These Sausage Meatballs are done with mild Tennessee sausage, garlic, mild Cheddar cheese, and our secret ingredient, Bisquick. They are a crowd-pleaser hot or cold.
Cooking the sausage meatballs in the air fryer is a time saver. They are done in just under 10 min. The Bisquick combines all the flavors and lets the savory sweetness from the sausage come through in every bite. The texture, thanks to Bisquick, makes them ideal for finger food for game day or a side dish at your next get-together.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Breakfast sausage (I like the sweetness of mild Tennessee Sausage)
- Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix
- Garlic powder
- Milk
- Mild Cheddar cheese (shredded)
Check out the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1.
Place mild Tennessee Sausage, Bisquick mix, garlic powder, milk, and mild Cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
2.
Make the sausage meatballs about golf ball size. Simply use 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop for equal portions and form the meatballs in the palm of your hands. Then place them on a tray.
NOTE: No cookie scoop, just use two spoons.
3.
Place your sausage meatballs in the air fryer basket, I like to line it with parchment paper. Don’t overfill and ensure to leave enough space so the meatballs cook equally (Seven in the Ninja Foodi. Nine in the Cosori).
4.
Set your air fryer to manual. Ninja Foodi’s temperature is 360 degrees F. and cooks for 8-10 minutes.
Cosori’s temperature is higher 370 degrees F. and cooks for 8-9 minutes.
5.
Check the temperature of the sausage meatballs. They are done at 165 degrees F. Set the air fryer basket on a heatproof pad and carefully remove the meatballs. I use a cooling rack to let them rest while I cook the next batch.
6.
Serve and Enjoy!
Give the sausage meatballs enough space, so they cook evenly.
Substitutions
You can substitute with any cheese from Gouda to pepper jack. Our favorite substitution is good old Colby Jack. You can use pre-shredded cheese, but I prefer freshly grated cheese. I have noticed that when I grate the cheese at home it melts easier, tastes fresher, and lasts longer in the fridge.
Now if you use a different sausage or even ground pork, you will need to make some adjustments. The ground pork will give you the option to season as you want. For the sausages, the flavor will be based on the type you use. So, if you go with a Chorizo and pepper jack cheese it will be spicy.
Variations
We love the savory sweetness of the mild Tennessee Sausage and garlic. If you have chosen to use a different type of sausage or even ground pork, you may need to add additional seasonings to highlight the flavors you want.
- Spicy – Add a bit of red chili pepper flakes or Paprika.
- Earthy – A touch of thyme, nutmeg, or Italian seasoning.
- Kid-Friendly – Simply use their favorite sausage. Even better get them to help. I had the girls scooping and rolling the meatballs when they were younger.
Equipment
- Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi 14-1 XL 8 Qt. or Cosori 5.8 Qt.
We enjoy this recipe. So, it has been cooked in both the Ninja Foodi and Cosori. In fact, last week we did the meatballs in the Ninja and the Cheesy Garlic Bread in the Cosori with a salad for a lite dinner. - Oven (Optional)
Need a bunch for a party? We got you covered. Put as many as you need on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven. See the recipe card notes, below. - Mixing bowls
- Cookie scoop
Storage
If you have leftovers or more realistically you just made extra, they can stay in the fridge for up to four days. Or you can freeze them for up to four months.
Sausage Meatballs like to Party with…
Garlic Knots in the Air Fryer packed with flavors from the garlic and fresh grated Parmigiano cheese. Yum!!!
Roasted Ranch Pretzels The air fryer perfectly roasts the pretzels and combines the ranch flavors for a sweet savory snack.
Roasted Cashews Crunchy with hint of lemon pepper, salt, and garlic a perfect little treat.
Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings Top all this off for one heck of a PARTY!!! They’re crispy, tender, and have the classic Texas BBQ smoky flavor.
Did you change up the sausage or add a different spice?
Let us know below.
Sausage Meatballs
Equipment
- Air Fryer: Ninja Foodi 14-1 XL 8 Qt. or Cosori 5.8 Qt.
- Oven (Optional, with a longer cooking time. See notes below)
- Mixing Bowls
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 2 cups Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ cup mild Cheddar cheese (Shredded)
Instructions
- Place breakfast sausage, Bisquick mix, garlic powder, milk, and mild Cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- Making the sausage meatballs. Simply use 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop for equal portions and form the meatballs in the palm of your hand. Then place them on a tray.
- Put the meatballs in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave enough space so the meatballs cook equally.NOTE: Seven in the Ninja Foodi. Nine in the Cosori.
- Set your air fryer to manual. Ninja Foodi's temperature is 360 degrees F. and cooks for 8-10 minutes. The Cosori temperature is 370 degrees F. and cooks for 8-9 minutes.
- Check the sausage meatballs' for doneness, an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Place the basket on a heatproof pad and transfer the meatballs to a cooling rack.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
FAQ
I have not done the recipe that way yet. It is a great idea. I would suggest using at least an 80/20 ground chuck and avoiding more leaner meat.
Two spoons will do the job. The meatballs should be about golf ball size.
No worries. We do the bread all the time in the oven when more is needed. Just heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cheesy garlic bread in for about 5 minutes. If you want crispier cheese kick the temp to 400 degrees F. and keep an eye on them. It should take an additional 1-3 minutes.
Food Safety
Rember you will be working with raw meat to make the meatballs. So, take appropriate food safety steps like cleaning your hands and prep surfaces.
Additionally, the minimum safe temperature is 165 degrees F. for the cooked pork sausage. An instant-read thermometer is great to check this with.
Leave a Reply