Simple Pecan Turkey Sausage Balls Recipe

This simple Pecan Turkey Sausage balls recipe is a crowd pleaser. We take the southern sausage ball and make it better with using ground turkey and chopped pecans.

A small, round scone with a slightly crumbly texture sits on a wooden surface. It has visible nuts embedded in it. Behind the scone, there is a blue and white plate holding more scones, and a bowl of light-colored dip is partially visible.

SAUSAGE BALLS is one of the most popular recipes here in the South. They are easy and absolutely delicious. We took the sausage ball and added texture and flavor while using ground turkey as well as chopped pecans.

Around the holidays there are quite a few recipes that my family just expects me to make. Recipes like FUDGE, PECAN BRITTLE and PINEAPPLE CHEESE CASSEROLE. These are quickly becoming one of their favorites too!

Ingredients

This is so much like regular sausage balls it is almost a duplicate of that recipe. We add a few different things and the result is delicious.

A blue and white plate filled with several round, baked scones sits on a wooden surface. A small glass bowl containing a white dip is behind the plate. One scone is separated and placed beside the plate.

What You’ll Need

  • Ground turkey sausage – less fatty than traditional pork sausage. This results in more of a pastry type texture.
  • All purpose flour – we like using whole wheat flour these days. Less processed it better for our health overall.
  • Chopped pecans – we love all of the pecan offerings that our friends at PRIESTER’S PECANS has. You can get them in whole halves, pieces or even chopped and ready to bake with.
  • Baking powder – to help give a little rise to the all purpose flour. We prefer this method over using baking mixes all of the time! Less processed ingredients!
  • Salt – gotta have it!
  • Cayenne pepper – we don’t use much. Just enough to give these beauties a little spice.
  • Avocado oil – our favorite oil of late. No additional flavor and it is not a seed oil so it ends up being better for you!
  • Sharp cheddar cheese – buy it grated or grate it yourself, we highly recommend using sharp as it adds more flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Lots of folks will tell you that you can mix sausage balls in a stand mixer. I do NOT recommend doing that as the mixture is too thick. What I do recommend is letting your ingredients be room temperature and using your hands!

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

A mixing bowl with a floral pattern sits on a wooden cutting board on a stovetop. Inside the bowl are chopped nuts, with a metal measuring cup resting next to it. A white dish cloth is hanging on the right side of the stove.

In a large bowl, combine flour and pecans.

A pair of hands is seen adding baking powder from a small canister into a bowl containing flour, which is on a wooden cutting board. A whisk and measuring spoons are also visible in the bowl. The scene is set on a stovetop with kitchen tools nearby.

Add in baking powder.

Two hands hold a small round wooden container with a lid, containing white granules, over a partially filled mixing bowl with flour. The bowl is on a wooden board, and in the background, there is a stove with pans and a cloth. One wrist wears a watch.

Salt.

A person in a red long-sleeve shirt is holding a container of cayenne pepper over a white and blue speckled bowl filled with flour. The bowl is on a wooden surface, and a whisk is partially visible inside the bowl. A stovetop is in the background.

Cayenne pepper and mix them all well. I like to use a whisk so it sort of sifts it all.

A person is pouring olive oil into a bowl of flour. The bowl is white with a blue floral pattern and rests on a cutting board. The person is wearing a smartwatch and has a white towel draped over their arm. The scene is set on a stovetop.

Add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.

A person is adding a green tube of product labeled "Veggie Refular" to a mixing bowl containing a dry mixture. The scene is set on a wooden tabletop, with parts of a stovetop and a white towel visible around the workspace.

Crumble raw ground turkey in dry mixture.

A person holding a bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese over a bowl containing dough and chocolate pieces. The scene is set on a wooden cutting board on a stovetop, with a skillet on the left and a white towel on the right.

Add in sharp cheddar and mix well, slowly with hands until all flour is incorporated. Add 1 to 2 more tbsps of avocado oil if they seem too dry.

