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Making homemade Italian sausage is simple and rewarding! With fresh ground meat and a bold, aromatic spice blend, delicious sausage will be ready for any dish. This recipe works with ground pork, turkey, chicken, lamb, or beef, making it a versatile and flavorful option for every meal.
Try my baked Italian sausage and homemade Italian seasoning next!
What is Italian Sausage?
Italian sausage is a flavorful sausage traditionally made with ground pork, fennel, garlic, and other Italian seasonings. It comes in two main types: sweet (mild) with classic fennel and garlic flavors and spicy (hot) with added red pepper flakes or cayenne.
A staple in Italian-American cuisine, it’s used in spaghetti sauce, pizza, soup, and more. While pork is the most common, it can also be made with chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef. Making it at home ensures fresh, authentic flavors every time!
You’ll also love Italian sausage and peppers and orcheiette with sausage and broccoli.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This combination creates a flavorful, juicy, and well-seasoned Italian sausage that is perfect for any dish!
- Ground pork (or turkey, chicken, lamb, or beef) – The sausage base, with pork being the most traditional and juicy, while other types of meat offer lighter or richer alternatives. You can grind your own meat using pork shoulder and a meat grinder or hand crank grinder. I usually buy the pre-ground pork.
- Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning – A blend of classic Italian herbs, including ground fennel seeds or whole fennel seeds, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano that gives the sweet Italian sausage its authentic flavor.
- Salt and black pepper – Essential for balancing and enhancing the taste of the meat.
- Dry red wine (or beef broth) adds depth and richness, helping to tenderize the meat and bring out bold flavors. Red wine vinegar is an option to add a little punch!
- Extra Red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or paprika (for spicy variation) – Provides a kick of heat for those who love spicy Italian sausage.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Meat Options: For a different flavor or leaner option, swap ground pork for ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or ground beef. Be sure to try my Italian turkey meatballs and Italian sausage meatballs.
- Hot Version: Add extra red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for more heat.
- Sweeter Sausage: Mix in a pinch of brown sugar or maple syrup.
- No Wine? Use beef broth for depth without alcohol.
- Extra Garlic? Add fresh minced garlic for a bolder taste.
How To Make Homemade Italian Sausage
Ditch the store-bought sausage and make your own! Once you try it, you’ll never make it (or buy it) any other way!
Step #1: Place the uncooked sausage in a large bowl with the homemade Italian sausage seasoning blend.
Step #2: Combine the ground sausage and sausage seasoning blend with other ingredients until well combined.
Step #3: Cover the ground Italian sausage mixture with plastic wrap and let the flavors meld together.
Step #4: Cook in a cast iron pan and crush into 1-inch chunks or desired texture. Add a little water or oil to the pan if desired.
Step #5: Cook until the sausage is nice and brown.
Step #6: Alternatively, shape the sausage into patties and place them on a tray.
Step #7: Cook the homemade sausage patties in a cast iron pan. Flip once to get both sides a nice golden brown.
Step #8: Serve the patties for breakfast, make into breakfast sandwiches, or freeze!
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh spices for the best flavor.
- Lightly crush fennel seeds to release aroma.
- Chill for 5–24 hours to enhance the taste.
- Don’t overmix to keep the sausage tender.
- Cook a test piece to adjust the seasoning.
How to Use
- Pasta Dishes – Add to marinara sauce, lasagna bolognese, or stuffed pasta shells.
- Pizza Topping – Brown and sprinkle over your favorite homemade pizza.
- Italian Stuffed Peppers – Combine with rice and vegetables for a hearty meal.
- Soups & Stews – Perfect for Italian-style soups like sausage and white bean soup.
- Breakfast Sausage – Serve alongside eggs or in breakfast sandwiches.
This easy homemade sausage recipe lets you enjoy authentic flavors in any dish! Let me know how you use it!
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store raw sausage in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Shape into patties or crumbles, then freeze in a sealed bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking.
FAQ’s
The bold taste comes from fennel, garlic, and a blend of Italian herbs, with red pepper flakes for heat in the spicy version.
Pork shoulder (Boston butt) is ideal for its perfect balance of meat and fat, keeping the sausage juicy and flavorful.
Yes! Simply mix ground pork (or another meat) with Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning to create authentic Italian flavors.
Italian sausage’s signature taste is a blend of fennel, oregano, basil, garlic, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
More Italian Sausage Recipes
Try these recipes next:
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Homemade Italian Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork, preferably with 20% fat for juiciness or substitute with ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or beef
- 2 ½ teaspoons Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons dry red wine, or substitute with beef broth for a non-alcoholic version
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayene pepper , optional for extra Spicy or Hot Italian sausage
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat – In a large mixing bowl, add the ground meat of your choice. Pour in red wine or beef broth to help keep the sausage juicy and enhance flavor.
- Season the Sausage – Sprinkle the Italian Sausage Seasoning evenly over the meat. Add salt and black pepper to taste, adjusting as needed.
- Mix Thoroughly – Use your hands or a spoon to gently mix everything together. Be careful not to overwork the meat, as this can make the sausage dense.
- Cover & refrigerate at least 5 hours or up to 24 hours.
Use Immediately or Store –
- For sausage crumbles: Cook immediately in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart as it browns.
- For sausage patties: Shape into small patties and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- For sausage links: If using casings, stuff the mixture into natural casings using a sausage stuffer, then twist into links.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store raw sausage in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Shape into patties or crumbles, then freeze in a sealed bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking.
- Pasta Dishes – Add to marinara sauce, lasagna, or stuffed shells.
- Pizza Topping – Brown and sprinkle over your favorite homemade pizza.
- Stuffed Peppers – Combine with rice and vegetables for a hearty meal.
- Soups & Stews – Perfect for Italian-style soups like sausage and white bean soup.
- Breakfast Sausage – Serve alongside eggs or in breakfast sandwiches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
