Hearty and savory sausage muffins with cheddar cheese and chives are perfect for breakfast and snacking but also as a side dish to soups and chili!
Who grew up with a container of Bisquick in the pantry? Weekend morning pancake breakfasts always meant Bisquick on the counter and while that was definitely its main use, sometimes it came out for making easy muffin recipes too.
These sausage muffins are not a Bisquick recipe (there’s plenty of that out there already) but a healthier, grown-up version combining hearty wholesome ingredients like nut flour, eggs, sausage and cheese in a bite-sized breakfast muffin you can easily whip up for the week.
I also love their versatility because as delicious as they are in the morning, they’re a great higher-protein snack for later in the day or a hearty alternative to cornbread for things like soups and chili recipes.
If you love recipes like sausage stuffing muffins or sausage cheddar bite appetizers, you’ll want to give these sausage breakfast muffins a try too.
Why You’ll Love This Sausage Muffin Recipe
- Convenient Breakfast On-The-Go: This easy breakfast recipe is perfect for busy mornings. Just grab and eat these muffins on your way out the door if you’re pressed for time.
- Rich Flavor: They’re packed with savory sausage, sharp cheddar and fresh onion flavor.
- Low Carb, High Protein: Each muffin has 11g of protein and just 7g of net crabohydrates.
- Simple Preparation: This recipe is so quick to make and uses common pantry ingredients. You’ll want to meal prep these every week!
- Versatile: Enjoy them as a standalone easy breakfast recipe or pair them with fruit or yogurt for a more complete meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Breakfast Sausage Muffins
Sausage: Use your favorite breakfast sausage or, a sweet or spicy regular sausage. Bulk sausage is best but you can also use links and just remove the casing.
Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add moisture to the muffin batter. Using four of them in this recipe also increases the protein content.
Nut flour: Almond and cashew flours are both used as a lower-carb option to regular flour and make this recipe gluten-free. Both can be made at home by blending almonds and cashews in a food processor until fine.
Cheddar cheese: I like to use a sharp cheddar for the intense flavor but any kind can be used.
Chives or Green onions: Add a mild onion flavor and a bit of freshness to the muffins, they’re chopped finely and folded into the batter.
How to Make Sausage Cheddar Muffins
Start by cooking the sausage over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned and crumbled.
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, and maple syrup in a bowl. In another bowl, mix up the dry ingredients: almond and cashew flours, flaxseed, baking powder, salt and pepper.
Combine all the ingredients into one bowl, including the cooked sausage. Fold in the grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onions until just combined.
Pour the sausage muffin batter into a greased muffin tin, filling it generously. Pop them in the oven and bake until they’re golden and irresistible, about 20 minutes.
Enjoy these hearty breakfast sausage muffins warm or cold.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Experiment with different cheeses like pepper jack, mozzarella or Monterey Jack for varied flavors and textures.
- Swap out pork sausage with turkey sausage for a lower fat option without compromising on flavor.
- Mix in chopped spinach or bell peppers to sneak in more veggies and add freshness.
- Sprinkle in a dash of garlic powder or cook the sausage with minced fresh garlic for added flavor.
- Use a mini-muffin pan to make a smaller, bite-sized version of the sausage muffins. This works great for kids!
Storage and Freezing
To keep these sausage egg muffins fresh for longer periods, proper storage is key. After baking, allow the muffins to cool completely before storing them. For short-term storage, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
If you plan to enjoy them over the course of the week, store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze the muffins for longer-term storage, individually wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat them in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for a quick and convenient breakfast option.
Properly stored and handled, these muffins will stay delicious and ready to eat whenever you need them.
Sausage Muffins
Ingredients
- 6 ounces pork sausage
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup cashew meal
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped chives or green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees and grease a muffin tin with baking spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and cook sausage, breaking up into small pieces. Set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk and maple syrup in a large bowl.
- Combine the almond meal, cashew meal, baking powder, flaxseed, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl and stir to combine.
- Fold in the sausage, cheddar and onions.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 of each tin.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until edges start to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
We love, love, LOVE these muffins! Just to mix things up a bit,, on the third batch, I removed the maple syrup and added spinach and sauteed crimini mushrooms and they are fantastic! my husband shared them at work and now everyone wants the recipe – you may have some new followers!
I made these with a few alternations because I didn’t have some ingredients on hand. So I can’t really rate this recipe. Instead of cashew meal, I used some coconut flour and tapioca starch. The result reminded me of corn muffins, slightly sweet because of the honey and the texture is like corn meal. Great if one prefers something similar to corn muffins. I would perhaps omit the honey and use almond flour instead of meal.
My husband is not a fan of maple syrup. What do you suggest as an alternative or can I leave out?
honey?
Can you use all almond meal? Or what would a good sub be for the cashew meal?
You probably could or any other nut flour.
Holy Moly YUM!!! I am allergic to eggs but I have to figure out how to make these without eggs! Thanks for sharing!