Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausage

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/12/22
Pork breakfast sausage patties and scrambled eggs on a plate

The Spruce Eats
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
102 Calories
6g Fat
1g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 102
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 117mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 181mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

In general, homemade is better than store-bought, and this spiced pork sausage is no exception. Taking a mere 15 minutes, and calling for just ground pork and pantry spices, this sausage mixture makes breakfast patties with a kick; if you want a milder sausage, feel free to leave out the cayenne and red pepper flakes or use a little less.

For even fresher sausage, grind pork loin or lean pork shoulder with a meat grinder or mince it in the food processor. Remember to cook ground pork to a minimum of 160 F, using a​ food thermometer to check the temperature. To always have homemade breakfast sausage on hand, multiply the recipe, cook all of the sausage patties, and freeze some for later. Serve with your favorite egg dishes and a side of fruit.

1:06

Click Play to See This Pork Breakfast Sausage Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground pork

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

  • 1 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

  • Oil, for pan-frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pork breakfast sausage recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix with your hands until well blended.

    Pork sausage ingredients evenly combined in a large bowl

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  3. Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat.

  4. Shape the pork mixture into eight (2-ounce) patties and pan-fry, for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning to brown both sides, until the internal temperature is at least 160 F on a food thermometer.

    Small pork sausage patties browning in a cast-iron skillet

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  5. Serve hot with your favorite breakfast dishes.

    Browned breakfast sausage patties in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variations

  • For a traditional sage flavor, use 2 teaspoons of dried rubbed sage and omit the thyme, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • For a healthier version, substitute ground turkey meat for the pork, which will lower the level of saturated fat.

Is There a Difference Between Breakfast Sausage Patties and Links?

In addition to the differences in shape, there are other variations between breakfast patties and links. Some links have a casing while patties do not, and patties are often more strongly flavored compared to the links.