Comfort food at its finest! Savory Breakfast Sausage Meatballs are served with rich, peppered white gravy. Have them for breakfast or as an appetizer.
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You may have read the name of this recipe and wondered, can you really eat meatballs for breakfast? I'm here to tell you that, oh heck yes—you can!
Just imagine your traditonal breakfast sausage patty or link, but in meatball form. That's what Breakfast Sausage Meatballs are—and best of all, they're topped with a creamy, country-style White Gravy.
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This recipe was created for one of our first ever cook-offs with friends, where we pitted our meatballs against our friends' meatballs!
But you don't need to wait for a competition to bring out Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with White Gravy. They're sooo tasty as part of an old fashioned country-style breakfast, and just as good as any hearty and savory breakfast dish you'd find at a small-town New England diner.
You can even serve them as a savory appetizer for parties or to set the meatballs out with Super Bowl snacks.
Why you'll love this recipe
The breakfast meatballs recipe combines savory pork sausage with onion, bread crumbs, and seasonings—the meatballs are baked until they're browned and cooked through.
And to top them off, there's a creamy, peppered gravy recipe included here, too. Top off the meatballs with a generous spoonful of good gravy.
The recipe only takes about an hour from start to finish.
Here's another savory dish!
Spicy Egg and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
What can you serve with Breakfast Sausage Meatballs?
Here's another reason you'll love this recipe—there are lots of ways to serve meatballs with gravy!
They make a special, hearty breakfast when served with warm biscuits or cornbread. Pair them with eggs made your favorite way or on the side with pancakes.
Breakfast sausage meatballs are awesome as an appetizer, too. Set them out on a platter skewered with toothpicks so guests can serve themselves, and have the pepper gravy ready on the side in a small warmer.
Have a box of pasta on hand, or some rice? Try serving the breakfast meatballs and cream gravy spooned over hot noodles or freshly cooked rice for supper.
Need a veggie side? Try Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary & Garlic!
🔪 How to make Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with White Gravy
Ingredients:
- Pork sausage: Pick up bulk pork sausage, which is in the meat case packaged like other ground meats or sometimes sold in a cylindrical package. I use regular sausage, but you can also make these meatballs with spicy versions.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs; the coarse texture helps lighten the texture of the meatballs.
- Onion: Dice a medium yellow or Spanish onion. You can also use frozen, diced onions to save a little time.
- Eggs: Two large eggs bind the meatball mixture together and keep them moist as well.
- Parsley: You just can't beat the flavor of fresh parsley in these savory meatballs! Use some from your garden or pick up a bunch in the produce department.
- Butter: The pepper gravy is made with a roux, which begins with butter. You can use salted or unsalted varieties.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the thickener in the roux. My go-to choice for flour in all my recipes is King Arthur brand.
- Milk: I use 2% milk which quickly thickens with the roux to make the creamy gravy.
- Seasonings: For both the sausage and the gravy I keep it simple: salt and black pepper.
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Make the meatballs
Combine the ingredients for the meatballs, including the sausage, onion, parsley, and breadcrumbs.
Shape the mixture into meatballs.
Bake the meatballs
Bake the meatballs on a baking sheet for about a half hour until they're cooked through.
Make the milk gravy
Melt butter and/or bacon drippings, then stir in flour, pepper, and salt to make a roux. Add milk next and simmer it until it thickens.
Serve 'em up!
Transfer the finished meatballs to a serving dish and top them with gravy. Enjoy them while they're hot!
FAQs
My breakfast sausage meatballs are packed with flavor from diced onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. To give them a flavor that's closer to that of traditional breakfast sausage, add ground sage, red pepper flakes, a pinch of ground cloves or allspice, and a little brown sugar.
Tips:
- Bake the meatballs until no pink remains and the internal temperature reaches 160° F on a digital thermometer.
Find the recipe for Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with White Gravy below, and also take a second to check out these goodies:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with White Gravy
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Ingredients
- 32 ounces bulk pork sausage
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium-sized onion)
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon bacon drippings (or an additional tablespoon of butter)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 1½ cups 2% milk
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Combine by hand the pork sausage, breadcrumbs, diced onion, chopped parsley, eggs, 1 teaspoon of the black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed—if the mixture seems dry you can add a tablespoon or two of water.
- Roll the sausage mixture into 1½ inch balls (you can also use a spring-loaded scoop) and place the balls on the lined baking sheet. Space them evenly apart with about an inch between them.
- Bake the meatballs for 25-30 minutes until they're cooked through—the internal temperature should be 160° F, and there should be no pink remaining.
While the meatballs are cooking, make the cream gravy:
- Drop the butter and bacon drippings into a medium saucepan, and melt them over medium heat. Stir in the flour, remaining black pepper, and the remaining salt until they're combined with the butter.
- Stir the mixture over medium heat for about a minute. Pour in the milk and stir everything together.
- Continue cooking the mixture, stirring constantly until it comes to a simmer. Lower the heat just a little, and stir it for a minute or two—it should thicken quickly after coming to a simmer. Once it has thickened remove the pan from the heat.
- Taste the gravy and add a bit more salt or pepper if you think it needs it—don't overdo it though, because the meatballs have some salt as well.
- When the meatballs are done, use tongs to move them to a serving platter. Pour the hot gravy over the meatballs and serve them immediately.
To serve them as an appetizer:
- Set tongs next to the platter of meatballs and gravy so guests can serve themselves. Provide forks or toothpicks.
To serve them as a meal:
- The meatballs and gravy are delicious over biscuits for an old-fashioned breakfast. Split biscuits in half and set them on plates. Spoon the meatballs and gravy over the halves.
- For a dinner dish, combining the meatballs and gravy with freshly cooked egg noodles or other pasta, or over cooked rice.
- Makes about 48 meatballs and 1½ cups of gravy.
Notes
- Bake the meatballs until no pink remains and the internal temperature reaches 160°F on a digital thermometer.
Nutrition
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