Best Keto Sausage Balls
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Introduction
If you’re the type who makes straight for the sausage balls at a get-together, this recipe is for you.
Sausage, cream cheese and cheddar, rolled into balls and baked on a rack. Six ingredients, one bowl, and no baking mix — which is the part that usually puts sausage balls out of reach.
They’re the kind of dish that just disappears off the plate at gatherings and holiday feasts. But they’re not reserved for special occasions alone. Midday snack, quick breakfast, or just because you fancy a nibble - keto sausage balls come through every time.
Plus, the best thing about these sausage balls is they’re straightforward to prepare, with no intricate steps and no obscure ingredients.
Let’s get rolling and make a keto version of the classic Bisquick sausage balls!
How To Make Keto Sausage Balls
Gather Your Ingredients
Mild pork breakfast sausage
The base of the mixture, and what the cheese and the seasonings are balanced against. Hot pork sausage is the same thing with heat in it, if that is what you are after.
Cream cheese, softened
Our secret ingredient for super moist sausage balls. Cream cheese also adds a tangy richness and helps bind the ingredients together. Let it soften for easier mixing.
Cheddar cheese, shredded
The card specifies shredded cheddar and does not specify a grade. Shredded rather than a block, so it melts through the mixture instead of sitting in pockets.
Almond flour
A perfect substitute for classic Bisquick in regular or traditional sausage balls, keeping it keto-friendly.
Onion powder and garlic powder
These two add a depth of flavor to the sausage balls, highlighting the hearty flavors of the meat and cheese.
How To Tell They Are Done
These start out as raw pork, which makes doneness the one thing here worth being fussy about — and the thing a glance at the tray will not settle. They do come out a good golden brown, but that is a fact about the outside, and it is not the test.
USDA FSIS puts ground pork at an internal 160°F, and ground poultry at 165°F if you have used turkey or chicken sausage. An instant-read thermometer into one from the middle of the tray is what tells you. The directions below carry the timing.
Best Keto Sausage Balls
Ingredients
All Ingredients
- 1 lb sausage, mild
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Nutrition Facts
22 servings per recipe| Per Serving 120 | Per Recipe 2670 | |||
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 180 each | 66.27 | 1457.97 | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 100 each | 18.41 | 404.99 | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 110 each | 20 | 440 | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 90 each | 16.36 | 360 | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 8 each | 0.18 | 4 | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 9 each | 0.2 | 4.5 | ||
| 11g | 14% | 238g | 305% | |
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 16 g each | 5.89 g | 129.6 g | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 10 g each | 1.84 g | 40.5 g | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 9 g each | 1.64 g | 36 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 8 g each | 1.45 g | 32 g | ||
| 4.5g | 22% | 99g | 494% | |
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 6 g each | 2.21 g | 48.6 g | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 6 g each | 1.1 g | 24.3 g | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 6 g each | 1.09 g | 24 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 0.5 g each | 0.09 g | 2 g | ||
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% | 0g | 0% |
| 25mg | 8% | 545mg | 182% | |
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 40 mg each | 14.73 mg | 323.99 mg | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 30 mg each | 5.52 mg | 121.5 mg | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 25 mg each | 4.55 mg | 100 mg | ||
| 180mg | 8% | 3880mg | 169% | |
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 340 mg each | 125.18 mg | 2753.95 mg | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 110 mg each | 20.25 mg | 445.49 mg | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 170 mg each | 30.91 mg | 680 mg | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 1 mg each | 0.02 mg | 0.5 mg | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 1 mg each | 0.02 mg | 0.5 mg | ||
| 1g | 0% | 22g | 8% | |
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4.05 g | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 3 g each | 0.55 g | 12 g | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 1.9 g each | 0.04 g | 0.95 g | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 2 g each | 0.05 g | 1 g | ||
| 0g | 1% | 4g | 15% | |
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4 g | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 0.1 g each | 0 g | 0.05 g | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 0.3 g each | 0.01 g | 0.15 g | ||
