Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa Sausage Bites are such an easy recipe! Just 3 simple ingredients and these glazed sausage bites are sure to be a hit at any holiday or game day party!
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Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa Sausage Bites
While I don’t have the insane sweet tooth that some of the people do, I enjoy sweet things once in a while. I especially enjoy sweet things when they have a kick of spiciness to them! I think the heat helps take the edge off the sugary sweetness!
When I was dreaming up this recipe, I immediately knew I wanted to feature kielbasa. The fantastic smokiness seemed like the perfect compliment to a sweet and spicy sauce. Many other kielbasa recipes that I’ve seen are pastas and while tasty, I wanted a meaty appetizer.
Tips for how to cook kielbasa bites
- Be sure to heat the sauce over medium low heat- you want it to melt together nice and slowly.
- I always brown the sausage. Not only does this bring it to temp, it gives it a nice texture that comes from that sear.
- This kielbasa recipe is best served right away. If it sits around for too long the sauce thickens and it’s not as good cold. That being said it’s so good that it probably won’t last that long anyway.
Frequently asked questions about making this kielbasa sausage recipe
- How long does kielbasa last? While this is best consumed right away, this will last up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.
- What’s the best way to reheat this recipe? You can microwave it or heat it over medium heat in a non-stick pan 25 minutes from start to finish
- Do you season kielbasa? For this particular recipe, it’s not necessary. Between the kielbasa and the sauce there’s already plenty of flavor.
- What is the best way to serve this kielbasa recipe? I like to serve it on a serving dish with toothpicks. You can also keep them in a smaller slow cooker on warm.
Make it a meal!
A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:
- BBQ Crock Pot Meatballs
- Easy Instant Pot Chili
- Garbage Plate
- BLT Ranch Flatbread Pizza
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Helpful tools:
- Large saute pan
- Wooden spoon
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa Sausage Bites are such an easy recipe! Just 3 simple ingredients and these glazed sausage bites are sure to be a hit at any holiday or game day party!
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- 4 Tablespoons hot sauce (I like Frank's Red Hot for this)
- 1 13 ounce package Kielbasa sausage, sliced
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Whisk together apricot preserves and hot sauce in a small pot over medium/medium low heat. Stir periodically for around 7 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
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While the sauce heats, grease large sauté pan with cooking spray and heat to medium high.
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Add sliced kielbasa to the pan and brown for around 5 minutes on each side until it's nicely seared.
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Drain oil and reduce heat to a little below medium.
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Add the sauce to the pan with the kielbasa and cook for around 10-15 minutes until the sauce reduces, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.
If you're doubling or tripling for a crowd, do meat in shifts so they all get a nice sear. This is best served right away, but if you must let it sit do it in a warm slow cooker.
If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @thelifejolie so I can share it <3
Other great meaty appetizer recipes are:
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12 Comments
Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated
December 20, 2016 at 10:51 am I love things with a bit of a spicy-sweet kick, too! Love how these have just three ingredients. This is the exact kind of quick, simply recipe everyone needs at this time of year!Jessy
December 24, 2016 at 1:01 pm Thanks Nicola- I agree- simple and delicious!Willow | Will Cook For Friends
December 20, 2016 at 11:01 am I'm with you, sweet is so much better with a little heat! These sound amazing, and kiiiinda like I could eat the entire batch without any help... and I wouldn't even be sorry about it. Also, I'm so happy you shared that story about the fried chicken, because I HAVE BEEN THERE. It's tough to make really amazing fried chicken, and even harder to make great waffles... and it's just nice to see the real-life side of a food blogger, where things don't always turn out perfectly on the first try. That said, I totally have a craving for chicken and waffles now, haha!Jessy
December 24, 2016 at 12:55 pm Thank you, Willow- I could never fault you for eating a whole pan! As much as I'm sorry you went through a similar chicken debacle, it's comforting to know that I'm not the only one. I definitely have my fair share of cooking fails, but they make the wins that much sweeter (and spicier!).Platter Talk
December 20, 2016 at 11:42 am Besides being a great looking recipe, it's insanely easy and simple to make! Very nice app for this busy time of year. Platter Talk recently posted...Cherry Chocolate Kiss CookiesJessy
December 21, 2016 at 8:37 am Thank you- yeah, I'm all for easy and delicious :)Meg | Meg is Well
December 20, 2016 at 12:13 pm I'm seriously drooling right now. That thick, sticky looking sauce is mesmerizing. Smucker's apricot preserves is one of my go to favorites for flavor in cooking and baking and the thought of combining it with spicy sauce is making me super hungry-because I LOVE spicy food with hints of sweet.Jessy
December 21, 2016 at 8:31 am Thank you, Meg! I'm with you on the spicy and sweet. The smokiness of the sausage adds a nice complexity!Shelley
December 24, 2016 at 12:43 pm What a great story! Well maybe not the chicken fail part lol. What kind of hot sauce do you like to use? Shelley recently posted...Hearty Cheesy Lasagna with Meat SauceJessy
December 24, 2016 at 12:53 pm Thanks Shelley- I am definitely looking back and laughing now, but at the time I was pregnant, exhausted and ready to eat my feelings haha! I often use Frank's Red Hot :)Summer
June 6, 2018 at 7:00 pm Been here 5 min and already pinned 3 of your recipes.Jessy Freimann
June 6, 2018 at 9:07 pm <3<3<3 You totally just made my night!