Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (2024)

​This sourdough sausage balls recipe is so easy! You will use 150g of sourdough starter or sourdough discard to create these delicious sausage ball starters. Perfect for game day or Christmas morning - these sourdough sausage balls are so versatile and will set you up for delicious anytime snacking, served alongside your favorite dipping sauce.

Sourdough sausage balls are one of those comfort foods that remind you of home, just like this sourdough mac and cheese, sourdough Pumpkin Pie or sourdough dumplings. You'll find a complete collection of sourdough comfort food recipes here.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

No Bisquick Mix- These easy sourdough sausage balls don't require any bisquick baking mix, so you'll know what's in them. But don't worry, they don't lack flavor ... in fact they are bursting with delicious flavor thanks to sourdough starter and spices!

So Versatile- Sourdough sausage balls are so versatile! They make the perfect appetizer for almost any occasion and are equally at home on the dinner table served with a salad and sourdough garlic bread. You can also serve with your favorite dip or sauce to create so many variations!

Freezer Friendly - these sausage balls can be frozen uncooked or cooked. They are perfect make ahead snacks and appetizers, just like these sourdough meatballs.

Should I Use Sourdough Starter Or Sourdough Starter Discard?

The great thing about making sourdough sausage balls is that you can choose to use active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. Because the balls actually get their leavening from baking powder, it makes no difference which one you use. In fact manysourdough discard recipesare like this, and you can use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard if you prefer.

If you are curious as to the difference between the two, you might like to check out this post aboutsourdough discard vs sourdough starter.

How To Make Sourdough Sausage Balls

You're going to love how simple these sausage balls are to make! All you need to do is mix the ingredients together and then roll them into balls and bake!

One thing to note is that the mixture will seem quite dry, compared to making a traditional meatball. But don't worry, as they bake the outside will become golden and crispy and the inside will be deliciously moist.

Preheat your oven to 185C (365F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

Add the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, dried parsley, garlic powder and onion powder to a large mixing bowl and mix well to ensure all of the spices are well distributed through the all purpose flour.

Now, add the pork sausage, parmesan cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, sourdough starter and melted butter to the same bowl and mix all of the ingredients through with the flour mixture.

I find it easiest to use my hands for this, but you can of course use a wooden spoon or spatula if you prefer.

The mixture will be quite dry and crumbly - but don't panic, that's what it's meant to be like. The fat in the sausage meat will keep the sausage balls moist while they're baking.

Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to roll the mixture into balls (I made mine around 25g each).

Place the balls on the baking trays you prepared earlier leaving a little space between each. They will puff up a little due to the baking powder in them.

Bake for 20 minutes at 185C (365F) or until golden brown. They will be a little crunchy on the outside and nice and moist in the middle.

Serve the sourdough sausage balls with your favorite dip! I've served the sourdough sausage balls with a homemade tzatziki dip in the photo below. I've made this by mixing Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, salt, pepper and a little ground cumin.

Best Tips for Sourdough Sausage Balls

• Cheese- make sure you don't use pre-shredded cheese because it has anti caking agents in it which will stop it from melting properly. I have used a sharp cheddar cheese and shredding it in a food processor to ensure it is evenly distributed through the sourdough sausage ball mixture. I've used a mix of aged, sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese, but you can use any type of cheese you like. Pepper Jack cheese works really well.
  
• Ground Pork Sausage- any pork sausage meat is fine for these easy sausage appetisers. You can use hot pork sausage, mild Italian sausage or even beef sausage meat. It's totally up to you! Just make sure the ground meat that you're using has plenty of fat otherwise you'll end up with dry sausage balls.
  
• Seasoning- I've added onion and garlic powder, along with some dried parsley to add some flavor to these delicious sausage balls. You can use Italian seasoning if you prefer or any herbs and spices you like. You can add paprika, cayenne pepper, onion flakes or even chopped green onion. Chopped jalapenos work really well too and will make them similar to a jalapeno popper!

​How To Serve & Eat Sourdough Sausage Balls

These wonderful sourdough sausage balls are so versatile and can be served and eaten in so many ways. Here are a few ways to enjoy this sausage ball recipe:

• Serve alongside your favorite honey mustard dipping sauce.
  
• These sausage balls work really well with sweet chilli or hot chilli. I love serving them with a sriracha mayonnaise dipping sauce or even a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
  
• Serve your sourdough sausage balls alongside this sourdough mac and cheese for the ultimate in sourdough dinner ideas.
  
• I love adding these to a platter of vegetable sticks, sourdough crostini or sourdough bread sticks and dips (like this whipped ricotta or zucchini yogurt dip) for a delicious take anywhere platter - perfect for a Pot Luck dinner offering.
  
• Leftover sourdough sausage balls can be added to pizzas using this sourdough discard pizza dough - they are so good!!!

How To Store and Freeze Sourdough Sausage Balls

One of the things I love about these sourdough sausage balls is that they can be made in advance - which is perfect if you're making them for Christmas or even a pot luck dinner.

Make in Advance- these sourdough sausage balls can be made up to 3 days before you need them. They can be stored raw and baked on the day or baked and stored in an airtight container on the fridge and warmed up when you want to eat them. Warm baked sourdough sausage balls in a moderate oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through. They can be microwaved, but this can change their texture.

Freezing- Uncooked sausage balls can also be frozen and then baked at a later date. I like to snap freeze them on a baking tray before transferring them to ziploc bags. You can bake from frozen, just add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.