• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauces
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Boudin Balls

Boudin Balls

by Mike Hultquist · Feb 12, 2020 · 31 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Boudin Balls Recipe

This easy boudin balls recipe is the perfect appetizer, with Cajun boudin sausage hand formed, breaded and fried until golden. Make a batch tonight! Great for parties, game day, or snacking.

Boudin Balls Recipe

Boudin Balls Recipe

The first time I had boudin balls was during a visit to New Orleans. We visited that wonderful city on a foodie tour.

We dined at many intriguing restaurants, took cooking classes, followed music, partied on Bourbon Street, and ate, ate, ate.

It was on one particular food tour experience where we were served boudin balls. My initial thought - what are these delicious looking things? It's hard to tell what they are exactly by looking at them.

Boudin balls are basically savory fried appetizer balls filled with meat and rice, and I love them.

What are Boudin Balls?

Boudin balls are made from Cajun boudin sausage, which is a mixture of ground pork and rice, along with seasonings. The sausage is removed from its casing, formed into balls, then coated and fried until golden brown.

Boudin sausage is a staple in Louisiana cooking. I saw it everywhere during our visit.

Boudin Links

Cooks enjoy it grilled, sliced and served on crackers, and mixed in with anything from gumbos and etouffees to po' boys and classics like jambalaya.

Boudin balls are one of the most popular ways of serving them up, and they make for a big hit in party situations.

Serve them up with a classic remoulade sauce, or a very simple Creole-style mustard cream sauce for dipping, which I will show you how to make. It is so easy.

Let's get cooking!

Let's talk about how to make boudin balls, shall we?

Boudin balls on a plate

Boudin Balls Ingredients

  • FOR THE CREOLE MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE
  • 1 cup sour cream or crema
  • 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (or use Cajun seasoning)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of kosher salt (and black pepper, if desired)
  • FOR THE BOUDIN BALLS
  • 1 pound Cajun-style boudin sausage (3 links, usually)
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend (optional, for spicier boudin balls - use 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper as a substitute)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs (well-beaten)
  • ¼ cup buttermilk (or use milk)
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • Pinch of salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

How to Make Boudin Balls - the Recipe Method

First, heat the oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F/176 C. If you are unable to measure the temperature, add a droplet of batter or flour to the oil. It is ready when the batter sizzles.

Do NOT bring the oil to a boil.

Remove the boudin sausage from casings and crumble. Mix the meat with extra Cajun seasonings, if desired. This is what is looks like crumbled up.

These particular boudin sausages had a lot of rice, as you can see.

Crumbled boudin in a bowl

Shape the boudin into 1 1/2-inch balls. Depending on the brand of boudin you are using, you may need to squeeze out excess moisture, or sprinkle in some water if it is too dry.

Forming boudin balls by hand

TIP: Refrigerate the boudin balls for 30 minutes to harden them up a bit, which makes them easier to handle and fry.

Fill a shallow bowl with flour, a second bow with beaten eggs, milk, hot sauce and salt, and a third bowl with breadcrumbs.

Coat each boudin ball with flour.

Coat each boudin ball with the beaten egg mixture.

Coating the boudin balls with the egg wash mixture

Coat each boudin ball with the bread crumbs. Roll them around to get all sides.

Coating the boudin balls with bread crumbs

Fry the boudin balls in the hot oil until golden brown, working in batches. Flip them once half way through if the oil doesn’t cover them entirely.

You can see that the oil does not entirely cover them in my pan. I just roll them after a couple minutes to get all sides.

Easy!

Boudin balls frying in a pan

Set onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain some of the oil.

Serve with the with Creole-style mustard dipping sauce or a good remoulade sauce, or creole tartar sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs or green onion. And chili flakes!

Makes about 16 boudin balls. Sometimes I make them a little bit larger and get about 12 boudin balls.

FOR THE CREOLE MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE

Whisk together the sour cream or crema, mustard, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Creole Mustard Cream Sauce

Boom! Easy enough, isn't it? Presenting - fried boudin balls! Your friends will be amazed, your guests ravenous!

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Forming the Boudin Balls. I didn't use any binders in making these. I normally use egg and/or breadcrumbs to help bind my meatballs together. You certainly CAN use them if you have trouble forming the boudin balls and they fall apart. The rice content worked great in this case, so I didn't need extra binders. Skipping binders will result in more airy boudin balls.
  • Squeeze Out the Moisture. There was a lot of liquid content in my particular boudin product. I had to squeeze out excess moisture to properly form the balls. Keep this in mind.
  • Refrigerate or Freeze the Balls. If you feel the boudin balls might crumble apart when breading or cooking them, set them into the fridge for 30 minutes, or into the freezer for 10 minutes, before working with them. This will firm them up for you.
  • Baked Boudin Balls. To bake instead of frying, set the breaded boudin balls onto a lined baking sheet and bake them for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F (204 C), until they are golden brown.

Storage and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover boudin balls in the refrigerator in a sealed container. They will last up to 5 days. To enjoy them again, gently warm them in the oven at 300 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the boudin balls. They're such a great appetizer, perfect for snacking. Or hey, make a meal out of them! Enjoy.

