A final close-up of oven-baked BBQ sausage bites in a glass dish, with two pieces on toothpicks for easy serving.

Sausage bites are a quick and easy appetizer made with just two ingredients—smoked sausage and bbq sauce—baked until caramelized and sticky. Perfect for game day, parties, or a simple meal addition, they come together in under an hour with minimal prep.

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Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Servings

This sausage bites recipe reminds you just how good simple can be. Smoked sausage, already packed with flavor, gets tossed in BBQ sauce and roasted until it’s sticky, caramelized, and irresistibly golden. Minimal effort, big return—just how we like it. Whether you need a quick appetizer, party snack, or just something easy to throw together, these sausage bites are your new best friend.

Glass baking dish filled with evenly sliced sausage bites coated in sticky barbecue sauce. Text overlay reads “BBQ Sausage Bites.”

Ingredients Overview for BBQ Sausage Bites

Overhead shot of a bowl of sliced raw sausage and a bowl of BBQ sauce on a white marble surface. Text overlay suggests using a rich, smoky BBQ sauce and evenly sized sausage pieces.

Ingredients You’ll Need

28 ounces skinless smoked sausage
1 ½ cups BBQ sauce

The Best Sausage To Use

Two ingredients, big flavor – it all comes down to the sausage. ✔️ Use skinless smoked sausage for juicy bites that bake up evenly and soak in that sticky BBQ glaze. 🔥 Want a fiery twist? Go for a spicy variety and bring the heat.

⚠️ Do not use raw sausage in our recipe as it would require adjusting the bake times to ensure the sausage is fully cooked before serving.

The Best Barbecue Sauce

Go bold with your BBQ—thick, sweet, and smoky is the secret to that sticky, caramelized glaze.

⭐ Our Best pick: Sweet Baby Ray’s nails the perfect balance.
🌶️ Want heat? Add one tsp hot sauce.
💥 Boost the depth with two tbsp brown sugar.

Tips and Tricks for Making These Sausage Bite Appetizers

Want to make sure your sausage bites turn out perfectly every time? These simple tips will help you get the best texture, flavor, and presentation.

1️⃣Slice sausage evenly – Cut the smoked sausage into one-inch pieces to ensure they cook uniformly and get evenly coated in the sauce.

Unbaked sausage slices coated in BBQ sauce, arranged in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Text overlay gives preparation tip for evenly sized, coated sausage.

2️⃣Stir every 15 minutes – This helps the sausage absorb the sauce and prevents any pieces from sticking to the baking dish.

Close-up of sticky BBQ sausage bites with a metal spoon scooping one piece. Text overlay says to check for doneness when sauce thickens and bubbles.

3️⃣Want crispier edges? – Spread the sausage pieces in a single layer with space between them. This allows the heat to caramelize the barbecue sauce properly.

How To Serve

As An Appetizer

Pile them high or serve sausage bites on a serving platter with extra dipping sauce toothpicks for easy grabbing.

BBQ sausage bites served on a white platter with toothpicks, with a ramekin of dipping sauce and a small bucket of toothpicks in the background. Text overlay offers serving suggestion.

Dipping Sauce Recipes

Sausage bites are great—but the right dip makes them irresistible.

🟡 Honey Mustard: Sweet, sharp, and punchy—perfect contrast to smoky sausage.
🫙 Ranch: Cool, creamy, and herby for that classic comfort vibe.
🧀 Cheese Dip: Because sausage and cheese were made for each other.

Turn These Sausage Bites Into A Full Meal:

🍽️ Classic Cookout Style: Pair with mac and cheese, potato salad, or coleslaw.
🥦 Veggie Night: Add roasted vegetables.
🍳 Breakfast Twist: Add them to a sheet pan breakfast.

How To Store Appetizers With Sausage

Got leftovers? Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days. When you’re ready to reheat, warm them in the oven or a skillet to keep that glaze sticky and delicious.

⚠️ These bites aren’t freezer-friendly—the texture just doesn’t hold up—so it’s best to enjoy them fresh. ⚠️

Close-up of a glazed BBQ sausage bite on a toothpick being dipped into a rich, dark barbecue sauce in a white ramekin.

However you serve them—on a party platter, as a game day snack, or a quick-fix dinner with a couple of sides—these BBQ sausage bites always deliver. They check every box: easy to make, packed with bold flavor, and guaranteed to disappear faster than you think.

It’s the kind of recipe that works hard without asking much of you, and that’s a win any day of the week.

More Sausage Appetizers

Sausage Bites

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings

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Ingredients

28 ounces skinless smoked sausage, sliced into 1 inch pieces (two 14-ounce packages)
1 ½ cups BBQ sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium size mixing bowl, stir together the sliced sausage pieces and BBQ sauce until completely coated.
Spread the coated sausage pieces into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring every 15 minutes until the BBQ sauce is reduced and bubbly.

Notes

You can use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce as a substitute for Sweet Baby Rays.
For crispier edges, you can broil the sausage for 2 to 3 minutes.
The sliced sausage can be skewered and coated before cooking on the grill until crispy.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Two Ingredient Sausage Bites