| 0g | 8g | |||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4.05 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4 g | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 0.2 g each | 0 g | 0.1 g | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 0.1 g each | 0 g | 0.05 g | ||
| Sugar Alcohols | 0g | 0% | 0g | 0% |
| Allulose | 0g | 0% | 0g | 0% |
| 1g | 18g | |||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4.05 g | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 1 g each | 0.18 g | 4 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 2 g each | 0.36 g | 8 g | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 1.8 g each | 0.04 g | 0.9 g | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 1.7 g each | 0.04 g | 0.85 g | ||
| 5g | 11% | 117g | 235% | |
| 8 ⅒ servings of sausage, mild (1 lb) @ 9 g each | 3.31 g | 72.9 g | ||
| 4.05 servings of cream cheese (4 oz) @ 2 g each | 0.37 g | 8.1 g | ||
| 4 servings of cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) @ 6 g each | 1.09 g | 24 g | ||
| 4 servings of almond flour (½ cup) @ 3 g each | 0.55 g | 12 g | ||
| ½ serving of onion powder (½ tsp) @ 0.2 g each | 0 g | 0.1 g | ||
| ½ serving of garlic powder (½ tsp) @ 0.5 g each | 0.01 g | 0.25 g | ||
About these numbers: We are home cooks, not certified nutritionists. Nutrition is shared as a courtesy and calculated with free online nutrition calculators — we compare a few to get as close as we can — so please treat it as a helpful estimate rather than a guarantee. The brands you buy, any swaps you make, and how generously you portion the recipe will all move these numbers.
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
A preheated oven is what cooks the balls evenly from the inside out, so give it the full time it needs to come up to temperature.
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Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl.
Kneading with your hands is the best way to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. It is messy, but it is also the quickest way to feel when the cream cheese has stopped sitting in lumps. A mixer will get you there too.
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Form the mixture into 22 evenly sized sausage balls.
A cookie scoop keeps them uniform, which matters more than it sounds — mismatched sizes finish baking at different times.
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Place the sausage balls onto a rack over a baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Leave a little space between each ball. The rack lets the rendered fat drip away instead of pooling underneath them.
Browning is not the test. USDA FSIS puts ground pork at an internal 160F, and ground poultry at 165F if you have swapped the sausage. Check one from the middle of the tray with an instant-read thermometer.
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Let the sausage balls cool for a few minutes before serving.
They firm up as they cool, which makes them much easier to pick up.
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Notes
Tools To Prepare
- Large mixing bowl — big enough to knead in without pushing the sausage mixture over the sides.
- Baking sheet with a wire rack — the rack keeps the bottoms from sitting in rendered fat and going soggy. Line the sheet with parchment paper for an easier cleanup.
- Stand mixer (optional) — you can absolutely do this by hand, but a mixer speeds up the combining and gives an even mix.
- Cookie scoop (optional) — the easiest way to get 22 balls the same size. A spoon and your hands work too.
Preparation Tips
- Let the cream cheese soften before you start — cold cream cheese stays in lumps no matter how long you knead. It is the only thing here that wants room temperature, though. Leave the sausage in the refrigerator until you are ready to mix, and get the balls into the oven once they are rolled: USDA FSIS guidance is that raw meat should not sit out for more than two hours, or one if the kitchen is above 90F.
- Mild sausage is what the card is built on; hot pork sausage is the same thing with heat in it. If you would rather skip pork altogether, turkey sausage and ground chicken are the usual swaps, and the card carries neither. Both are poultry, so they want the higher 165F endpoint rather than 160F.
Serving and Meal Prep
- Serve them as low-carb appetizers on their own, or portion them out for meal prep as a packed lunch, a portioned breakfast, or a snack.
- Alongside a veggie they make a full keto meal; with scrambled eggs they make a keto-friendly breakfast.
Dipping Sauces For Sausage Balls
These keto sausage balls are great on their own, but a dipping sauce turns up the flavor. Sugar-free options we like:
If you are eating these for breakfast, make some sunny side up eggs and dip the sausage balls in the yolk.
Storage
- Short term: put leftovers in an airtight container or plastic bag and store them in the fridge for up to two or three days.
