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Air Fryer Sausage and Cheese Balls

These sausage and cheese balls are basically breakfast-style meatballs. They make for a flavorful, protein-filled keto breakfast that you can make ahead of time, freeze, and pop into your air fryer when you're ready so your busy mornings are easy and delicious!

close up of sausage ball made in the air fryer on a plate

Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day. That got a little tougher when I started following a keto diet, because keto breakfasts take a little extra work.

We all love the classics like pancakes and toast, but of course those can't really fit into a low carb diet, without a few adjustments. This recipe, though, is about as simple--and keto-- as it gets. Protein, Fat, and very low carb.

This recipe for sausage and cheese balls comes from my cookbook, "The I Love My Air Fryer Keto Diet Recipe Book." It's a great book for anyone looking to cut carbs and save time using their air fryer.

Here's a short description:

While an appliance that promises a lower-fat cooking method like the air fryer may seem counterintuitive to the high-fat keto diet, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that air fryers don’t remove fat from foods. Instead, they use the natural fats in the foods to cook them without adding additional fat or oil that comes from traditional frying methods. An air fryer offers a healthy cooking option for keto dieters and is the perfect tool to cook a wide range of keto-friendly foods from steak to tofu, bacon to vegetables, and even desserts. The I Love My Air Fryer Keto Diet Cookbook will introduce you to 175 tasty and easy keto meals you can make with your air fryer. 

More Keto Breakfast Ideas

People are always looking for more yummy low carb breakfast recipes that are easy to make. Here are some favorites from my blog and from around the Internet.

several cheese and sausage balls stacked on a plate. cream cheese is oozing out of some of them

What ingredients do you need for this easy keto breakfast recipe?

These sausage and cheese balls come together with only 4 ingredients! All you need is:

  • Pork Breakfast Sausage
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Cream Cheese
  • 1 Egg

Can you freeze these sausage and cheese balls?

Yes! These cheese balls are a great make-ahead item. If you want to freeze them, placed the cooked balls on a large cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Then place in a freezer-safe storage bag.

When it's time to cook them, just pop them out of the freezer and into the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes.

cooked air fryer sausage and cheese balls sitting on a plate

How many calories per serving?

This recipe makes 16 sausage balls, and each serving is 4 of them. For one serving you're looking at:

Calories: 424 Calories
Total Carbs: 1.6 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Net Carbs: 1.6 grams
Protein: 22.8 grams
Fat: 32.2 grams

How do I know when the sausage balls are done?

A good instant read meat thermometer is my biggest recommendation for testing the doneness of any meat. For pork, you're looking for an internal temperature of 145°F. That temperature indicates that the meat is done and safe to eat.

Yield: 16 Sausage Balls

Air Fryer Sausage and Cheese Balls

Air Fryer Sausage and Cheese Balls

These sausage and cheese balls are basically breakfast-style meatballs. They make for a flavorful, protein-filled keto breakfast that you can make ahead of time, freeze, and pop into your air fryer when you're ready so your busy mornings are easy and delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork breakfast sausage
  • ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 ounce full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into sixteen 1-inch balls. Place the balls into the air fryer basket.
  2. Adjust the temperature to 400°F and set the timer for 12 minutes.
  3. Shake the basket two or three times during cooking. Sausage balls will be browned on the outside and have an internal temperature of at least 145°F when completley cooked.
  4. Serve warm.

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