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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Homemade Breakfast Sausage

    Published: June 10, 2020 · Updated: June 10, 2020 · By: Krissy · 75 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    It's easy to make your own Sage Breakfast Sausage, and it just tastes better knowing you added all the spices yourself without any nasty preservatives.

    Breakfast sausage is easy to make with ground pork, sage, and just the right seasonings. You can form it into patties or use it for recipes like biscuits and gravy. This recipe is super flavorful! 

    homemade breakfast sausage on plate with eggs

    Why this recipe works:

    Every delicious breakfast recipe is even better when accompanied by perfectly cooked tasty homemade sausage!

    • The ingredients are simple: just ground pork and some seasonings that you most likely already have in your pantry.
    • It just tastes better knowing you added all the spices yourself. So many kinds of store bought breakfast sausage contain preservatives and/or ingredients that I don't want to eat. Homemade is always best!
    • Always keep some ground pork in the freezer and you can enjoy this recipe whenever the craving kicks in!

    Ingredients:

    My Sage Breakfast Sausage recipe contains the following ingredients that get mixed into the ground pork:

    • 1 tablespoon sage dried or minced fresh
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like heat
    • ¼ teaspoon marjoram fresh if you have it
    • pinch of ground cloves

    Popular store bought breakfast sausage contains the following: PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICES, DEXTROSE, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE. 

    I'm sure you'll agree homemade is so much better!

    Here's how to make it:

    1. In medium sized bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients. It’s easiest if you use your hands to mix.
    2. Form sausage into patties.
    3. Heat a skillet over medium low heat and add the sausage patties.
    4. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side.
    step by step process photos of how to make breakfast sausage patties

    Cooking tips:

    • To ensure that they are fully cooked, you can verify that the internal temperature is at least 145 degrees F when checked with an instant read thermometer.
    • Once you'll make this recipe and taste it, take note if you want to adjust the seasonings for next time. Did you think it needed to be more salty, sweet, or spicy?
    • If you used dried herbs, try using fresh next time and see which you prefer.
    • These breakfast sausage patties can be made ahead and frozen. Just be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, completely thaw in refrigerator and then cook in a pan over low heat until heated through.
    biscuit and gluten free country sausage gravy

    Related recipes:

    In addition to making breakfast sausage patties, I use this same exact recipe in other savory breakfast treats. I highly recommend making:

    • Sausage gravy served over homemade biscuits
    • Scottish Eggs
    • Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches - just use sausage patties instead of the ham
    • Biscuits and gravy casserole
    • You can even make Gluten Free Country Sausage Gravy
    • Sausage Stuffing
    • Sausage Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
    • Keto Breakfast Casserole
    • Egg Muffin Cups
    homemade breakfast sausage patties with scrambled eggs and toast

    Sage Breakfast Sausage Recipe

    Breakfast sausage is easy to make with ground pork, sage, and just the right seasonings. This delicious recipe can be used to make sausage gravy.
    4.95 from 51 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

    CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO

    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Scale: 8 patties
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 tablespoon sage (dried or minced fresh)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like heat)
    • ¼ teaspoon marjoram (fresh if you have it)
    • 1 pinch ground cloves

    Instructions

    • In medium sized bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients. It's easiest if you use your hands to mix.
    • Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Form sausage into patties and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side depending on thickness.

    Notes

    Cooking tips:
    • To ensure that they are fully cooked, you can verify that the internal temperature is at least 145 degrees F when checked with an instant read thermometer.
    • Once you'll make this recipe and taste it, take note if you want to adjust the seasonings for next time. Did you think it needed to be more salty, sweet, or spicy?
    • If you used dried herbs, try using fresh next time and see which you prefer.
    • These breakfast sausage patties can be made ahead and frozen. Just be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, completely thaw in refrigerator and then cook in a pan over low heat until heated through.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 152kcal | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 162mg | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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    This recipe was originally published in July 2014 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Fran King

      January 01, 2023 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      I used one tablespoon fresh sage. Will certainly make this recipe again. Delicious!

      Reply
    2. joe

      November 18, 2022 at 8:42 am

      very good

      Reply
    3. Kimberly

      April 23, 2022 at 9:56 am

      5 stars
      I sought out this recipe because I've been completely unable to find, specifically, sage breakfast sausage of any brand at multiple local grocery stores where I live...Maybe due to supply chain issues, the pandemic? Regardless, I'm happy it happened because this is so much better & incredibly simple. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Pat

        December 19, 2022 at 4:26 pm

        5 stars
        Good recipe. But, the comment "can't find any sage sausage is kind of dumb. All breakfast sausage is sage based( sau"SAGE") You were just looking for Jimmy Dean's extra sage sausage I'm guessing. You could have just bought any breakfast sausage and added more sage to it and got the same results.

        Reply
        • Catherine

          January 14, 2023 at 12:09 am

          That's not why sausage is called sausage. It has nothing to do with sage.

