Making hot or mild Italian sausage is as easy as heating up a skillet! Enjoy a flavorful protein perfect for adding to all your favorite Italian sausage dishes to hit your protein goals!
I don’t know about you, but there have been a few times when I’ve gone to the grocery store for something, and they were COMPLETELY sold out.
It’s happened when a storm was coming, it’s happened when the deal was smoking hot, and it’s happened during a national crisis.
While that’s frustrating, nothing is more empowering than knowing how to make that item at home yourself.
And as strange as this may sound, this includes homemade Italian sausage.
How do you make Italian sausage homemade?
It’s as simple as mixing together ground pork, spices, and a splash of vinegar, and browning the mixture in a hot skillet!
HOMEMADE ITALIAN SAUSAGE
While your store may not run out of Italian sausage, there are a few other reasons to consider making your own:
- It’s healthier! No added sugars or preservatives or other junky stuff like “natural flavors.”
- Simple ingredients. Ground pork, vinegar, and spices. That’s it. And you probably already own all the spices!
- Frugal. Depending on where you shop, it’s probably cheaper to make your own, especially if you find markdowns on ground pork.
- Customizable. You can control the level of heat – mild or extra spicy – and you can choose the fat content of your ground meat.
- Great for batching. Cook up multiple pounds of meat and spices, or just prep a big batch of Italian sausage seasoning.
- It’s so, so easy! No special kitchen skills required.
- Freezer-friendly. You can make pork sausage ahead of time and freeze it raw, or cook it and freeze it for later.
Homemade Italian sausage is also really, really tasty. Once you make it yourself, you’ll never go back to buying it again!
INGREDIENTS FOR ITALIAN SAUSAGE RECIPES
Heads up, here, the ingredient list for Italian sausage recipes might seem long, but I promise you it’s really just ground pork and a bunch of spices:
- Ground Pork. You can also make ground beef or ground chicken sausage if you prefer (or ground turkey or ground lamb).
- Salt + Black Pepper. The basics.
- Garlic Powder + Onion Powder. The earthy aromatics.
- Parsley + Basil + Oregano + Thyme. The herby flavors.
- Paprika + Red Pepper Flakes. The bit of heat and warmth.
- Ground Fennel Seed (optional). This is what makes it taste like sausage to me. You can leave it out if you don’t like the flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar. Tangy vinegar balances out the fatty richness of the meat and brings out the savory flavors of the seasonings.
If you’re going to use salt, make sure it’s a good one like Ava Jane’s Kitchen that doesn’t have microplastics! You can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt right now (just pay shipping and handling!).
HOW TO MAKE SAUSAGE ITALIAN
The method for making Italian sausage from scratch is pretty easy and straightforward:
Step 1. Combine the ground pork, spices, and vinegar in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Step 2. Cook until the pork is cooked through.
Step 3. Serve as desired!
If you don’t want to cook the sausage right away, you can easily combine the pork, spices, and vinegar together in a bowl and put it in a freezer-safe storage bag for 3-6 months.
ITALIAN PORK SAUSAGE VARIATIONS
With a few simple tweaks, you can make multiple Italian sausage recipes with the exact flavor you’re looking for!
| Flavor | Adjustments | Result |
| Ground Sweet Italian Sausage | Skip the red pepper flakes. Add a pinch of cinnamon and 1 tsp brown sugar. | Lightly sweet and savory |
| Mild Italian Sausage | Cut the red pepper flakes back to ¼ tsp or omit | Mild, herby flavor |
| Hot Italian Sausage Recipe | Add more red pepper flakes, add cayenne pepper, or mince fresh hot peppers to cook with the meat | Warm and spicy |
Looking for a yummy breakfast sausage recipe? Try this one!
ITALIAN SAUSAGE DISHES
You can make all sorts of Italian sausage dishes – I love the combination of pasta, veggies, and Italian sausage!
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Instant Pot White Bean and Sausage Soup
- Hearty Spaghetti Sauce
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Meat Lovers Hot Pockets
- Add to Baked Ziti Recipe
- Add to Skillet Pizza Vegetarian Pasta
- Top Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
- Make this Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe with sausage
MACRO-FRIENDLY ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Ground pork sausage is a fattier protein. Since you’re making the Italian sausage yourself, you get to choose the fat content of the meat you buy.
- Leaner ground pork can help you keep the fat lower, but the homemade Italian sausage might turn out on the dry side, and it’s easier to overcook.
- Ground pork with a higher fat content makes juicier Italian sausage, but you’ll need to keep your overall fat for the meal in check.
There’s no right or wrong choice here. Just be aware of the nutritional content of whatever you choose and adapt the rest of your meal to fit your macros!
Want to learn more about macros, nutrition goals, and accurately tracking what you eat? I’m a board-certified fat loss and nutrition coach, helping women 35+ lose weight and have more energy without giving up the foods they love. Grab my free guide here to start achieving your real body goals today!
MEAT AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE FAQS
What is the difference between regular sausage and Italian sausage?
Technically, it’s all in the spices. “Regular” sausage is just the ground meat, whereas “Italian” sausage will include the common spices used in Italian cooking, like oregano and basil.
What makes Italian sausage recipes taste like sausage?
The spice that gives Italian sausage its distinct flavor is the ground fennel. Fennel has an almost licorice flavor, which not everyone enjoys. Sage can also be a good option for making homemade Italian sausage if you’re not a fan of fennel.
MORE YUMMY PORK RECIPES
- Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Leftover Pork and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Hemp and Herb Fried Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Ribs
High Protein Recipes on Repeat
Download the top 15+ recipes that are on repeat in my house, making it easy to feed my family AND meet my protein goals!
Homemade Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork 454g
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 15g
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper 3g
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons dried 4g
- 1 tsp garlic powder 3g
- 1 tsp onion powder 2g
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp paprika 2g
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2g
- ¼ tsp ground fennel seed optional
- pinch dried oregano
- pinch dried thyme
Instructions
- Combine the ground pork, spices, and vinegar in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Cook on medium-high heat until the pork is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Serve as desired.
Notes
- Leaner ground pork can help you keep the fat lower, but the homemade Italian sausage might turn out on the dry side, and it’s easier to overcook.
- Ground pork with a higher fat content makes juicier Italian sausage, but you’ll need to keep your overall fat for the meal in check.
Delicious spices!