- Long term: cool them first, then freeze them spread out on a baking sheet before transferring them to a container or freezer bag. Spreading them out is what matters — balls touching each other while they are still soft freeze into one block you then have to break apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could turkey sausage be used instead of pork in the keto sausage balls recipe?
Turkey sausage is the usual swap if you would rather not use pork. This recipe is built on mild pork breakfast sausage, though, and turkey is the leaner meat — we do not have a turkey version of these to tell you how that lands.
One thing does change rather than just shifting a bit. Turkey is poultry, so the safe endpoint goes up: USDA FSIS puts ground poultry at 165°F against 160°F for ground pork. Bake to the thermometer rather than to the same clock time.
Can we switch the cheese?
The card calls for shredded cheddar and does not specify a grade. Pepper jack is what people reach for when they want more of an edge; mozzarella and parmesan are the other two. We cannot tell you how any of them behaves in this mixture, though parmesan is the drier cheese and brings less melt with it.
What can I use instead of almond flour in the keto sausage balls?
Coconut flour is the usual keto stand-in, but it is far more absorbent than almond flour, so it is not a one-for-one swap — a half cup of coconut flour in place of the half cup of almond flour will dry the mixture out. We do not have a coconut-flour amount for these, and arriving at one means changing the flour and the binding together — a reformulation of the recipe rather than a substitution within it.
Can I add other seasonings to my keto-friendly sausage balls?
Yes — seasoning is the one place here you can move without changing how the mixture behaves. The garlic and onion powders in the card are the base; Italian seasoning, paprika, or red pepper flakes for heat all go in at the same point, with the rest of the ingredients.
Are keto sausage balls freezer-friendly?
Yes, and they freeze either raw or baked. Store them in an airtight container, and reheat the baked ones in the microwave or the oven.
Cool them before they go in, then freeze them spread out on a baking sheet before transferring them to a container or freezer bag. Spreading them out is the part that matters — balls touching while they are still soft freeze into one block you have to break apart later.
Can these keto sausage balls be made in an air fryer?
This one is written for a rack in a 350°F oven. The card gives no air-fryer route at all — no time, no temperature, no basket arrangement.
The one number that is not about the appliance is the internal temperature on the card. That is a property of the meat, and it holds however the sausage balls are cooked.
How long do these keto sausage balls stay fresh?
For short-term storage, put the leftovers in an airtight container or plastic bag and keep them in the fridge for up to two or three days. Reheat them in the microwave or the oven before serving.
For anything longer than that, freeze them.
What's a good dipping sauce for keto sausage balls?
A sugar-free honey mustard or a ranch dressing complements these best — G Hughes makes sugar-free versions of both, and their sugar-free BBQ sauce works too. Some people also enjoy them with a spicy hot sauce or sour cream.
If you are eating them for breakfast, fry a couple of sunny side up eggs and dip the sausage balls in the yolk.
Is it possible to make sausage balls ahead of time?
Yes, but the window is shorter than it is for the baked ones, and that difference matters. Roll the balls, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them, and refrigerate — then bake them within a day or two. USDA FSIS guidance for raw sausage is one to two days refrigerated, where cooked leftovers get three to four. The baked window does not carry backwards to the raw mixture.
They also freeze raw, which is the better option if you are working further ahead than that. Spread them out on a sheet to freeze before bagging them, so they freeze as individual balls rather than one block.
Wrap-Up
Have you given this keto sausage ball recipe a go, or perhaps you’ve tried other recipes from our blog? Please rate it below and tell us how it went in the comments — we love hearing from you.
Looking for more low-carb appetizers? Try our Air Fryer Keto Mozzarella Sticks, Crispy Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders, or our Tasty Keto BBQ Chicken Pizza.
For more breakfast ideas, there is the White Bread Keto Chaffle, the Best Homemade Keto McGriddle Sandwich, and Keto Cinnamon Bagel Bites.
Updated — September 18, 2026: The bake step now gives the internal temperature these are done at, so you are not judging cooked ground pork by how brown the outside looks.
Correction — September 18, 2026: Sausage balls rolled ahead and left raw were given the same fridge window as cooked leftovers. Raw sausage keeps one to two days, not three.
