Mini Sausage Party Tarts with Cranberry Mango Compote
Savory sausage and creamy cheese baked in little party bites. Topped with a sweet and tangy cranberry mango compote and fresh thyme for a little hit of herb, these Mini Sausage Party Tarts are a savory tasty and beautifully elegant appetizer.
I received a complementary bag of Cape Cod Select Cranberries as incentive to enter a recipe contest. I have received no other compensation.
If you know me, then you would know that I love little party nibbles. My Smoked Salmon Tartlets and Spinach Arugula Tartlets are favorites. And I LOVE cranberries. I’m from New England, it’s in the DNA. If you want other awesome party nibbles with cranberries, check out my Cranberries ‘N Cream Bacon Bites and Cranberry Chorizo Jalapeno Poppers. So good!
And this new recipe is right in keeping with my party nibble collection. They are easy to make too, which I consider a requirement for any and all party food. First, we make our Cranberry Mango compote, and for this we just simmer a bit, use a spoon to break things up, and after a little bit it comes together magically. My Cape Cod Select Cranberries were all picture perfect right out of the bag. If you haven’t heard of Cape Cod, they are a small women-owned family business that’s been around for 75 years. Then I used ripe mango to add natural sweetness and because it breaks down to be a natural thickener too. I also added fresh thyme and red wine – the wine is to add depth of flavor, and the thyme is to have that fresh bit of herb cut the tang and sweetness a touch. Also, because thyme makes pretty much everything better.
Next, we make our Mini Sausage Party Bites. This with cream cheese and egg, then white cheddar and sausage, we are all savory and awesome. This creamy filling bakes quick, which is a requirement because the fillo (or phyllo) shells are already baked. So, importantly we want to cook these just until they are cooked through and a teensy touch golden on top. But we don’t want to overcook, so be careful!
So that’s it folks. Creamy, cheesy, savory, sweet and tart. This beautiful appetizer is easy, approachable, and a sure hit for your next gathering.
Also check out another holiday favorite, the Best Stuffing Ever.
Mini Sausage Party Tarts with Cranberry Mango Compote
Ingredients
For the Mini Sausage Tarts
- ½ lb bulk sausage
- 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 4 oz 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- good pinch kosher salt
- 3 boxes 15 tarts each, mini fillo tart shells (in the freezer section)
- garnish: the snipped tips of fresh thyme sprigs
For the Cranberry Mango Compote:
- 2 cups Cape Cod Select Premium Cranberries
- 1 ripe mango peeled and seed removed, diced
- 1 Tbs light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs red wine
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- â…› tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the Cranberry Mango compote in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes stirring often. Use a spoon to break up the mango and the cranberries. Remove from the heat and set in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- Heat oven to 400F.
- Brown the sausage, breaking up the meat into very small pieces while cooking. Drain fat and set aside to cool.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and egg. Add the sausage, onion, cheese, and salt, and combine.
- Place the tart shells on a bake sheet. Use a large ziploc bag with a corner snipped to pipe the sausage filling into the shells. Bake at 400F for 11-12 minutes or until just cooked through and very lightly golden. Remove from the oven.
Calorie count is purely an estimate calculated using an online application to serve as a guide and not to be taken as accurate nutritional information. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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To find where you can buy Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries, visit HERE. Or order online HERE.
