Combine: With your fingertips or a hearty spatula, mix everything until all is well-integrated. It should bind well when pressed.
Form the Balls
Make it: In your hands, roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch-diameter balls.
Push Into Balls Into Baking Sheet Here: Broadly form the mixture into balls and space them out on the prepared baking sheet (make sure there are some gaps in between) to allow the components to cook evenly.
Bake
Stream the baking sheet onto the preheated oven and bake until the sausage balls are cooked through and golden brown, 20 minutes or so.
Serve
Let Cool Slightly: Take the sausage balls out of the oven, and let them cool slightly before serving.
Serving Suggestions:
These Sausage Hashbrown Bites are super versatile and can be served alongside lots of side dishes and sauces:
Dipping sauces: Serve with spicy mustard, ranch, tangy ketchup or hot sauce for a flavor boost.
Brunch Spread: Great served with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit for a substantial brunch.
Game-Day Snack: A platter of sausage bites, chips, dips and veggies makes for a satisfying game-day spread.
Chopped chives or parsley, for garnish
Storage and Reheating Tips:
These bites are good for keeping and make a nice thing to have on hand:
Refrigerate: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze raw sausage bites on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag to store for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, increasing the cooking time by a few minutes.
Reheating: To reheat, place in the oven set to 350°F (175°C) for approximately 10 minutes or until warmed. You can also microwave them for 1-2 minutes, but they’ll lose some of that crispness.
Variations to Try:
Want to shake things up a little? Try these tasty twists:
Spicy Jalapeño Hashbrown Bites: Mix in a bit of finely chopped jalapeños for a punch of the spicy stuff.
Southwestern: Stir in diced green chilies as well as a dash of cumin and smoked paprika for Southwestern-style bites.
Italian: Swap in Italian sausage for the breakfast sausage and add a little Parmesan and Italian seasoning.
Bacon Cheddar: Replace some of the sausage with cooked, crumbled bacon for a lovely bacon-cheddar effect.
Conclusion:
They’re a savory, crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s simple to throw together and packed with flavor. The creamy cheese, the hearty sausage and the crispy hash browns make every bite wonderfully treating. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, and watch ’em disappear! Jason Inoue, a Bay Area native who claimed to have eaten at every place in the city that serves a cheese puff, was there too.
