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

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​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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (1)

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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (2)

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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (3)

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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (4)

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

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (5)

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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (6)

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.

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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!!!
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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.

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (9)

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (10)

Sourdough Sausage Balls

Transform your snacking experience with these irresistible sourdough sausage balls. Crafted with a blend of tangy sourdough discard, flavorful sausage, and a medley of herbs and cheese, each bite-sized ball is a savory explosion that elevates your taste buds to new heights.

4.37 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 55 Balls

Calories 78 kcal

Ingredients

  • 150 g All Purpose Flour
  • 20 g Baking Powder (1.5 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp Salt (5g)
  • 1 tsp Pepper (3g)
  • 1 tsp Dried Parsley (can sub for chives or other herb of your choice)
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 500 g Pork Sausage (or hot sausage or beef sausage)
  • 100 g Parmesan Cheese (finely grated)
  • 300 g Sharp Cheddar Cheese (aged cheddar, grated)
  • 150 g Sourdough Starter (or sourdough starter discard)
  • 60 g Butter (Melted)

Instructions

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

  • Add the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, 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.

  • 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.

  • Bake for 20 minutes at 185C (365F). 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!

Notes

Sausage Meat - you can use any pork sausage meat you like. I've also successfully made these using beef sausage meat too. If you are in Australia, you can use Italian Sausage meat or sausage mince is good too. You want to make sure you're using sausage meat with some fat in it, not lean ground mince or hamburger.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 33mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.04gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 0.3mg

Keyword Sourdough Discard

Tried this recipe?Share your creation with us @ThePantryMama or tag #thepantrymama!

Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (11)
Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe [easy discard recipe] (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between sourdough starter and discard? ›

The starter is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria over time, creating a leavening agent for bread. On the other hand, sourdough discard refers to the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter during regular maintenance.

What to do with discard when making sourdough starter? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

What is the benefit of baking with sourdough discard? ›

Benefits of using sourdough discard

It adds a slight sour flavor without making them taste too off putting or acidic. Moisture: There is a lot of water locked into sourdough discard, this adds more moisture which prevents baked goods from drying out and keeps them tasting fresher for days longer.

What can I use as a replacement for sourdough discard? ›

If you don't have any sourdough starter discard, use 50g flour and 50g whole milk in its place.

What happens if you don't discard sourdough starter? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Do you discard before or after you feed your starter? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

How long can sourdough starter discard sit out? ›

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Can you feed sourdough starter without discarding? ›

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

How much starter to discard before feeding? ›

How To Feed Your Sourdough Starter (at a Glance)
  1. Remove and discard half of your sourdough starter.
  2. Feed what's left in the jar with equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1:1 feeding ratio).
  3. Let rise at room temperature (covered or airtight) ideally 75+ F, until bubbly, active and double in size (2-12 hrs.).
Jan 3, 2021

Can you eat straight sourdough discard? ›

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this?

How do I know if my sourdough discard is good? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use.

What can I do with day 3 sourdough discard? ›

What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

What flour is best for sourdough bread? ›

Bread flour (or baker's flour) is a high protein, white flour that is milled specifically for baking bread and sourdough. You'll get the best results for your sourdough bread from using bread flour. The most popular bread flour in the US is King Arthur Bread Flour.

What is the liquid on sourdough discard? ›

This is referred to as “hootch”. It is a natural separation that occurs when the starter is entering a semi-dormant state. The hootch has a pungent alcohol smell and taste, and, in part, contributes to the flavour of your sourdough starter. Do not discard the hootch.

Can you use cold sourdough discard? ›

You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe. These recipes don't require a sourdough starter for leavening, so you can use your starter directly from the fridge. These recipes offer a fantastic solution for using excess sourdough.

Is sourdough discard sourdough starter? ›

Sourdough discard refers to the excess starter that remains after it doubles in size and begins to fall back down. This term can be deceiving though as “discard” doesn't mean it's unusable or wasted. A better way to think of it is as leftovers.

Can you turn sourdough discard into sourdough starter? ›

Absolutely! A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death. If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

How long can you keep sourdough discard before using? ›

You can use 1-2 week old discard in “discard recipes”… think cookies, brownies, muffins, non-yeast breads, tortillas (pretty much anything that doesn't require active starter (aka wild yeast).

References

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