This homemade Italian sausage is super easy to make and doesn't require casings! All you need is ground pork and a handful of seasonings and a frying pan to cook it. It is full of flavor and delicious served for breakfast with some scrambled eggs, added to a vegetable soup, or part of a hearty pasta sauce.
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This recipe was inspired by the fact that I wanted to have some extra protein to have with my eggs for breakfast, but was disheartened by the fact that a lot of store-bought sausages had ingredients I didn't like excess sugars or preservatives. Then I realized how easy it was to make my own sausage with exactly the ingredients I wanted and it didn't have to be in sausage form!
Ingredients
- Ground pork
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Dried parsley
- Italian seasoning
- Onion powder
- Fennel seeds
- Chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar an pestle (or put them in a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin.)
Place the ground pork in a mixing bowl and add the minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, and dry seasonings.
Use your hands to mix and squish the seasonings into the ground pork until it becomes sticky and pasty. (You can also mix the ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you don't want to use your hands.)
Transfer the raw sausage mixture to a dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the flavors develop.
When ready to cook, fry the sausage meat over medium-high heat in a skillet.
Fry until it is cooked through, frying longer if you want more browning on the sausage bits.
Serving Suggestions
This Italian sausage is very versatile for a number of recipes! I like to simply fry some up and enjoy it with my breakfast for an added dose of protein in the morning.
You can also shape the raw meat into sausages or patties before frying them up if you prefer to eat them in a more traditional form!
It is perfect for adding to vegetable soups or to pasta sauces to make them more hearty and substantial like this Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup. Use the Italian sausage in a quiche or casserole!
Pro Tip: This is a super easy way to feed a crowd if you're doing a big breakfast or brunch! No having to count sausage links or patties. Simply make this in quantity and everyone can scoop as much or as little as they'd like!
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use other ground meat besides pork?
Yes! This recipe works great with ground beef, turkey, or chicken thighs. It's important to use meat that is not too lean otherwise the sausage will be dry and tough.
Do I have to grind the fennel seeds?
Grinding the fennel seeds will help release more flavor into the sausage meat, a flavor that is distinct to Italian sausage. Use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds, or put them in a resealable bag and use a rolling pin to roll over them to crush them.
Pro Tip: Toasting the fennel seeds before grinding/crushing them will add more flavor, but it is not necessary.
How long does the sausage mixture last?
Keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freeze the raw sausage mixture for up to 2 months. You can also freeze cooked portions of the sausage for 2 months, but I prefer eating the sausage cooked fresh from raw. I freeze the raw sausage meat in portions enough for a couple of servings.
Can I use casings to make sausages with the meat?
Yes! If you are into making your sausages, go for it! Because there are no preservatives, be sure to follow the suggestions above for chilling or freezing them.
Who knew making your own sausage was so easy? I love that I know all the ingredients going into the Italian sausage and that I can make this without have to deal with casings. Because of all the seasonings and spices, you get a boost of flavor to the recipes you add it to, and it's easy to make in quantity to serve a crowd or to freeze for easy cooking later. This recipe is a definite must-make!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Homemade Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar an pestle (or put them in a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) For extra flavor, toast the fennel seeds for a few minutes in a dry pan before crushing, but it is not necessary.
- Place the ground pork in a mixing bowl and add the minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, and dry seasonings.
- Use your hands to mix and squish the seasonings into the ground pork until it becomes sticky and pasty. (You can also mix the ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you don't want to use your hands.)
- Transfer the raw sausage mixture to a dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the flavors develop.
- When ready to cook, fry the sausage meat over medium-high heat in a skillet.
- Fry until it is cooked through, frying longer if you want more browning on the sausage bits.
Notes
- Do not use pork that is too lean; the fat in the pork helps with tenderness.
- This recipe works great with ground beef, turkey, or chicken thighs. It's important to use meat that is not too lean otherwise the sausage will be dry and tough.
- Grinding the fennel seeds will help release more flavor into the sausage meat, a flavor that is distinct to Italian sausage.
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds, or put them in a resealable bag and use a rolling pin to roll over them to crush them.
- Toasting the fennel seeds before grinding them will add more flavor, but it is not necessary.
- Keep the sausage meat in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freeze the raw sausage mixture for up to 2 months.
- You can also freeze cooked portions of the sausage for 2 months, but I prefer eating the sausage cooked fresh from raw. I freeze the raw sausage meat in portions enough for a couple of servings.
- You can use the meat to make your own sausages with casings. Because there are no preservatives, be sure to follow the suggestions above for chilling and freezing them.
- Recipe inspired by and adapted from, but not limited to, Italian Sausage recipes from The Daring Gourmet, Iowa Girl Eats, and Nom Nom Paleo.
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would love it if you could take the time to comment and rate it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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