Description
These Rotel Spiced Sausage & Cream Cheese Bites are savory, flaky puff pastry triangles filled with a flavorful blend of spiced pork sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, and zesty Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies. Perfect as an appetizer or party snack, they bake up golden and puffed in just under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
Filling
- 1 pound ground spiced pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, well-drained
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Cook the Sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground spiced pork sausage until it is browned and crumbled. Make sure to drain off any excess fat to avoid greasiness in the filling.
- Prepare the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, well-drained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, softened cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until all ingredients are fully blended for a creamy, flavorful filling.
- Cut the Puff Pastry: Roll out your thawed puff pastry sheets and cut them into approximately 3-inch squares, which makes a perfect size for bite-sized snacks.
- Assemble the Bites: Place a spoonful of the prepared filling in the center of each puff pastry square. Fold each square into a triangle shape and carefully seal the edges by pressing them together to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Brush with Egg Wash: Arrange the filled triangles on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg. This step gives the pastry a beautiful golden color and slight sheen once baked.
- Bake: Bake the bites in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and fully puffed.
- Cool Before Serving: Remove from the oven and let the bites cool for 3 to 4 minutes on the baking sheet to firm up slightly before serving warm.
Notes
- Ensure the puff pastry is properly thawed to prevent cracking when cutting and folding.
- Drain the Rotel tomatoes well to avoid excess moisture making the filling soggy.
- You can substitute spiced pork sausage with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- Serve warm for the best flavor and texture.
- These bites can be made ahead and frozen before baking; bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
