Rotel Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Rotel Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Hot pork sausage, cream cheese, Rotel, baking mix, and sharp cheddar bake into small, craggy sausage balls with browned cheese and visible tomato-chile pieces. Serve them warm as an appetizer or savory brunch bite.

Drain the Rotel thoroughly before mixing. Excess juice makes the mixture harder to shape and can leave the baked balls soggy. Bake time varies with ball size and oven, so check for browned surfaces and a cooked-through center rather than relying on the timer alone.

Makes about 30–32 balls, or 8–10 appetizer servings. Allow about 20 minutes to prepare them and 18–24 minutes to bake each batch.

Ingredients for Rotel Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

• 1 lb uncooked hot bulk pork sausage (450g)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (225g)
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, about 10 oz before draining (280g)
• 1½ cups Bisquick-style baking mix (180g)
• 4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded, about 1 cup loosely packed (115g)

Optional garnish: 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley. Freshly shredded cheddar may melt more smoothly, but pre-shredded cheddar works too.

How to Bake Rotel Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Drain the Rotel: Pour it into a colander or fine-mesh strainer and let it drain for 10–15 minutes. Press out excess juice; the tomatoes should be moist but not dripping.
3. Mix: Combine the uncooked sausage, softened cream cheese, drained Rotel, baking mix, and cheddar in a large bowl. Mix until evenly distributed, with no pockets of dry baking mix. The mixture should hold together when pressed.
4. Shape: Scoop and roll into roughly 1¼- to 1½-inch balls. Leave their surfaces naturally craggy, and space them apart on the baking sheet so they brown rather than steam. Bake in batches if needed. If the mixture is too soft to roll, chill it briefly before shaping.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered, starting to check at 18 minutes. They will take about 18–24 minutes, depending on their size and your oven. Do not flip them; rotate the sheet near the midpoint only if your oven browns unevenly.
6. Check and serve: The balls should be golden brown with deeper toasted spots around the sides. Check one from the center of the pan with an instant-read thermometer: ground pork should reach 160°F (70°C) in the center. Rest on the pan for 3–5 minutes, then pile loosely on a shallow platter. Scatter with parsley, if using, and serve warm.

How to Keep the Sausage Balls from Getting Soggy

Simply tipping the liquid out of the Rotel can leave too much juice behind. Give the tomatoes and chiles the full 10–15 minutes in a strainer, then press out the excess before mixing. Do not add the drained juice to the bowl.

How to Tell When They’re Done

Look for browned tops and sides, but check the center too: the outside can brown before the sausage cooks through. If a ball has not reached 160°F, continue baking and check again. Keep the portions close in size so they finish more evenly.

Serving and Storing

Serve warm on a platter. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat in an oven or microwave until steaming hot throughout; the browned exterior may soften after storage.

For a version without the tomato-chile pieces, try cream cheese sausage balls. For a different cheddar-biscuit flavor, see Red Lobster Cheddar Bay sausage balls.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1/8 of the batch (about 4 balls): 415 calories, 16g protein, 31g fat, and 19g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 280 calories, 10g protein, 21g fat, and 13g carbohydrates. Values vary with the sausage, cream cheese, and baking mix used.