If you’re looking for a keto-friendly appetizer or snack that’s super easy to make, these pork rind sausage balls are perfect.
They’re savory, filling, and have a great crispy coating on the outside. You can make them for a party, game day, or just to have as a quick protein-packed snack during the week.
What makes these sausage balls great for keto is that they use pork panko instead of regular breadcrumbs. Pork panko is basically crushed pork rinds that look like breadcrumbs.
This keeps the carbs very low while still giving you that crispy texture on the outside. The combination of pork sausage, cheese, and pork panko creates a really satisfying bite that fits perfectly into a low-carb lifestyle.
All you need is pork sausage, pork panko, milk, and cheddar cheese. That’s only four ingredients! You probably have most of these in your kitchen already, or you can easily pick them up at any grocery store.
👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Only Four Simple Ingredients: Just pork sausage, pork panko, milk, and cheddar cheese. That’s it! When you’re following keto, it’s really nice to find recipes that don’t require you to buy ten different things you’ll never use again.
Perfect for Keto Beginners: If you’re new to the keto diet, this recipe is a great place to start. It’s not intimidating at all and it shows you how to use pork rinds in a way that actually tastes really good.
Perfect for Meal Prep: You can make a big batch of these sausage balls on Sunday and have snacks ready for the whole week. They store really well in the fridge for several days, so you can grab a few whenever you need a quick snack or easy lunch.
✨ Recipe Ingredients
- 1 lbs Pork Sausage
- 1 1/2 cups Pork Panko (I recommend this one – amazon)
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
👨🍳 How To Make
Follow this easy recipe:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for 1/2 cup of pork panko (set aside in a shallow bowl) . Mix really well.
Step 3
Form the mixture into 1 to 2 inch sausage balls.
Step 4
Roll each sausage ball in the remaining 1/2 cup of pork panko that was set aside.
Step 5
Place the sausage balls on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
💡Tips
1. Don’t Overmix the Sausage Mixture
When you’re combining the sausage, pork panko, milk, and cheese together, mix just until everything is combined and you don’t see any separate ingredients anymore.
Stop there. If you keep mixing and mixing, the sausage meat gets tough and dense, which means your finished sausage balls will be harder and chewier instead of tender and juicy.
The meat has proteins that get tight when you work them too much, kind of like overworked bread dough. Use your hands or a spoon to fold everything together gently until it looks uniform.
2. Let the Mixture Rest Before Rolling
After you mix everything together, let the bowl sit for about 5-10 minutes before you start forming the balls.
This waiting time lets the pork panko soak up some of the moisture from the milk and sausage, which makes the mixture stick together better and easier to work with.
If you try to shape them right away, the mixture might be a bit loose and the balls could fall apart when you try to roll them in the coating. The short rest also lets the flavors blend together a bit.
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FAQ
What exactly is pork panko and where do I buy it?
Pork panko is basically crushed pork rinds that look like breadcrumbs or panko. Regular pork rinds are those puffy snacks you see in bags at the store, but pork panko is ground up into smaller pieces so it looks and acts more like regular breadcrumbs.
You can buy it already made from brands like Pork King Good or 4505 Meats, and it’s usually available on Amazon or at some grocery stores in the keto section.
Keto Pork Rind Sausage Balls
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 lbs Pork Sausage
- 1 1/2 cups Pork Panko (I recommend this one – amazon)
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for 1/2 cup of pork panko (set aside in a shallow bowl) . Mix really well.
- Form the mixture into 1 to 2 inch sausage balls.
- Roll each sausage ball in the remaining 1/2 cup of pork panko that was set aside.
- Place the sausage balls on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
These turned out great! I was skeptical about using pork rinds but honestly couldn’t tell the difference from regular sausage balls I used to make.