          Reply
    4. Gayle Ellis

      January 29, 2022 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe! I’ve been looking for a sage breakfast sausage recipe that I could adjust to a lower sodium version as my husband must follow a sodium restricted diet. I used half the salt in this recipe and it is delicious! This will become a staple for my family’s breakfast! Thanks so much!

      Reply
    5. Pattyjune

      January 25, 2022 at 11:16 am

      Love sausage gravy and biscuits. Will try, and will try making my own sausage. I like jimmy dean’s sausage in a hurry. I now live alone and don’t cook like I use to. I need to start over.

      Reply
    6. Carol

      December 10, 2021 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made this several times, as patties and as biscuits and gravy. We experiment with more or less sugar and red pepper flakes. It never disappoints. Love it!

      Reply
    7. Kathryn

      May 22, 2021 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      I used this with ground beef as a base for sausage gravy. I had to exclude the pepper and red pepper for sensitivity and subbed oregano for marjoram and it was still so delicious, even with the changes!! Thank you so much!
      I put it over fried eggs over gluten free bread made from rice, tapioca, and cassava flours. Super easy and quick, and made a dense & yummy Saturday breakfast!
      I will be back to use this and your other recipes! Thank you very much!

      Reply
    8. C.J.

      March 20, 2021 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      Made your recipe on 3/19/21, a day in advance of cooking! I like giving time for flavors to marry, I’m glad I did! I grind my own pork to use for many things, and your recipe did not disappoint! I have severe sodium issues and so I omitted the salt. I had 1.8 pounds of pork so increased ingredients to allow for extra weight! Next time adding some roasted Hatch chilies! Your recipe accompanied by fried country eggs and toast took me back to my Midwest farm days and Mom’s Sunday breakfasts. Sonoran Desert living and southwest breakfasts are nice, but your sausage recipe took me back! Thanks for sharing! C.J.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        March 22, 2021 at 6:08 am

        I love adding Hatch green chile to just about everything. Glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    9. Margaret

      March 16, 2021 at 7:19 am

      I would note there are two places in the recipe where you list the ingredients. One section has the 1 lb of meat and the other just lists the other ingredients and no quantity for the meat. This might be why some people are confused. I'm going to try it later today with ground turkey and also frying up some pancetta first in the pan for the fat and taste. We'll see how it goes.

      Reply
    10. Phil

      September 04, 2020 at 1:26 am

      Can this recipe be prepared, vacuum sealed and frozen to be cooked at a later date? I am contemplating making around twenty pounds.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 06, 2020 at 6:58 am

        You bet!

        Reply
      • Pam prunoske

        January 30, 2021 at 6:47 pm

        5 stars
        Made 17 lbs using pork butt & fresh pig fat (local pig farmer who butchers is a blessing). I do a 70/30 ratio. Only thing I changed was coriander instead of marjoram. I keep everything super cold. Do my rough grind, add spices , mix and then chill, then fine grind. Mix again and let sit overnight before I package for freezer. This is a fantastic recipe and will be my go to. Store bought sausage is fine but I want clean simple food that I can control the ingredients. Very grateful for her recipe and insight. Thanks

        Reply
    11. Celine

      September 02, 2020 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      I’ve tried multiple sausage recipes, but they never quite hit the taste profile I was looking for. This recipe is very good, the best so far that I’ve tried. I used all dry herbs. I doubled the red pepper and cut the salt in half and was pleased with the results. Next time I’ll try fresh herbs! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    12. Eric

      May 28, 2020 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      This was very good, as close to the discontinued Hormel sausage as I have found. I added two tablespoons of water and let the sausage rest overnight. Very tasty and easy.

      Reply
    13. Wesley

      April 29, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      Find the recipe well done and made so even a starter can feel 💯

      Reply
    14. BB

      February 04, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      5 stars
      This was my first attempt at making my own sausage. I told myself to be prepared to have to try several recipes, but this one was perfect. My kids didn't even notice that it wasn't Jimmy Dean (!). Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    15. Vince Cannuli

      January 06, 2020 at 7:06 pm

      Krissy,

      From you article I can tell you are well intentioned. A word of caution to not bash commercial brands for something that you may or may not understand. From your remarks I take it that you may not have thought through your comments about Jimmy Dean brand sausage.It happens to be the most consumed sausage in the US.

      Regarding their ingredients you listed:
      PORK - obviously and it's a good thing that it is the first ingredient.
      WATER - usually added to all pork sausages to keep it moist.
      CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: This is by volume so when you compare 1 pound of meat to the amount of spice it will most certainly be less than 2% of the completed recipe. And, when it is less than 2% only certain ingredients need to be named individually.
      CORN SYRUP - Sweetner
      SALT - Salt
      SPICES - maybe pepper, Sage, Marjoram, Thyme, Mace, Cayanne or any other spice that may be in the sausage but does not need to be individually named
      DEXTROSE - Sweetner and Binder so that it holds together.
      MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE - (Maybe considered Gross) but is used in commercial applications for several reasons but primarily it enhances flavor, even the flavor of those expensive spices that aren't listed individually... so maybe they don't use as much sage but it tastes like they used a lot... and MSG is almost an immeasurable fraction of the cost of spices.

