This homemade Italian sausage recipe not only enables you to maintain full control over the quality of your sausage, it also tastes WAY better than store-bought! It’s super easy to make and you can double our triple the recipe and freeze it so you always have sausage on hand!
Ground sausage is something a vast variety of recipes call for; everything from soups and stews to pizza, calzones, meatballs, pastas, finger foods, hors d’oeuvres….it’s a staple ingredient and one you can make yourself so easily. Not only that, this homemade Italian sausage recipe tastes at least a hundred times better than any store-bought stuff! Additionally, since you have full control over what goes in it – and what doesn’t – you can trust this sausage will be the highest quality.
Why Should I Make My Own Ground Sausage?
You have FULL control over what is in it. And what is not. If you’re grinding your own meat you also have direct control over the quality of the meat itself as well as the ratio of muscle meat to fat. And then of course there are the seasonings: Most store-bought sausage contains things like corn syrup, MSG and that ever cryptic ingredient “flavorings” which could mean practically anything.
Making your own sausage is an empowering way of maintaining control over what you consume. And it tastes a whole lot better, too!
Can I Use Ground Pork or Do I Have to Grind the Meat Myself?
You can do either. The easiest option is to buy quality ground pork and simply add the seasonings.
If you prefer to have full control over the quality of meat and the muscle-to-fat ratio you can grind your own.
We use and recommend the STX International Turbo Force Electric Meat Grinder. It comes with a 3-year warranty, great reviews, and is all around the best value for the money. If you’re making occasional small amounts the KitchenAid Meat Grinder Attachment is another option.
Can I Use Chicken, Turkey, Lamb or Other Meats Instead?
Absolutely! Use whichever meat you you prefer, this homemade sausage recipe is terrific with any of them.
How Do I Make Breakfast Sausage Instead of Italian Sausage?
So glad you asked! Here is the link to the recipe for our Homemade Breakfast Sausage (can be made into links or patties)!
Can I Freeze Italian Sausage?
Of course! For convenience you can double or triple the quantity and then freeze it in 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound or whatever amount packages so you can simply grab what you need when you need it. No need to make a trip to the store.
How to Use Italian Sausage
The sky’s the limit! Here are just a few ways:
- Sausage Patties
- Sausage Links
- Meatballs
- Pizza
- Calzones
- Sausage Gravy & Biscuits
- Tortellini
- Lasagna (here and here)
- Pasta Sauce
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Quiche
- Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Zucchini or other squash
- Homemade Sausage McMuffins
- Quesadillas
- Chili
- Sausage Cornbread
- Soups & Stews (here and here and here)
- Bolognese
- Casseroles
- Sausage Rolls
- Hamburgers
- Breakfast Burritos
- Sausage & Egg Grits
- Breakfast Casseroles
- Sausage Egg Muffins
- Frittatas
- Cabbage Rolls
- Stromboli
- ….and more.
For More Delicious Homemade Sausage Recipes, be sure to try:
- Authentic Homemade German Bratwurst
- Homemade Smoked Cheddar Sausages
- Homemade Breakfast Sausage Links (or Patties)
AND our phenomenal Easy Italian Porchetta!
Italian Sausage Recipe
Let’s get started!
If you’re doing it yourself, grind the meat. Otherwise use ground pork or meat of choice from the store/butcher.
Place the ground meat in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Use your hands or a stand mixer paddle attachment to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
Wrap and chill for at least 6 hours before using, preferably overnight for best flavor.
The sausage will keep in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
Italian Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound freshly ground well-marbled pork butt*
- OR pre-packaged ground pork*
- *can substitute ground chicken, turkey or meat of choice
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon red wine
- 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns (toast in a dry skillet for a minute or two until fragrant for maximum flavor)
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked fennel seeds (toast in a dry skillet for a minute or two until fragrant for maximum flavor)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit if you want a mild sausage)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ground sage
Instructions
- Place the ground meat in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Use your hands or a stand mixer paddle attachment to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Wrap and chill for at least 6 hours before using, preferably overnight for best flavor.The sausage will keep in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Makes 1 pound of ground sausage.
