Can I make these turnovers ahead of time?

Yes, these sausage and cheese turnovers are a great appetizer or snack to make ahead of time! If you want to make them ahead of time, just let them cool down to room temperature after baking, then pack them inside a food storage container or a zip top gallon bag. Then keep them either in the fridge for 3 - 4 days, or in the freezer for up to three months. Then when it's time to serve, place the turnovers on a baking pan and bake at 250 degrees F/130 degrees C for 10 - 12 minutes if refrigerated, or 20 - 22 minutes if frozen , or until heated through. The lower oven temperature allows the turnovers to heat more evenly without the outside getting too dry and crispy.

Can I use a different brand or type of canned biscuits?

As I mentioned in the Ingredient notes section, I used three 6 ounce cans of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits with "Flaky Layers." Each can has 5 biscuits, so each biscuit is about 1.2 ounces (34 g). So, if you find another brand of biscuit dough with similar proportions, even if there are more or less biscuits in each can, you are all set. (Just be sure to buy enough cans to equal 15 biscuits total!) Otherwise, you can still use another brand of canned biscuit that is larger or smaller than 1.2 ounces (34 g) each, but you will need to adjust the cooking time, either up or down a few minutes, depending on the size. To be extra sure, you can always bake 1 turnover first as a test to get the timing right before baking the whole batch. And of course, if you are making larger turnovers, you will not be able to make as many unless you scale up the filling as well.

Can I make these turnovers with other fillings?

Yes, if you'd like to customize these sausage turnovers, you can add in different ingredients, either replacing the sausage or adding half sausage and half another ingredient. I would not change the proportions of the cheese and cream cheese, however, since these add moisture to the turnovers and helps "glue" the filling together. When choosing alternate ingredients, I would also avoid overly wet ingredients (such as uncooked vegetables) so the turnovers don't leak and get soggy. Here are a few other filling ideas you may want to try: chopped pepperoni, chopped ham, shredded chicken, olives, or cooked spinach (squeeze out any excess moisture before adding!).

What goes well with sausage and cheese turnovers?

These turnovers are hearty and filling; you can serve them with only a few other appetizers or snacks and have an excellent game day spread. I suggest pairing them with my recipes for sloppy Joe sliders , dill pickle hummus and easy bean dip , with pita chips and a cut veggie platter!

Sausage and Cheese Turnovers

sausage and cheese turnover torn in half wrapped in paper towel

Print Recipe

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5 from 4 reviews

Sausage and cheese filling encased in flaky biscuit dough. The perfect party food!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 53 minutes
Yield: 15 turnovers 1x
Category: appetizer
Method: bake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces fresh sausage (not pre-cooked)
1/2 cup (72 g) finely chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces shredded cheese (any type that melts - cheddar, muenster, Gruyere, etc.), divided
three 6 ounce cans biscuit dough, 15 biscuits total (see note)
1 egg
flour for rolling

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone liners.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. If needed, remove the sausage from the casing, then add the sausage and finely chopped onion to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 - 6 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink. Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage into small chunks while cooking.
Add the cream cheese and most of the shredded cheese to a medium bowl, reserving about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese to garnish the turnovers. Add the sausage and onion mixture to the bowl. Stir the filling ingredients together a wooden spoon until evenly combined, set aside.
Crack the egg into a small bowl. Add a splash of water (about 1 tablespoon) and mix with a fork, set aside.
On a large work surface, dust the top and bottom of a biscuit with flour. Working in batches of about 3 - 4 biscuits, roll out each biscuit with a rolling pin into oval shapes about 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) thick.
Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sausage and cheese mixture and compress it into an oval shape. Place it on one side of a rolled out biscuit, about 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) from the edge.
Using a pastry brush, paint the egg mixture onto the 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) biscuit edge closest to the filling. Fold the other edge of the biscuit over the filling and line up the edges of the biscuit dough.
Gently press out any air that may have gotten trapped in the space between the filling and the edges of the biscuit dough. Press a fork all along the seam to crimp the biscuit dough together. If the fork is sticking, dip it in flour before crimping.
Repeat the rolling, filling, sealing and crimping process with the remaining biscuits, again working in batches of 3 - 4 turnovers at a time.
Place the turnovers onto the lined baking sheets. Brush the tops and sides of each turnover with the egg mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 17 - 19 minutes or until the tops are a deep golden brown and the bottoms of each turnover are dark brown.

Notes

You need the smallest size biscuit dough, not the "Grands" or "jumbo" type. I used the 6 ounce can of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits with Flaky Layers. Each can of those has 5 biscuits and you will need three cans, for a total of 15 biscuits. If you use a larger or smaller biscuit, you will need to adjust the amount of filling and bake time accordingly.

These turnovers can be made ahead of time and stored in covered containers in the fridge for 3 - 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat the turnovers, bake them in a preheated 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) oven for 10 - 12 minutes if refrigerated, or 20 - 22 minutes if frozen, or until heated through.

The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 turnover
Calories: 244
Sugar: 2.3 g
Sodium: 594 mg
Fat: 16.2 g
Saturated Fat: 7.3 g
Carbohydrates: 14.8 g
Fiber: 1.1 g
Protein: 9.7 g
Cholesterol: 48 mg

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/sausage-and-cheese-turnovers/