Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls use Red Lobster biscuit mix instead of Bisquick and chorizo instead of Italian sausage to create a bold and extra-cheesy variation on traditional sausage ball recipes.
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There are approximately 14,731 different recipes for sausage balls on the Internet, so I figured I’d toss my variation into the mix and make it 14,732.
Similar to traditional sausage ball recipes (which consist of Italian sausage, Bisquick biscuit baking mix, and cheddar cheese), these chorizo sausage balls are stupid easy to make, but WAY more flavorful, especially in the CHEESINESS department.
For those not in the know, Red Lobster’s famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits - aka 95% of the reason to set foot in a Red Lobster - can be had in the comfort of your own home. I was super stoked when Red Lobster came out with a make-at-home Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix because (1) delicious cheddar biscuits made at home for the win!, (2), and because it amps up the flavor of these chorizo sausage balls more than plain old biscuit baking mix ever could.
If you love cooking with chorizo, you've got to try my Chorizo Street Tacos or Chorizo Quesadillas next!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Not Your Ordinary Sausage Balls! My Sausage Balls add a fun and tasty twist to traditional sausage ball recipes, kicking it up with chorizo and of course - Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix, pepper jack cheese, and - this is optional, but highly recommended - pickled jalapenos.
- Easy to Make. Thanks to the prepared biscuit mix (thanks Red Lobster!), these sausage balls require just four ingredients (one of which is optional) and only minutes to whip up.
- Great appetizer for a feeding a crowd. This recipe pretty consistently yields 18 sausage balls for me when using a tablespoon to measure the dough for balls. Consider doubling or tripling the recipe if you need to feed more people.
Ingredients
Four ingredients are all you need to make these amazing chorizo sausage balls (though the pickled jalapenos are optional).
- Pork Chorizo - I used premade chorizo from a local grocery store (Cub). I have not tested this recipe with beef chorizo, but I wager you could use it here.
- Pepper Jack Cheese - Get a brick of pepper jack and shred it! You could use a different cheese, like a basic cheddar, or do a mix of pepper jack and cheddar.
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix - These sausage balls are made without Bisquick - instead, they use Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix.
- Pickled Jalapenos - This is optional, but pickled jalapenos add welcome heat and a slight hit of acidity. You could also try incorporating other pickled ingredients like pepperoncini or giardiniera.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!
How to Make Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
These sausage balls with chorizo come together pretty quickly and are fun to make. To get started, grab your ingredients and food processor, preheat the oven to 350° F, and place some parchment paper on your baking sheet. This will make your cleanup much easier!
- Step 1: Make the mixture. Add all ingredients except cheese to a food processor. Pulse for 15-20 seconds, until combined. Add the shredded pepper jack cheese and pulse for another 15-20 seconds, until combined.
- Step 2: Shape and bake. Measure out the mixture with a slightly overfilled tablespoon. Roll the mixture between your hands to form round balls and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 24-26 minutes. Transfer the meaty balls to a cooling rack - this allows any excess grease to drip off.
- Step 3: Serve. Serve the sausage balls on their own or with a dipping sauce of your choice. Might I recommend a homemade sauce, like this Chipotle Lime Sour Cream Sauce or this Creamy Salsa Sauce.
Top Tips
Avoid "soupy" or overly greasy chorizo. Don’t use a high-fat chorizo or you’ll wind up with chorizo soup rather than dippable chorizo balls. I always reach for a pork chorizo for this recipe since pork tends to be leaner than beef.
Bake safely. Since these Sausage Balls have meat in them, that means we need to be careful to ensure they cook through before serving to our guests. Bake the sausage balls at 350°F (175°C) until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
Size your balls. I consistently get 18 decent-sized sausage balls from this recipe, using a tablespoon to measure even sizes. If you prefer a smaller size, go for it! As long as you focus on making your balls the same sizes they should cook evenly. Just check earlier, at around 18-20 minutes of baking time, to prevent smaller-sized balls from overcooking.
Serving Ideas
Chorizo Sausage Balls are what I would refer to as a ‘hefty’ appetizer, in that they are insanely comforting. You can serve them plain piping hot from the oven or with any number of dipping sauces.
- Here are some of my favorite dips for sausage balls: Ranch Dressing, Pimento Cheese, Remoulade, Blue Cheese Dressing, Sweet Chili, Creamy Jalapeno Sauce, Chipotle and Roasted Garlic Mayo, Roasted Garlic Chimichurri.
- Enjoy with more appetizers! Try pairing these Cheddar Bay Chorizo Balls with Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms or Taco Cucumber Bites.
- Sausage balls make a perfect pair with 4-Ingredient Potato Soup, Pinto Bean Soup, or Baked Sweet Potato Soup.
- Chorizo balls are a little naughty, so pair them with a lighter accompaniment like this Cruciferous Crunch Salad or a Corn and Quinoa Salad.
Storing and Reheating
If there are any leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The top two ways to reheat leftover sausage balls are 1) in the oven 2) in the air fryer. The microwave gets a hard pass from me here.
For reheating in the oven, preheat to 350° F and bake until warmed through the center (around 10 minutes or so). For reheating in the air fryer, cook for around 5-6 minutes at 375° F.
Don't reheat these chorizo sausage balls any more than once; they just won't be as good.
Recipe FAQs
You can do one of two things with that delightful seasoning packet that gives those Red Lobster Biscuits its signature taste. You can toss the seasoning packet into the sausage ball mixture, then bake. Or you could combine the seasoning packet with melted butter and brush them over just-baked sausage balls.
The assumption here is that the cold sausage balls in question have been refrigerated. I say yes, go ahead and eat those leftover and refrigerated sausage balls cold. But if you can wait until they have been reheated, use the reheating instructions above.
The best use I've found for leftover sausage balls (other than eating them as-is) is to crumble them and add to scrambled eggs - the addition makes for a hearty breakfast!
If you have a great leftover sausage ball suggestion, please comment below and I'll add it here!
More Appetizer Recipes to Try
If you’re looking for other appetizers to enjoy or pair with your sausage balls try these!
If you tried this Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound pork chorizo
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
- ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapenos (optional)
- Dipping sauce of your choice (pictured, Fiery Chipotle Gourmaise by Boar’s Head)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet (for easy cleanup!).
- Add the pork chorizo, Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix, and sliced pickled jalapenos to a food processor. Pulse for 15-20 seconds, until combined.½ pound pork chorizo, 1 cup Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix, ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- Add the shredded pepper jack cheese. Pulse for another 15-20 seconds, until combined.2 cups pepper jack cheese
- Use a tablespoon, overfilling it slightly, as a guide to help you achieve uniform balls.
- Roll the mixture between your hands to form round balls. Arrange balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 24-26 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately place on a cooling rack (so that any excess grease can drain off). Serve the Cheddar Bay Chorizo Balls on their own or with a dipping sauce of your choice.Dipping sauce of your choice
- If there are any leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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