Nutrition
Mathew says
Do you need to grind the peppercorns after toasting them?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mathew, this calls for coarsely cracked peppercorns; no need to grind them further unless you prefer them finer.
Anonymous says
Thank you Kimberley. I am looking forward to making this and then making sausage patties (like a burger patties) out of it.
Down says
Hi, I don’t know if you’re ever going to see this, but I’m dieting, so I’m paying attention to all the calories I’m preparing, and your recipe for this 1lb of Italian Sausage says it’s 8 servings @ 85 calories a serving which is a total of 680 total calorie for this entire recipe. I went out and bought 80/20 ground pork from Walmart, as that is what “well marbled” meant to me, and didn’t even think to look on it’s package but it says that for 4 oz there are 290 calories, which means in 1 lb there are 1160 calories in the ground pork alone. I mean I already made the recipe, and will be trying it tomorrow night regardless, but is there something I’m not seeing correctly here, were you using a far leaner grind for your ground pork, cause I’ve seemed to double the calories using 80/20. Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Down, I just double checked the nutrition info and you’re right. The recipe card uses third party software to calculate the nutrition info and I don’t know how it got the figures it did but I just went in and manually updated it. Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
Tracy says
Hi. I’m not sure where you see that. I see 8 servings at 180cal each?
Kathy says
When calories count, try this recipe with ground turkey. That is what I use and it is equally amazing!
David Morris says
I’ve used a variety of Italian sausage recipes before but this one, by far, has been the best. The depth of flavor with the spices has now made it my go to recipe.
Kimberly Killebrew says
I’m so glad, David, thank you very much!
Anonymous says
A pork butt weighs about 8 lbs, the recipe yeild says 1 lb.
Kimberly Killebrew says
This recipe doesn’t call for a whole pork butt, it calls for 1 pound of pork butt.
Anonymous says
Great recipe, Kimberly! I just made it with beef to make sausage for a meatball recipe and it turned out GREAT! I had to use white wine but it was stil perfect! My girls loved them! Thank you for sharing!!!-Nicole
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic, Nicole, thank you so much!
Darlene in Nova Scotia says
OMGosh, this the best Italian Sausage recipe. I have made many recipes from the internet and this is far better than all of them. I doubled the recipe, used red wine vinegar, didn’t have red wine open. The perfect combo of spices. Juicy and delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe Kimberly.
Kimberly Killebrew says
I’m so glad, Darlene, thank you very much!
Sandy says
Made this for the 2nd time using 93% lean ground turkey. We didn’t have any wine so I added 1 Tbls. EVOO. This is the best Italian sausage seasoning recipe I’ve found so far. Makes amazing grinders!
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sandy, thank you!
LaFaye says
When searching for a good italian sausage recipe, your review helped make the choice for me. This is why. I have lived in Georgia for 29 years. Not only did you use the word grinder but also posted on my 60th birthday. By the way, italian sausage grinder only way to go. I’m so going to try this recipe and thanks for the welcomed flashback.
Sandy says
Hi LaFaye, I grew up in Iowa in a small town close to Des Moines which has a large Italian population and many Italian restaurants. Lasagna and grinders are my favorites and finding this great recipe so I can make out of lean chicken or turkey is huge for me being on a restricted diet.
Scott says
Made this recipe let it sit overnight and fried it up and I wasn’t impressed. All I could taste is the wine. Will look for another recipe.
Kimberly Killebrew says
In a whole pound of meat seasoned with a ton of spices “ALL” you could taste was a single tablespoon of wine?? LOL, sounds like the Princess and the Pea, Scott. Either that or you’re using some seriously “off” wine.
Fukuryu says
Just made this recipe for the first time and it was extremely easy! I eyeballed the ingredients and am now going to wait at least 6 hours. I’ll use it in a zuppa toscana recipe. The meat smells amazing so it’s hard to wait, but I know that patience is a virtue.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic, Fukuryu, thanks for the feedback and enjoy that zuppa toscana!