Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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This Homemade Breakfast Sausage is going to knock your socks off. Super tasty and surprisingly easy…just a handful of seasonings mixed together with ground pork, plus a secret ingredient! Use this recipe in a casserole like my Classic Breakfast Casserole or on the side of some pancakes. A little drizzle of maple syrup on these guys is kind of a dreamy combination. If you’ve never made your own, I’d highly recommend it!

Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

How to Flavor Sausage to Make it Breakfast Sausage

I love store bought breakfast sausages because they taste so good…I mean, they really do! But I’m telling you right now there is nothing about making your own at home. BUT!!! I really wanted to base my own homemade breakfast sausage based on the ones I know and love. This means I used spices like:

  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • sage
  • marjoram
  • nutmeg
  • and cayenne pepper

Plus, I used my secret ingredient: smokehouse maple seasoning. This stuff gives that maple flavor that we all love about breakfast sausages.

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How to Make Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Like I said before, making homemade breakfast sausage is so simple, why wouldn’t you always go this route? It’s so much more flavorful than store bought, while giving you that familiar flavor that you love. For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.

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Combine Ground Pork + Seasonings

In a large bowl, place ground pork in the bowl. Add nutmeg, cayenne, sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, brown sugar, salt and pepper to the bowl. I also added some McCormick Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning…totally optional, but I just love the flavor it brings to the sausage.

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Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (5)

Combine + Mix Well

Stir all the spices into the meat and mix well. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, divide mixture into 12 even sized balls and flatten into patties.

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Pro Tip: If you have the time, mix the ingredients ahead of time and give it time to marry. This step is completely optional and you can cook right away if you want, but giving it even just a few hours will help the flavors to marinate and develop into even more deliciousness. Bonus: that means this recipe is the perfect “prep-ahead” dish.

Cook + Serve

Cook sausage balls in the pan until thoroughly cooked and drain on paper towels. Serve as you like!

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Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (10)

What if I Want a Spicy Breakfast Sausage?

If you like your breakfast sausage to be spicy, the traditional thing to add is Red Pepper Flakes, but you could also rev up the Cayenne Pepper. I only use a pinch of Cayenne in my recipe though, because I’m wimpy.

Can I use Fresh Herbs instead of Dried?

Yes! Just keep in mind that dried herbs are much more potent than fresh so the general rule for herb conversion ratio is1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.

Pro Tip: You can also use a combination of fresh and dry. In the summer months I have fresh thyme, rosemary and sage growing like crazy, but marjoram…not so much. Maybe next year. 🙂 Feel free to use whatever fresh AND dried herbs you have on hand, using the above stated conversion ratio.

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Storing Leftover Breakfast Sausage

Place any leftover breakfast sausage in an airtight container and place in the fridge. Sausage will stay fresh for 4-5 days.

To Freeze: allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight, freezer safe container or sealable bag. Sausage will stay fresh in the freezer for 3-4 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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Other Breakfast Recipes to Try:

  • Breakfast Casserole
  • Biscuits and Gravy
  • Southwest Steak and Egg Breakfast Burritos
  • Breakfast Tacos
  • BEST Overnight Breakfast Casserole (with brioche bread!)
  • The Best Crepe Recipe (Better than Paris!)
  • Funeral Potatoes (one of my most popular recipes)

The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you wouldgive it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (13)

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4.49 from 29 votes

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

If you love breakfast sausage, try this homemade recipe. Super tasty and surprisingly easy…just a bunch of seasonings mixed together with ground pork!

servings 12 mini patties

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/8 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smokehouse maple seasoning optional

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir seasonings together with ground pork.

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  • Scoop into 12 even balls (I used a cookie scoop for this) and pat down to form into patties.

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  • Fry sausage patties in a nonstick skillet with a little cooking spray if needed.

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  • Once fully cooked, remove to paper towels and serve as desired.

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Video

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 108mg | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Sausage

Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

What gives breakfast sausage its distinct flavor? ›

Breakfast sausage (or country sausage) is a type of fresh sausage, typically made from pork, that is a common breakfast food in the United States. In the United States, the predominant flavorings used for seasoning are black pepper and sage. There are also varieties seasoned with maple syrup or cayenne pepper.

What is breakfast sausage seasoning made of? ›

Breakfast Sausage Ingredients

In this top-rated recipe, ground pork is seasoned with the following ingredients: brown sugar, sage, salt, black pepper, marjoram, red pepper flakes, and cloves. These spices and seasonings give the breakfast sausage a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavor that's impossible to resist.

What is Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage made of? ›

PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: CORN SYRUP, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, VINEGAR, SUGAR, PORK BROTH, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE.

What herb does breakfast sausage contain that gives it its unique flavor? ›

This simple, homemade breakfast sausage gets a boost of flavor from fragrant herbs and spices like sage, thyme and savory, along with a hint of sweetness from brown sugar.

What is the most important ingredient in sausage? ›

Salt. The sausage needs salt. Salt contributes to flavor, curing and firmness, water holding and juiciness, binding and texture (protein extraction), safety and it prevents water cooking loss. In general sausages contain 1.5-2% salt.

Why is my homemade breakfast sausage dry? ›

Never skimp on the fat:

Fat lubricates the meat, acts as a binder and will make the sausage tender and juicy. Sausages that do not contain enough fat are typically dry and tasteless.

What is the best grind for breakfast sausage? ›

A fine-medium grind. Good for the 2nd grind. Ideal for breakfast sausage, Polish Sausage, Italian Sausage and most regular sausages.

What is in Bob Evans breakfast sausage? ›

Pork, Water, Seasoning (Salt, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Dextrose, Spices, Flavoring, Monosodium Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor), Potassium Lactate.

What is Mcdonald's breakfast sausage made of? ›

Ingredients: Pork, Water, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Sugar, Rosemary Extract, Natural Flavors.

What is the difference between regular sausage and breakfast sausage? ›

America, particularly the US, breakfast sausages are pork with very little spicing. Dinner sausages can be almost any meat mixture and spiced fairly heavily.

What is the white stuff coming out of breakfast sausage? ›

It's mold. Yup, you read that right.

What is a breakfast sausage that tastes like McDonald's? ›

According to the former chef, they're the closest match he's found. Walmart's Great Value sausages and McDonald's sausages both contain pork, water, salt, corn syrup, dextrose, and sugar. They also both have natural flavorings. Where they differ is in the preservatives.

What makes sausages taste better? ›

Salt: Salt enhances flavor and acts as a preservative. Sugar: Sugar can be used to balance the saltiness in sausage and add a slight, tasty sweetness. Spices: Various spices give a sausage its robust flavor. Commonly used sausage spices include black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and paprika.

How does sausage get its flavor? ›

Ground Herbs and Spices

Ground spices blend seamlessly into the sausage meat. Because ground herbs and spices are smaller, they distribute through the meat evenly. They are less noticeably visible in the meat; what they lose in visual aesthetic they make up for in all-over flavor.

Is breakfast sausage already seasoned? ›

Breakfast pork sausage is typically pre-seasoned with a flavorful blend of spices, making it ready to cook and enjoy!

What makes a high quality sausage? ›

The best sausages are made from good cuts of meat with plenty of fat, which will cook quickly and be tender and juicy inside the usually narrow casing, which is why pure meat sausages with no additives are generally more expensive than cheaper varieties which are laced with preservative and other adulterants.

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