Garlic + Olive Stuffed Sausage Bites

The best holiday appetizer of 2021 - these Garlic + Olive Stuffed Sausage Bites. Holy hell - these things are good. Really they’re a makeshift meatball, and the most amazing crunchy + meaty bites to jazz up any antipasto platter. Hot + crispy on the outside with a sharp olive bite, drizzled with honey + a sprinkle of herbs before serving. Like a sweet + salty meatball bite, and I’m planning to make these pretty frequently in 2022.

And coming from a household that eats largely vegetarian - we approve these makeshift meatballs as an antipasti treat.

 
 

For the meatballs

  • 1 1/2 lbs Italian sweet sausage

  • 1/2 c, panko + about 3 more cups for dredging

  • 1/2 c. almond milk

  • 5 eggs

  • 1 c. parmesan cheese

  • 1 jar of garlic stuffed green olives (I use Mezzetta brand), drained

  • 1 c. flour

  • salt + pepper

  • honey

  • 2-3 tbsp fresh parley, minced

  • pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat your oven to 425 or turn on the airfryer feature on your oven. Remove the sausage from its casing and place in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup of the panko and the milk, stir to combine, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the soaked breadcrumbs to the bowl with the sausage. Add in the parmesan cheese + one egg, and mix by hand. Mix until all items are evenly combined - about 3-4 minutes of hand mixing. Take a heaping tablespoon of the sausage, and pat into a thin disk. Place one olive in the center, and wrap the olives with sausage mixture, rolling to form a ball shape, and adding a pinch of additional meat if needed to totally cover the olive. Place on a plastic cutting board, and repeat until all the sausage has been used.

Line a large baking tray with foil. To set-up your dredging station, you’ll need 3 bowls each with a different ingredient - 1) flour with a sprinkle of salt and pepper stirred in, 2) 4 beaten eggs, & 3) 2-3 cups of panko. Take one of the formed meatballs and roll in the flour (for a light coating), then dip in the egg, then roll in thee breadcrumb. Place on your baking sheet + repeat with all of the sausage balls. Bake for 35-40 minutes - the balls should be browned + crispy, but not burned. Turn after 25 minutes.

Once fully cooked, place the meatballs on a serving tray. Drizzle lightly with honey, and then sprinkle fresh parsley + red pepper flakes on top.

Lesley ZehnerComment