This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Leave the additives on the shelves and use this extremely easy Breakfast Sausage recipe to make homemade breakfast sausage that not only tastes better and is better for you, but is a money-saver as well!
Love making homemade staples from scratch? Don't miss my easy recipes for Homemade Italian Sausage, Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup, and Homemade Garlic Toast.
Ridiculously Easy Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Nearly everyone agrees that savory meat, be it sausage or bacon, is the savory component that balances out sweeter breakfasts, such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or French Toast Casserole.
But it can be really hard and really expensive to find quality breakfast sausage that isn't loaded with nitrates, MSG, corn syrup, and excessive sodium.
Thankfully, for both you and me, you only need a handful of simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep to make sweet and savory breakfast sausage.
Ingredients in Breakfast Sausage
Because you are making the breakfast sausage, YOU get to be in control of the ingredients! Most brands of store-bought breakfast sausage have added corn syrup, preservatives, gluten, MSG, and extremely high sodium content. You can leave all the added ingredients on the shelf and enjoy simple, yet deliciously flavored, breakfast sausage with this easy recipe.
- Ground Meat: Pork is traditional when preparing sausage, but ground turkey or ground chicken is also a great base for breakfast sausage. Using a protein-to-fat ratio of 80/20 creates the juiciest, most flavorful sausage, but you can opt to use leaner ground meat to save on fat and calories if desired.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup and sausage go hand in hand. Pure maple syrup gives this sausage incredible flavor, just be sure to use 100% maple syrup! If you happen to not have maple syrup on hand, brown sugar is the perfect substitute. Do not use granulated sugar or honey.
- Spices: This recipe uses sage, onion powder, black pepper, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and a pinch of cloves to create the perfect combination of spices for the most flavorful breakfast sausage. Hate sage? Omit it. On a low-sodium diet? Cut the salt in half. Make this sausage the way YOU want!
How to Make Breakfast Sausage
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Season and "Cure" the Meat
Making breakfast sausage at home is as easy as mixing the ground meat of your choice with the spices, salt, and maple syrup to flavor. An important key for making flavorful homemade breakfast sausage is to allow time for the sausage to cure in the fridge. This will give the meat time to absorb all the flavor added to the meat. I recommend preparing the breakfast sausage at least 12 hours before you intend to cook it.
Cook Breakfast Sausage
Once the sausage mixture has been refrigerated and the meat has had time to cure, it is time to cook the sausage. You can opt to form the meat into patties for breakfast sausage patties, use it in a recipe calling for raw bulk sausage, or brown the raw sausage meat and use it as desired.
Serving Suggestions
Whether you serve Maple Breakfast Sausage Patties alongside Whole Wheat Waffles and a Homemade Latte for a delicious, wholesome breakfast, or use this breakfast sausage to prepare Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, Breakfast Tacos, or Breakfast Sliders, you will love this sausage recipe.
- Pair homemade sausage with French Toast Casserole, Banana Oat Pancakes, or Sheet Pan Pancakes for a delicious, complete breakfast.
- Use sausage patties in place of ham in Egg McMuffin Sandwiches.
- Use the ground breakfast sausage to make Breakfast Burritos, Sausage Balls, Breakfast Sliders, Crockpot Breakfast Casserole, or Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of cooked ground breakfast sausage into Instant Pot Egg Bites in place of cooked bacon.
- Serve an Oven Poached Egg over a homemade sausage patty for a luscious, rich breakfast.
- Serve the sausage patties on Homemade Biscuits for a southern favorite.
Recipe Modifications
- Sweetness Level: This recipe for maple breakfast sausage is just kissed with maple flavor and is not overwhelmingly sweet. You can also opt to add up to 1 tablespoon of additional maple syrup (or brown sugar) if you like really sweet breakfast sausage.
- Sodium Level: If you need to cut back on sodium in your diet, feel free to omit or cut the salt in half.
- Seasoning for Breakfast Sausage: You can change up the spices to fit your taste preference. If you like things spicy, add in a bit more red pepper flakes. If you despise sage, omit it for sage-free breakfast sausage.
Storage Instructions
Once you prepare the sausage mixture, it needs to either be frozen or cooked within 3 days of preparation.
- Freezing raw breakfast sausage: Place the raw sausage in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Use in any recipe calling for raw breakfast sausage or pan-fry and use as desired.
- Storing cooked sausage patties: Cook the mixture as sausage patties and allow the patties to cool fully. Store the cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Pull out as many sausage patties as desired from the freezer and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of water added to the skillet--this keeps the sausage from drying out as it reheats.
- Storing raw sausage patties: Stack the shaped patties between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to three days. Or to freeze, arrange the patties in a single layer on a parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-thickness plastic baggie and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Storing cooked crumbled breakfast sausage: Brown the breakfast sausage as directed. Once cooked, allow the sausage to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Favorite Homemade Breakfast Recipes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Homemade French Toast
- The Best Quiche Recipe
- Breakfast Tacos
- Whole Wheat Waffles
If you enjoyed this recipe for homemade breakfast sausage, I would love for you to leave a comment and 5-star review below.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork, see notes
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground sage, optional
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon ground sage together. Add 1 pound ground pork and 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup. Using your hands, or a fork, gently mix the spices and syrup into the meat, until everything is evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tightly fitted lid and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, allowing the flavor to develop.
Sausage Patties
- Shape the sausage mixture into patties that are 2 to 3-inches wide and ½-inch thick. Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the patties for 4-5 minutes per side, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
Ground Breakfast Sausage
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add in the sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Serve as desired or use in any recipe calling for cooked breakfast sausage.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2019 but updated with new videos, photos, and tips.
Thanks a lot for this homemade breakfast sausage recipe, so easy to make and really helpful recipe! Love it!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the sausage Allyssa!
This was so much easier to make than I thought and was so delicious! The meat was perfectly cooked and had great flavor. I made a double batch to freeze extras for a quick weekend breakfast!
So smart to freeze for later use! Glad to hear you enjoyed Taylor!
This was so easy to make and so delicious! Our breakfast routine just got a major upgrade!!!
Homemade really tastes best! And even better when it is so easy to prepare
You mentioned paprika but didn’t say how much. Can’t wait to try. Thank youb
I am sorry for any confusion Sue, this recipe does not call for paprika. That said, adding up to 1/2 teaspoon would be a delicious addition.
This recipe looks so good. I was wondering what spices to add if I wanted to make Italian sausage. Thanks so much for this recipe as well as your other delicious recipes!
Hi Robin! I would use 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel or fennel seeds. I also would add in 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar.
I LOVE using this recipe with ground turkey. Also so glad to see your recommendation on how to make it Italian sausage in comments! Perfect 👍
And I love hearing you enjoyed the sausage Jen 🙂
Homemade sausage is so tasty, perfect for the weekend. Thank you for the recipe, can't wait to try it!
I love that I can make delicious sausage without all the added 'ingredients'. It's a bonus that this is easy too - perfect breakfast dish!
So glad you enjoyed Beth!