If you're curious, read about my foodie trip to New Orleans here!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

If you love Cajun and Creole cuisine, you'll love my Chicken and Sausage Gumbo or my Seafood Gumbo recipes. They're New Orleans in a pot!

Cajun Red Beans and Rice is always a popular dish, as is Hoppin' John, particularly around the New Year.

This Dirty Rice Recipe will definitely satisfy if you enjoy the combination pork and rice. Cajun Corn Maque Choux is also a super popular side dish.

Also, don't forget this classic Muffaletta Sandwich! This is the ultimate sandwich from New Orleans, and you have to make it for yourself. So good!

See all of my Cajun Recipes

Half of a boudin ball on a fork, exposing the rice filled interior

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Boudin Balls Recipe – How to Make Boudin Balls
Print

Boudin Balls Recipe – How to Make Boudin Balls

This easy boudin balls recipe is the perfect appetizer, with Cajun boudin sausage hand formed, breaded and fried until golden. Make a batch tonight! Great for parties, game day, or snacking.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: boudin, cajun, creole, ground pork, meatballs, sausage
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 16 boudin balls
Tap or hover to scale
4.80 from 10 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

FOR THE CREOLE MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE

  • 1 cup sour cream or crema
  • 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or use Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of salt

FOR THE BOUDIN BALLS

  • 1 pound Cajun-style boudin sausage 3 links, usually
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend optional, for spicier boudin balls
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs well-beaten
  • ¼ cup buttermilk or use milk
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • Pinch of salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • Oil for deep-frying

Instructions

FOR THE BOUDIN BALLS

  • Heat the oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F/176 C. If you are unable to measure the temperature, add a droplet of batter or flour to the oil. It is ready when the batter sizzles. Do NOT bring the oil to a boil.
  • Remove the boudin sausage from casings and crumble. Mix the meat with extra Cajun seasonings, if desired
  • Shape the boudin into 1 1/2-inch balls. Depending on the brand of boudin you are using, you may need to squeeze out excess moisture, or sprinkle in some water if it is too dry. TIP: Refrigerate the boudin balls for 30 minutes to harden them up a bit, which makes them easier to handle and fry.
  • Fill a small bowl with flour, a second bow with beaten eggs, milk, hot sauce and salt, and a third bowl with breadcrumbs.
  • Coat each boudin ball with flour.
  • Coat each boudin ball with the beaten egg mixture.
  • Coat each boudin ball with the bread crumbs. Roll them around to get all sides.
  • Fry the boudin balls in the hot oil until golden brown. Flip them once half way through if the oil doesn’t cover them entirely. You may need to fry them in batches.
  • Serve with the with Creole-style mustard cream sauce or a good Cajun remoulade sauce.

FOR THE CREOLE MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE

  • Whisk together the sour cream or crema, mustard, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Makes about 16 boudin balls.
The Creole-style mustard cream sauce can be made a couple days ahead of time. Keep stored in the fridge.
Forming the Boudin Balls. I didn't use any binders in making these. I normally use egg and/or breadcrumbs to help bind my meatballs together. You certainly CAN use them if you have trouble forming the boudin balls and they fall apart. The rice content worked great in this case, so I didn't need extra binders. Skipping binders will result in more airy boudin balls.
Squeeze Out the Moisture. There was a lot of liquid content in my particular boudin product. I had to squeeze out excess moisture to properly form the balls. Keep this in mind.
Refrigerate or Freeze the Balls. If you feel the boudin balls might crumble apart when breading or cooking them, set them into the fridge for 30 minutes, or into the freezer for 10 minutes, before working with them. This will firm them up for you.
Baked Boudin Balls. To bake instead of frying, set the breaded boudin balls onto a lined baking sheet and bake them for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F (204 C), until they are golden brown.
Calories are estimated.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 155kcal   Carbohydrates: 7g   Protein: 6g   Fat: 11g   Saturated Fat: 4g   Cholesterol: 49mg   Sodium: 250mg   Potassium: 131mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 414IU   Vitamin C: 1mg   Calcium: 34mg   Iron: 1mg
Boudin Balls Recipe – How to Make Boudin Balls
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Categories: Appetizers Tags: cajun, Chili Pepper Madness, chili pepper recipe, game day and superbowl parties, tailgating

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Diane N says

    February 16, 2023 at 8:20 am

    4 stars
    I am in CT…could you recommend a supplier of boudin sausages online. TY

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 16, 2023 at 8:37 am

      Diane, try Cajun Grocer or Louisiana Crawfish Company.

      Reply
  2. ROSE TURNER says

    February 16, 2023 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    I am Japanese, and I am confused because I am feeling more like a Louisiana Cajun these days?? I am looking forward to trying yet another (ok 3 more) of your awesome recipe's. Everything that I have tried so far as been a keeper! I bought your cookbook too, and now it is stuffed with these awesome recipes that weren't included in the cookbook, so I am printing and adding to it.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 16, 2023 at 8:35 am

      Glad you are enjoying the recipes, Rose! And thanks for buying my book! I hope you'll leave a review on Amazon. I'll keep the recipes coming! =)

      Reply
  3. Nessa says

    February 15, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    Can I use grand pappy fryer instead of a pot of oil? or maybe a air fryer?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 15, 2023 at 2:17 pm

      Nessa, you can definitely use a fryer for this recipe. I have not made them in an air fryer, but you should be able to do it. I would lightly freeze the boudin balls first so they don't stick to the basket in an air fryer.

