Home » Course » Breakfast

Homemade Sausage, both Breakfast and Italian

homemade sausage recipes - Italian sausage
Post may contain affiliate links. See my Affiliate Disclosure.

Why Make Your Own Sausage?

My Homemade Sausage recipes are so easy to make and typically use ingredients you already have in your spice cupboard.

You’ll learn to make both breakfast sausage and Italian sausage in this post.

The benefit of making it on your own is the same as any homemade recipe, I think. You control the ingredients. Not to mention, it’s 1/3 to 1/2 less expensive, depending on the meat you choose. Plus, ummmm…delicious!

What Meat Should I Use for Making Sausage?

Homemade Sausage recipes can be made with beef, pork, chicken, turkey or even lamb. You can use all one meat or a blend of two or more. I typically opt for pork and chicken, since it’s so economical.

I can get ground pork for about $2.49 per pound. And I’ve been grinding my own chicken, at home, with the food processor. That means it’s only $1.99 per pound. You won’t find that price in the grocery store!

Two Recipes in One

Today, I’m going to share my recipes for Breakfast Sausage and for Italian Sausage.

The Breakfast Sausage is great as patties, in meatballs or browned as crumbles.

I like to use the Italian sausage, browned as crumbles, in things like Zuppa Toscana, spaghetti, baked spaghetti or lasagna. It is also great blended into meatballs. So, pull out that *cast iron skillet and let’s fry up some scrumptious Homemade Sausage.

Homemade Sausage

Whichever recipe you try, you’ll find that homemade sausage is a tremendous cost savings, tastes fantastic and is super easy to put together in your own kitchen. Give it a try. I think you’ll love it!

*Affiliate Link

The Ingredients

I use apple, in both recipes, for a couple of different reasons. First, it’s next to impossible to find commercial sausage without refined sugar or corn syrup added. I wanted my recipe to have the little hint of sweetness from a more healthy source. Secondly, the meat I use is lean. The apple adds a bit of moisture and tenderness. You will never really taste the apple. Because it’s grated, it will just about melt away into your sausage, leaving that lovely touch of sweet.

grated apple

The meat I use is pretty lean, regardless of the type I have on hand. I buy lean ground beef or turkey and I usually grind chicken breasts or pork loin, myself. That keeps those varieties very lean, too. You can definitely make your sausage with one type of meat, but my personal preference is a combination of at least two. I created this recipe to use only 1 pound of meat, so you could use the multiplier in the recipe card to make a larger batch, if you want some left to freeze. Making a double recipe makes it simple to use two different meats in your homemade sausage.

How to Make Homemade Sausage

apple and spices

It’s so simple. Seriously, it will take longer to write these instructions, than it will for you to make it.

  1. Start by grating the apple into a mixing bowl.
  2. Add all the other ingredients, except the meat.
  3. Stir the apple and seasonings together until they are evenly distributed.
  4. Next, add the meat. You can try mixing this with a wooden spoon or a fork, but I find that the simplest way to combine everything is to just stick my hands in and mix it. You want all the ingredients distributed evenly throughout the meat, so spend a minute or two on it.
  5. When everything is combined, you’re ready to cook. Prepare it as needed for the dish you’re making.
meat mixed with spices - Italian Sausage
homemade sausage

The Italian sausage almost always goes into crumbles at our house. It’s scrumptious in my Zuppa Toscana recipe, (which happens to also be Whole30 compliant.) It’s also great mixed with ground beef in lasagna, baked spaghetti or meatballs.

The breakfast sausage can be done as crumbles, too. Use them in quiche, breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs or egg casserole. The patties are DEElicious as part of your favorite breakfast and they’re crazy good in breakfast sandwiches, too.

I hope you get a chance to try both recipes! Maybe it’s time to have a breakfast for dinner night! If you do, you should check out these delicious Raised Waffles over at One Hot Oven. Have a wonderfully blessed evening!

homemade sausage recipes - patties - Italian Sausage

The Recipe

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Homemade Breakfast Sausage and Homemade Italian Sausage

Homemade Sausage


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Glenda Embree
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 pound 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For Breakfast Sausage:

  • 1 pound lean ground meat (I use pork and/or chicken, but turkey and beef can be used, too.)
  • 1 medium apple, grated (for moisture and slight sweetness)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne)

For Italian Sausage:

  • 1 pound lean ground meat (I use pork and/or chicken, but turkey and beef can be used, too.)
  • 1 medium apple, grated (for moisture and slight sweetness)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

The process is identical for mixing up either recipe.

  1. Grate the apple into a mixing bowl.  I don’t peel it.
  2. Add the herbs and spices to the mixing bowl and stir until everything is thoroughly and evenly combined.
  3. Add the ground meat to the bowl and work the apple and seasonings into the meat.  (It’s easiest for me to mix it with my hands.  That way I’m sure everything is distributed evenly.)
  4. The sausage is ready to use, immediately, but can be refrigerated or frozen, too.  Making double or triple batches means you can always have some on hand in the freezer!
  5. Make into patties or crumbles and brown in a skillet on the stove.

Notes

Most commercial sausage has added sugar.  The apple replaces processed sugar in my recipes and helps to keep the sausage from being dry.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Meat, Main Dish, Pork, Chicken, Beef, Turkey
  • Cuisine: American

Recipes to Use Homemade Sausage

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Breakfast Casserole

Baked Spaghetti

baked spaghetti on a white plate - pasta recipes

Zuppa Toscana

zuppa toscana
glenda embree

About Glenda

I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

SEEN ON

as seen on promo graphic

SEEN ON

as seen on promo graphic