Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce

Can’t make your mind up between mustard or cheese on your soft pretzel? Have the best of both worlds, plus the addition of some Italian sausage, too! These Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce make sensational appetizers, but they eat like a meal. Prepare them in your oven or in your air fryer!

Homemade Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce need to be on your must-make list!  I mean, they are perfect for the big football game this weekend — or you can have them for dinner with a salad like we did last week.   In fact … the week before that, too!

This post is sponsored by Herbal Gatherings Mustard, but the love I feel for their mustards and the opinions here are all my own.

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Friends, I have been counting down the days until I could share this amazing new recipe and this Herbal Gathering Mustard.   You all know I hold extra-special places in my heart for Nebraska born companies.  Herbal Gatherings is one of those companies.  

Herbal Gatherings Mustard

Herbal Gatherings Mustard is a recipe that has been passed down from one family member to another.  Created under the blazing Nebraska sun, on the southside of the Platt River, in the heart of the state. 

But it’s not just us Nebraska folks that know how good it is.  In fact,  Herbal Gatherings Original Mustard won a bronze medal at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival in 2000!   

What does Herbal Gatherings Mustard Taste like?

Its unique flavor profile is sure to make your mouth water!   You see, this isn’t your run of the mill yellow mustard.  However, the basic ingredients are that of prepared mustard: distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed, turmeric, paprika, spices, garlic powder. But it doesn’t stop there. 

Add in things like sugar, onions and jalapeño peppers to give it a flavor dimension all it’s own. It’s not watery mustard.  This is a thick condiment, with chunks of the peppers and onions showing themselves throughout. 

I found it to have the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.  It comes in both Original and Hot – I myself, loved the hot — but that is kind of my deal.  My hubby, thought the Original was plenty hot – but again, we know how these things work after this many years of togetherness.  

When James, one of the owners of Herbal Gatherings,  and I talked about what sort of recipe to make for the big game coming up this weekend – we almost simultaneously said “Pretzel.” I mean – what goes better with mustard than pretzels?!

Not to say that Herbal Gatherings Mustard isn’t great on things like brats, burgers and hot dogs, no sir.  In fact — this knocks those grilling staples out of the park! But think a little on the broader scope of things — think potato salad, deviled eggs,  an addition to a vinaigrette dressing or even a way to kick up the common pot of chili.  This mustard will do all of those things.  

Heck — we have found ourselves dipping chips, crackers and pretzel twists right out of the bag into the jar.  

Yes.  Yes, it’s that good.  

Can’t Stop. Won’t Stop!

But I couldn’t stop there.  You see — as much as I love mustard on pretzels — I equally enjoy cheese.  So I said to myself “Self? What if you made a mustard cheese sauce to dip these pretzel bombs in?”  Then as I was answering myself I asked another question, “what if you put an Italian sausage meatball and cheese inside the pretzel ball?”

Then I answered myself with a resounding “YES!”

Pin it to your favorite tailgating recipes Pinterest board! 

These mustards make beautiful and tasty additions to a charcuterie board.  They would also be delicious on these recipes from An Affair from the Heart:

• Fuggedaboutit Pork Roast
• Bloody Mary Burger
• Smoked Salmon
• Kraut Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Brats
• Spicy Baked Chicken Tenders

Ingredients Needed for Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce:

• frozen dinner rolls
• Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• Herbal Gatherings Original Mustard
• cracker crumbs
• cheese (cheddar or cheddar Jack or both)
• baking soda
• butter
• flour
• milk

You will find the complete printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

Start by mixing up your meat mixture for the meatballs.  Italian sausage, cracker crumbs, Herbal Gatherings Original Mustard and cubed cheese. 

I used my small cookie dough scoop to portion the meatballs, to keep them as close to the same size as possible. 

They don’t cook long enough to get the sausage done, so a precook in the skillet is necessary. 