      Reply
  4. Wendy Duckworth says

    December 21, 2022 at 11:29 pm

    We're having a Cajun Christmas dinner. it's a 3 hr drive to our dinner destination. Can I make these the day before, and what is the best way to reheat to serve?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 22, 2022 at 8:36 am

      Wendy, because they are fried, I'm not sure if they will retain their crispiness. I believe you can make them ahead and rewarm them in the oven, though. I think they will still be good. Let me know how it goes if you do it.

      Reply
  5. Clara I Echevarria says

    December 13, 2022 at 6:25 pm

    Hi Michael; how much rice should I add to the recipe

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 14, 2022 at 6:29 am

      Hi, Clara. You don't need to add rice, as boudin already has the rice in it.

      Reply
  6. Ronnie says

    July 03, 2022 at 8:38 am

    Sauce was great, balls cooked really fast, I was going like a banshee.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 11, 2022 at 8:46 am

      Awesome! Thanks, Ronnie!

      Reply
  7. Rudy Villarreal says

    December 02, 2021 at 5:37 pm

    5 stars
    Can the boudin balls be frozen after they are fried?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      December 03, 2021 at 7:12 am

      Rudy, I've never done this, but I'm sure you can. They won't be as crisp, though. I would enjoy them right away for best flavor.

      Reply
  8. Debrah Hunter says

    October 02, 2021 at 8:54 am

    Hello can you use chicken for boudin balls?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 02, 2021 at 2:00 pm

      Yes, you can Debrah. The flavor will be different, but it will work just fine. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. margaret simmons says

    July 20, 2021 at 2:20 pm

    Boudin sausage is available by mail from Cajun Grocer (cajungrocer.com). Makes great Boudin Balls!

    Reply
  10. Ruthy says

    March 31, 2021 at 7:09 am

    Hi Michael,
    Would love to make these but the sausage is nearly non existent in California! Do you have the sausage recipe?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      March 31, 2021 at 7:22 am

      Ruthy, I would use half blood sausage and half rice for this. You can also try crumbled ground pork or chopped andouille. Let me know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
  11. Robert Grant says

    February 14, 2021 at 2:19 pm

    5 stars
    Great now on top of making Andoullie, I need to make Boudin. I cannot find any decent cajun sausages this far north. This recipe looks great, this will happen this weekend coming... after the sausage is made. Thanks again Mike.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      February 14, 2021 at 2:22 pm

      Sure thing, Robert! I hope you enjoy it!!

      Reply
    • margaret simmons says

      July 16, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      4 stars
      Robert Grant: you can order all of that from Cajun Grocer (cajungrocer.com) plus lots of other cajun food (including crawfish tails)

      Reply
      • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

        July 17, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        5 stars
        Yes, Cajun Grocer is a good resource.

        Reply
  12. Diane says

    September 24, 2020 at 7:25 pm

    Ok missed that boudin sausage has rice in it I will be using Italian hot spiced sausage how much rice do you think I should put In it?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 25, 2020 at 6:05 am

      Diane, boudin is mostly rice, so you can try to use at least as much rice as the sausage for this recipe.

      Reply
  13. Jeremie says

    June 29, 2020 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    Impossible to find Cajun-style boudin sausage, in France, so I had to make them myself... cause it's been several weeks that your recipe teased me.
    Yum Yum! Beautiful and tasty: isn't that the recipe of happiness?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      June 29, 2020 at 2:04 pm

      I love it! Yes, boudin is a wonderful ingredient.

      Reply
  14. Debbie Lea says

    April 12, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    5 stars
    Another great recipe! Thank you! I made this a while back and they were delicious. I must say they were better than any we’ve purchased too! I was intrigued with the review stating he used Zaps jalapeño chips instead of breadcrumbs. So I tried it and holy moly it took it up a notch. Gave it a great taste and texture with a bit more heat.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 13, 2020 at 7:39 am

      Excellent, Debbie! Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, great idea to use the jalapeno chips to bread them!

      Reply
  15. David says

    February 12, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. My family is from Louisiana so these are a staple around our house. We mix them up sometimes by using zaps jalapeño or crawtater chips instead of breadcrumbs as well as jalapeño cheetos. Nice recipe, Well Done!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      February 12, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      I love it, David. Great additions. I appreciate it!!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican
Cajun
Sauces
Seasonings

5 ESSENTIALS FOR SPICY COOKING

Subscribe and receive my FREE email series with tips for spicy cooking and new Recipes

Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Most Popular Recipes

  • Bang Bang Chicken
  • Mexican Birria Recipe
  • Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe
  • Jamaican Curry Chicken
  • Mexican Picadillo Recipe
  • Homemade Blackening Seasoning

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Ingredients | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2022 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD