Little smokies, also known as cocktail wieners or mini hot dogs, are bite-sized pork sausages wrapped in soft dough. They make for an easy and tasty party food or appetizer. But what should you serve alongside these mini sausages to make a complete and delicious meal or snack? There are lots of options that pair well with little smokies! In this article, we’ll explore different foods, dips, and sauces that go great with little smokies.
What are little smokies?
First, let’s go over exactly what little smokies are. Little smokies are bite-sized smoked sausages that have a rounded, plump shape. They are made of finely ground pork and spices, encased in a soft dough wrapping. The most common brand of little smokies is Lit’l Smokies by Hillshire Farm. Some key facts about little smokies:
– They are roughly the size of a ping pong ball, measuring about 1 inch in diameter.
– Little smokies are fully cooked, meaning no preparation is required before eating them.
– They have a smoky, savory pork flavor from being smoked over hardwood chips.
– The soft dough wrapping allows them to be heated up easily in the oven, slow cooker or on the stovetop.
– Lit’l Smokies typically come already cooked in a pack of around 50 mini sausages.
So in summary, little smokies offer a quick protein-packed, crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for parties and snacking. Now let’s explore all the delicious ways to serve them!
Foods that Pair Well with Little Smokies
There are lots of tasty options for foods, sides and snacks that complement the flavor of little smokies. Here are some of the best picks:
Cocktail Sauce
A classic dip for little smokies is zesty cocktail sauce. The combination of ketchup, horseradish and lemon juice is the perfect complement to the smoky pork flavor. Cocktail sauce adds a tangy, spicy kick that really brings the little smokies to life. Make your own cocktail sauce at home or use a store-bought brand for easy dipping!
BBQ Sauce
For a sweet, saucy flavor, barbecue sauce is fantastic with little smokies. The bold, smokey flavors of the BBQ sauce match nicely with the pork smokies. Try different styles of barbecue sauce like Kansas City, Carolina or Texas styles. Serve the sauce warm in a crockpot or bowl for easy dipping. BBQ little smokies are always a crowd-pleaser!
Jelly and Chutney
For a fun twist, try using jellies, jams and chutneys as a dip for little smokies. Options like grape jelly, fig jam, cranberry sauce, mango chutney or apricot preserves make a sweet counterpoint to the savory smokies. Heat up the jelly or chutney first to make an easy dipping sauce.
Cheese
Melty cheese is amazing with little smokies. Try dipping them in warm queso, beer cheese or cheddar cheese sauce for an instant appetizer. Sprinkling the cooked little smokies with shredded cheese like cheddar or Monterey jack and broiling them is also delicious. The cheese gets ooey-gooey and perfectly complements the flavor of the smokies.
Crescent Rolls
For an easy bake, wrap little smokies in crescent roll dough. Brush the rolled up little smokies with butter or egg wash and bake until the crescent rolls are golden brown. The flaky pastry complements the juicy pork smokies perfectly. Mustard, ketchup or other dipping sauces go great with these bite-sized pig-in-a-blankets!
Mini Buns
Slide cooked little smokies into mini slider buns, cocktail buns or potato rolls to make delicious mini sandwiches. Top them with condiments like ketchup, mustard, relish or sauerkraut. The soft bread soaks up the smoky juices for a hearty handheld bite.
Pizza Toppings
For a fun pizza twist, use little smokies as the protein topping instead of pepperoni or sausage. Arrange the cooked smokies on pizza dough or a pre-baked crust. Top with tomato sauce, cheese and any other desired toppings before baking. The mini smokies make perfect pizza bites!
Vegetables and Dip
Serve little smokies alongside fresh vegetables and dip for a wholesome appetizer spread. Crispy veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, broccoli and cauliflower pair nicely with the savory little smokies. Provide a creamy vegetable dip or hummus for even more options.
Crackers
Offering a variety of crackers is a great way to present little smokies for snacking. Go for crackers in different flavors, shapes and textures – options like Ritz, Wheat Thins, oyster crackers, pita chips and flavored flatbreads. The crunchy crackers balance the soft texture of the smokies.
Soft Pretzels and Mustard
For a classic bar food pairing, serve little smokies with soft salted pretzels and grainy mustard. The baked pretzels and tangy mustard make an ideal match for the smoky mini sausages. Offer traditional yellow mustard or amp it up with brown or Dijon mustard.
Pickles
Don’t forget the pickles! Dilled mini gherkins, cornichons, pickled asparagus, pickled green beans and other crisp pickled vegetables taste amazing with little smokies. The briny, acidic flavors of the pickles cut through the richness of the smokies.
Potato Chips
Crunchy potato chips are a no-fail pairing with little smokies. Offer classic potato chips alongside the mini sausages for snacking, dipping and scooping. Ruffled chips, kettle chips and flavored potato chips like barbecue, salt and vinegar or ranch work especially well.
Pretzel Rolls
For mini sandwiches, slide cooked little smokies into sliced pretzel slider buns. The touch of salt from the pretzel perfectly seasons the smokies. You can also split and fill large soft pretzels to make an easy pretzel dog. Add your choice of mustard, cheese sauce or sauerkraut as toppings.
Dips and Sauces for Little Smokies
In addition to foods, having delicious dips and sauces is key for serving little smokies. Here are some great dip recipes to consider:
Bacon Jam
For an upscale twist, make a bacon jam as a spread for little smokies. Cook down bacon, onions, garlic, maple syrup, coffee and spices until thickened. The sweet, savory bacon jam makes the ultimate complement for the juicy sausages.
Beer Cheese Dip
Beer cheese dip is amazing with little smokies for dipping or topping. Combine beer, cream cheese, cheddar and seasonings in a slow cooker or on the stovetop until smooth and creamy. Serve the warm dip in a bread bowl with pretzels for dunking the smokies.
Buffalo Dip
If you like things spicy, whip up this easy buffalo chicken dip to serve with little smokies. Mix together softened cream cheese, shredded chicken, Frank’s RedHot sauce, ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles. The cool, creamy dip helps balance the spicy buffalo smokies.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Warm, cheesy spinach artichoke dip is another excellent pairing for little smokies. Make it with cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan, spinach, artichoke and seasonings baked until hot and bubbling. Dunk the mini sausages straight into this divine veggie enriched dip.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce
For nacho vibes, make an easy stovetop cheddar sauce for drizzling over little smokies. Melt butter, flour and milk together then stir in lots of shredded cheddar until thick and gooey. Pour the cheese sauce over bite sized smokies for next level nachos.
Queso Dip
Smoky little smokies taste amazing dipped in creamy queso. Make it with Velveeta, Ro-tel tomatoes, chili powder and cumin. The spicy cheesy dip complements the mini sausages for a Tex-Mex style appetizer. Garnish with jalapeños, cilantro or pico de gallo.
Salsa
Fresh tomato salsa is a quick and easy dip for little smokies with a bite of acidity. Make your own homemade salsa or use a quality store-bought brand. Scoop up the mini smokies with corn tortilla chips for a tasty treat.
Guacamole
Cool, creamy guacamole makes another great dip for little smokies. The richness of the avocado balances the pork sausage flavors. Make chunky guacamole with avocados, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Scoop it up with the bite-sized smokies for a fresh take.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
For an Asian inspired dip, mix up an easy sweet and sour sauce. Combine pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and garlic. The bright, gingery sauce is delicious for dipping little smokies or drizzling over meatballs.
Barbecue Sauces
We mentioned BBQ sauce already, but go beyond the standard ketchup-based sauce. Try more unique regional barbecue sauces for dipping like Alabama white sauce, Carolina mustard sauce or Hawaiian huli-huli sauce. The sauces add lots of flavor to plain little smokies.
Honey Mustard
Honey mustard is another great condiment for little smokies. Mix Dijon or yellow mustard with clover honey and toss the mini sausages in the sauce. Or use it as a dipping sauce for an appetizer. The sweet honey and tangy mustard make an ideal flavor match.
Full Meals and Appetizers with Little Smokies
Now let’s explore some easy full meal ideas and appetizers that feature little smokies:
Little Smokies Breakfast Casserole
Make a breakfast casserole by cooking little smokies with eggs, cheese, potatoes or hash browns and baking it. You can add veggies like spinach, bell peppers or onions too. It’s an easy breakfast dish that’s protein packed thanks to the smokies.
Little Smokies Mac and Cheese
For comfort food, stir cooked little smokies into cheesy macaroni and cheese. Use a homemade cheese sauce or boxed mac and cheese as the base. The bite-sized smokies add lots of extra flavor and teeny meatballs to this classic dish.
Little Smokies Jambalaya
Jazz up jambalaya by browning little smokies with the trinity aromatics. Then add rice, chicken, shrimp and Cajun seasoning. The mini sausages mix right into this flavorful Creole rice dish.
Sheet Pan Nachos
Make sheet pan nachos by layering tortilla chips, little smokies, cheese, beans, salsa and more to bake altogether. Cut up the smokies and scatter over the cheesy nacho layers. Pull out the sheet for easy snacking during the big game.
Little Smoky Hand Pies
For an impressive appetizer, make individual little smoky hand pies. Fill a small dough round with cooked little smokies, cheese, potatoes and seasonings. Seal and bake the hand pies until golden. Brush with butter for a shiny finish.
Smoked Sausage Soup
Cube up little smokies and add them to soup for extra protein. Bean soups, potato soup, beer cheese soup, clam chowder and more all taste great with the smoky sausage flavor. Just stir them in while simmering until heated through.
Loaded Potato Skins
Make these loaded potato skins extra hearty by including little smokies. Scoop out baked potatoes and top the skins with little smokies, cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions. Return them to the oven to melt the cheese for a cheese-stuffed spud.
Little Smokies Cheese Ball
Here’s an easy cheese ball that’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Finely chop little smokies in a food processor. Then mix with cream cheese, cheddar, green onions and seasonings. Shape into a ball, coat in nuts or crackers and refrigerate until firm.
Pigs in a Pretzel Blanket
For a unique twist on a classic, wrap little smokies in pretzel dough instead of crescent roll dough. Shape and bake the pretzel blankets until golden brown. The pretzel flavor adds the perfect hint of saltiness to the mini sausages.
Little Smoky Potato Bites
Make these flavorful loaded potato bites perfect for parties by combining little smokies, mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon. Scoop tablespoon sized portions, roll into balls, coat in breadcrumbs and bake. Serve warm with ranch or other dipping sauces.
Conclusion
Little smokies have so much potential to be used in appetizers, snacks, meals and more. With all of these delicious pairing ideas, you can take plain little smokies to the next level. Combining the mini sausages with foods like cheese, pickles, crackers, pretzels and vegetables makes easy appetizer spreads. Dips and sauces like beer cheese, salsa, honey mustard and more add lots of extra flavors. And you can include little smokies in full dishes like breakfast casseroles, mac and cheese, hand pies, soups and more for anytime meals. So next time you have a pack of little smokies on hand, try out some new ways to serve up these bite-sized sausages beyond just eating them plain. All of these tasty combinations highlight just how versatile and fun little smokies can be!