A wooden countertop with a patterned bowl of cookie dough, a spoon, and a baking tray lined with parchment paper. The tray has evenly spaced raw cookie dough balls ready for baking, and the bowl has some remaining dough in it.

Roll into 1 to 2 inch balls and place on prepared sheet pan. Bake 25 minutes until golden brown.

A close-up of a homemade biscuit with visible nuts or seeds on a wooden surface. In the background, there is a plate with more biscuits and a blurry bowl, possibly containing a beverage or sauce.

Allow to cool a bit before serving.

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Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

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Small bites and appetizers are a sure fun way to fellowship with one another. Things like these pecan sausage balls are perfect for snacking while visiting with family or friends. Food brings people together so make it good food for good company!

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Variations and Substitutions

Here are some creative ideas to make this simple and easy pecan turkey sausage balls recipe even better.

  • Spicy – we only add a bit of cayenne, feel free to add a bit more to really make these pop with spice.
  • Dip – who doesn’t love a dip. A good simple dip for these is about half a cup of sour cream or greek yogurt, a couple of tablespoons of mayo and mustard and more of your favorite spices.
  • Sweet – adding a bit of sweet to spicy foods is a wildly popular thing to do. Add a little vanilla extract or even a dusting of brown sugar to really make these something new.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

Storage

These keep very well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.

They also freeze well too. Raw or cooked, I like to freeze on a sheet pan and when hardened, move them to a freezer safe bag.

A close-up of a baked scone with bits of nuts rests on a wooden surface next to a white plate with blue patterns that holds more scones. A bowl with a yellow liquid, possibly butter or a sauce, is partially visible in the background.

LOVE THIS RECIPE? It would mean so very much to me if you would take a moment to rate this recipe and leave me a sweet comment in the recipe card below! ❤️❤️We hope you love all of the Southern and healthy recipes we share here at The Buttered Home and would love to see you back here often!

A blue and white plate holds a stack of scone-like bread rolls with visible nuts and seeds. The plate is placed on a wooden surface, and a small glass bowl filled with a pale dipping sauce is next to it. One bread roll is placed beside the plate.

Simple and Easy Pecan Turkey Sausage Balls Recipe

Sausage balls made better by adding chopped pecans and using ground turkey. The same scratch made recipe you love but a little less greasy but still a crowd favorite.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Serving Size 16

Ingredients

  • 16 oz ground turkey sausage raw
  • 2 cups all purpose flour whole wheat
  • 3/4 cup pecans chopped
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 to 4 TBSPS avocado oil
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, pecans, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
    2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup pecans, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Add about 1 to 2 tbsps of avocado oil. Break turkey sausage up and add to oil and dry ingredients. Add grated cheddar and mix well by hand adding 1 to 2 tbsps more of oil if needed.
    16 oz ground turkey sausage, 2 to 4 TBSPS avocado oil, 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
  • Roll into 1 to 2 inch balls and place on prepare sheet pan. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool a bit before serving.

See How To Make It!

🍴 PRO TIP!

Make these beauties ahead of time. Roll them up and freeze them on a sheet pan. Once frozen, add them to a freezer safe container or bag and get out what you need. Thaw at room temperature and bake as directed!

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

Do I have to use sharp cheddar?

Not necessarily, I do think sausage balls in general are better with sharp cheddar but really any good cheese that can stand up to grating will work just fine.

Can I mix these with a mixer?

I would not. Let’s just say, I may or may not have burned the motor up in one with sausage balls. Let your ingredients come to room temperature and mix slowly by hand. The oil helps get the dry ingredients incorporated and you can use up to 4 tablespoons if needed.

What size do my sausage balls need to be?

I like to put a ball in the space in my palm to measure. You can also use a medium or small ice cream scoop to measure them out the same size. Just watch them during cooking time to insure they don’t get over done if you make small balls.

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Reader Review

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“I loved the freezer tips and made a double batch so we could enjoy some next week. This easy delicious recipe is a keeper.”

– Karen

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