My simple sausage balls with pumpkin and Parmesan are a twist on a classic appetizer recipe. They’re savory, tender, and adding pumpkin puree gives all the fall vibes. They can also be made the day before, and we all need an arsenal of quick, last-minute appetizers on Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Serve them with my easy pumpkin dip and sausage egg bake for a fall brunch or as a high-protein snack. Speaking of snacks, these don’t last long in our house! If you prefer sausage balls without Bisquick, this one’s for you. They’re low-carb, gluten-free, and dairy-free with a simple swap.
If you followed my savvy grocery shopping tips, this is an incredibly cheap appetizer. I got both the sausage and the pumpkin when they were buy one, get one free!
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of savory foods, and these simple sausage balls with pumpkin and Parmesan might be my favorite new pumpkin recipe – and yours!
Sausage and pumpkin make a perfect flavor combination, and judging by the number of pasta recipes that combine these ingredients, the Internet agrees. Sausage is highly underrated as a shortcut ingredient. It packs a huge punch of flavor, eliminating the need for numerous other ingredients. And because of its intensely savory flavor, it does a great job of offsetting the tanginess of the pumpkin, which is what most people don’t like about pumpkin. Almond flour and Parmesan cheese serve as binders, also providing richness and flavor.
Simple Sausage Balls
If you’re trying to hit specific protein goals, these are essentially little balls of protein lol! Since they’re mostly sausage, each sausage ball delivers approximately 6 grams of protein, depending on the brand of sausage you use. And if you’re like me and prefer sausage balls without Bisquick, this recipe is for you!
Main Ingredients
Four simple ingredients are all you need, with a few optional to pump up the flavor.
- Sausage. Any type of pork sausage, including breakfast sausage or Italian sausage, will work.
- Pumpkin. You’ll want to use canned pumpkin purée for this and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Almond flour. I love using almond flour in savory dishes. It’s quite literally ground almonds, so it adds a richness and a fattiness that works well in this recipe.
- Parmesan cheese. It adds a savory, salty flavor to these simple sausage balls and also works as a binder. Freshly grated Parmesan works best. If you can’t have dairy, swap this out with your favorite dairy-free Parmesan cheese.
Optional seasonings. You can make this with the four ingredients listed above, and it’s fantastic. The sausage and Parmesan add plenty of salt, and depending on the sausage you’re using, you may already have a bit of kick from the pepper in the sausage. However, I like to add a touch of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. These aren’t necessary, but recommended.
 | Blue Diamond Almond Flour 3LB Bag, Gluten Free, Blanched, Finely Sifted, No Artificial Colors or Preservatives, Gluten Free, Vegan |
Sausage Balls With Pumpkin & Parmesan
This recipe takes ten minutes to prepare, and you can clean the kitchen while they bake.
- After preheating the oven, add the sausage, almond flour, Parmesan cheese, egg, and pumpkin purée to a large bowl. If you’re using additional seasonings, feel free to add them as well.
- Gently combine the mixture with your fingertips, being careful not to press down into it and compact the meat. See my tips below on why this is important. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined and you can no longer see any almond flour or streaks of pumpkin, it’s ready to roll.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the meat mixture into walnut-sized balls, trying not to compact it too tightly. I use a medium-sized cookie scoop to do this, releasing the mixture directly onto the cookie sheet. This method ensures each sausage ball is the same size, which is necessary for even cooking. Continue this process until you’ve used all of the meat mixture.
- Bake at 325°F on convection for approximately 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. If you don’t have a convection oven, bake for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Cooking on convection is essentially a giant air fryer, which helps the sausage balls get a golden brown exterior, but they’ll come out perfectly fine without it.
Garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped chives, and enjoy immediately, or hold off on the garnish, refrigerate, and garnish just before serving. For dipping, a cool and creamy sour cream mustard sauce is perfect!
 | Parchment Paper Roll 278 Feet Long, Non-Stick Parchment Paper Sheets with Cutter, Heavy Duty Extra Long, for Baking & Cooking |
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Some brands of pumpkin purée contain more moisture than others. To ensure your pumpkin sausage balls don’t fall apart, pay attention to the consistency as you roll them. If they seem too wet, add a little more almond flour.
- Overworking and overcompacting the meat can result in a tough and dense meatball. Using your fingertips, a light touch, and a lifting and folding method ensures the mixture itself isn’t overly compacted when mixing.
- You can prepare these 24 hours in advance of baking. Prepare the entire recipe as instructed, but don’t bake it. After placing the sausage balls on the baking sheet, cover them with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Use any ground sausage you like. To lighten the dish up a bit, consider using chicken sausage. My homemade Italian chicken sausage would be perfect!
- Since Parmesan cheese acts as a binder, I don’t recommend swapping it for a soft cheese like cheddar or mozzarella. However, any finely grated hard cheese will work. I’ve used pecorino and manchego with great results!
- Enjoy as an appetizer for breakfast, Thanksgiving, and Christmas or a high-protein snack, especially if you’re a pumpkin lover.
If you’ve tried my Simple Sausage Balls or any recipe on my site, please leave a comment below!
Simple Pumpkin Parmesan Sausage Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mild Italian sausage
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
- If using the additional seasonings, you can go ahead and them them too.
- Gently and thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll or scoop the meat mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. ** see notes
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