      So, I wish you the best and only comment to help educate those who may not know what the list of ingredients really means.

      Here's an example of breaking down the 2% stuff... 1 pound is equal to 453.6 grams, 1 ounce is equal to 28.35 grams

      Your Recipe
      My Sage Breakfast Sausage recipe contains the following:

      1 pound ground pork - 453 grams (99.97%)
      1 tablespoon sage dried or minced fresh - 2.04 grams (0.0045%)
      1 teaspoon kosher salt - 6 grams (0.0132%)
      1 teaspoon brown sugar - 4.17 grams (0.00092%)
      1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1.165 grams (0.00257%)
      1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like heat .25 grams (2 grams per teaspoon) (0.00055%)
      1/4 teaspoon marjoram fresh if you have it .14 grams (.57 grams per teaspoon) (0.000309%)
      pinch of ground cloves

      All spices together equal 0.03%of total by weight.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        January 09, 2020 at 2:22 pm

        Are you an engineer? I only ask because I am and this totally looks like the kind of breakdown I would offer if I were giving someone feedback. I'm gonna stick with my story that my sausage is better than pre-packaged big name store bought... but you are totally right about quantities. 🙂

        Reply
        • Tom S

          November 06, 2021 at 2:47 pm

          Congrats from a fellow Engineer! Yeah, we love numbers and detail. Can't wait to try your recipe. I used to grind my own Hamburger but not so much any more with beef prices. I will try this with fresh home ground pork, probably pork butt.
          Be back to rate later.
          Cheers

          Reply
        • Laney

          August 11, 2022 at 5:43 pm

          5 stars
          Krissy, I AND hoards of other people TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!

          REAL FOOD IS DEFINITELY BETTER (and TASTIER) than processed food for sure!!

          2% …May not seem like a lot but cheap and poor quality additives like dextrose (causes pathogenic bacterial gut growth in a high sugar diet which the FDA recommends is >35g for men + >25g for women), msg, undisclosed “spices” (really?! How lazy and shadier can this get?) and corn syrup (which IS genetically modified and a poor quality, cheap-o excuse for an “ingredient”) have been the primary contributor to my poor health in the past and to obese America via inflammatory pathways.

          I really appreciate this recipe that you’ve provided and look forward to making it! Thanks so much!!

          Reply
      • Homemade cook

        February 05, 2020 at 10:02 am

        Why are you hating. If you read the comments, the only comparison was less unknown ingredients than store bought. Giving you the option of how much to include or not. The word homemade is the key. I'm on low sodium so I can eliminate the salt if I choose. Store bought I don't have the option. Get over youself.

        Reply
      • Tim

        February 28, 2020 at 1:16 pm

        The correct percentage according to your weights would be 3% of total by weight, not 0.03%, When calculating percentages, you have to move the decimal over 2 places to the right (use the percentage button on a calculator if in doubt).

        Reply
      • Ed

        March 24, 2021 at 6:20 am

        I made this yesterday. I doubled the recipe, put it all in the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer and ran it on medium speed with dough hook for about 5 minutes. Clean and easy and it mixed quite thoroughly and evenly. I will be making 20 pounds this weekend and freeze it in 1/4 lb. packages for breakfasts for 2. I fried a small patty for taste test and added 1tsp of sage to the 2 lb. batch.

        Reply
        • Anne

          February 04, 2023 at 8:54 am

          5 stars
          Really great sage sausage recipe! We like to make biscuits and gravy on special holiday mornings, and I used to buy Jimmy Dean chubs, but no more! We mixed three pounds of pork butt and two pounds of ground elk from my husband's hunt last year. Measured up all ingredients 5 times the recipe for our 5 pounds of meat, froze chubs in one pound packages and made several patties. This is so easy, and really outstanding! Thank you for sharing this recipe!😎

          Reply
    16. Catherine

      September 22, 2019 at 12:09 am

      5 stars
      I live in Germany and have used another recipe for years. This one is by far the best recipe I have ever used. It is perfect just the way it is. When making it for pizza I add a Tablespoon of Cumin, 1 Tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper.

      Reply
    17. Dave Allsopp

      September 06, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      Hey Krissy!
      Traditionally my family used sage flavoured, regulat grind, pork sausage to stuff the kneck hole of our roast turkeys. It infused sage flavour to the breast, basted it, and was the treat that everybody competed for over and above the stuffing.
      For the first time in decades, I now have a recipe that will do that job.
      I have also tried, with partial succes, to make a sausage gravy by trial and mostly error.
      Now I have the right recipe.
      Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 11, 2019 at 10:59 am

        Well, then I'm so happy you found my blog! Thanks for sharing your comment too. Happy eating! Krissy

        Reply
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