After the frozen bread dough rolls have thawed, cut each one in half and form into a flat circle.  Place a meatball on top and stretch the dough around it, pinching to seal the edges. 

You’ll drop each ball into a baking soda bath before placing it on a cookie sheet. 

Brush them with an egg wash, and sprinkle them with pretzel salt or coarse sea salt. 

Bake them until golden brown.

Then try to refrain from popping one of them in your mouth straight from the hot cookie sheet and burning your mouth.  (trust me here)

Serve with the mustard cheese sauce you prepared while they were baking.

And of course, a bowl of either the Original or Hot Herbal Gatherings Mustard for dipping, too!

^Love it? Pin it!^

Don’t forget where you saw this recipe! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board before you go!

How can I get my hands on some Herbal Gatherings Mustard?

If you live here in Nebraska, or in parts of Iowa, Colorado, or even Chicago you can probably find Herbal Gatherings Mustard at your local HyVee, Whole Foods or Natural Grocers.  But if you aren’t able to shop there, you can always order some and have it delivered right to your door! Grab it on the Herbal Gathering’s Website or order it from Buy Nebraska.

Be sure to follow along with Herbal Gatherings on both Instagram and Facebook to hear more about their products, and get new recipes all year long!

These Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce aren’t going to fix themselves — let’s get to the recipe! 

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Print Recipe

Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce

Can't make your mind up between mustard or cheese on your pretzel? Have the best of both worlds, plus the addition of some Italian sausage, too! These Sausage Pretzel Bombs with Mustard Cheese Sauce make sensational appetizers, but eat like a meal!

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Additional Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Hot Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bombs, Herbal Gatherings Mustard, how to make stuffed pretzels, Mustard Cheese Sauce, Pretzel, Sausage, Stuffed Pretzel Balls

Servings: 24 pretzel bombs

Calories: 385kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Herbal Gatherings Mustards
• 13x18 Half Sheet Pan
• Wilton Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the Sausage Pretzel Bombs

• 12 frozen bread dough dinner rolls thawed
• 1 pound ground Italian Sausage spicy or mild, your choice
• 1 Tablespoon Herbal Gatherings Original Mustard
• 1/3 cup cubed cheddar cheese
• 2 Tablespoons cracker crumbs
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 10 cups boiling water
• 1 egg + 2 Tablespoons water to make an egg wash
• Pretzel Salt or coarse sea salt

For the Mustard Cheese Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons Herbal Gatherings Mustard
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

Instructions

• Thaw frozen dinner rolls in a warm place. Cut in half.
• Combine Italian sausage, cracker crumbs, mustard and cheese cubes in a bowl. Form small meatballs. I made 24. Hint* It helps to divide the meat mixture in half then keep halving it to make it equal.
• Place meatballs in a hot skillet, cover with lid and brown on all sides. Place on paper towel to remove any excess grease.
• Bring water to a boil with the baking soda on the stove in a large pot.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet with Crisco shortening. (don't place on a cookie sheet that isn't greased, they will stick!)
• Take each piece of bread dough and press into a flat circle. Place a meatball in the center and wrap dough around it. Seal the edges.
• Drop about 3 or 4 of the dough balls at a time into the boiling baking soda bath for 30 seconds. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Brush each pretzel ball with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt or pretzel salt.
• Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown. Air fry for 7 minutes on 400 degrees. Check as ovens and air fryers cooking times can differ.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter to prepare the cheese sauce. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, then the milk and let cook until it begins to thicken. It will only take a couple of minutes. Whisk in mustard and shredded cheese until smooth. Top with chives for serving if desired.
• Serve pretzel bombs hot from the oven with mustard cheese sauce and Herbal Gatherings Mustard for dipping.

Notes

These Sausage Pretzel Bombs can be made in the oven or the air fryer.

Make them ahead of time and bake them when you are ready to eat them.

Nutrition

Serving: 3pretzel bombs | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 5954mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g