Homemade Breakfast Sausages

Making your breakfast dreams come true one patty at a time! Dreams become reality with my Homemade Breakfast Sausages! This quick, easy and make-ahead recipe will simplify your morning routine while leaving you feeling satisfied and full! Skip the protein shakes and treat yourself to a delicious, homemade breakfast sausage! Talk about breakfast done right!

My Homemade Breakfast Sausage recipe starts off with lean ground pork. I love using lean ground pork in this recipe given its higher meat and lower fat content. You might be thinking to yourself fat = flavour. Although, this well-known adage often rings true, these sausage patties are bursting with BIG flavours and couldn’t be juicier! You won’t even miss the extra fat!

What differentiates breakfast sausage patties from other sausage varieties is the use of herbs, spices and a sweetener, such as maple syrup. While a traditional breakfast sausage typically includes salt, pepper and some maple syrup, my Homemade Breakfast Sausage adds a flavourful and unique spin! Aromatics such as fresh sage and thyme, crushed fennel seeds, garlic powder and nutmeg are added to the mix, imparting freshness, earthiness, warmth and herbaceous and citrus notes. A generous dose of maple syrup adds complexity and sweetness and when combined with the herbs, gives these patties their quintessential sweet and savoury flavour. If you don’t have maple syrup handy, don’t fret! Simply substitute it with brown sugar for delicious results. Red pepper flakes and ground pepper make an appearance and round out the flavour of the patties, adding a little spice and everything nice! All the ingredients combine to create an exciting, mouthwatering, sweet, savoury and satisfying bite!

When it comes to cooking these breakfast sausage patties, you have two options – the oven or stovetop method! Both yield beautiful results but differ in terms of cook time! The oven method is the quicker of the two, with a cook time of approximately 15 – 18 minutes. Set it and forget it is the name of the game here! The sausage patties are cooked on a parchment-lined baking sheet, simplifying the overall cooking process and clean up! Now, if you have some extra time on your hands, 24 – 30 minutes to be exact, and you crave sausage patties with a crispy crust, then the stovetop method is for you! The direct high heat that comes from frying will cause the meat to quickly and evenly caramelize and brown, resulting in a deeper and richer flavour and a crispier crust.

Breakfast meal prep doesn’t get any easier than my Homemade Breakfast Sausage recipe! These breakfast sausages can be made to order, cooked in advance and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to be used. It’s as simple as that! Enjoy them alongside a fried or scrambled egg, buttered toast and some fresh fruit or add one to your favourite breakfast sandwich! You really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Total Time: 20 - 35 minutes

Makes: 12 patties

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs lean ground pork (See Notes below)

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup (See Notes below)

• 1 ½ Tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

• 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (See Notes below)

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• ¼ tsp ground pepper

• A pinch of ground nutmeg

• 1 ½ - 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. To a large mixing bowl, add the ground pork, maple syrup, sage, salt, fennel seeds, thyme, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, pepper and nutmeg. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. Minimal mixing leads to juicier patties!

2. Shape the meat mixture into 12 patties, measuring approximately 3 inches in length and 1/3 inch in height.

3. Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a 11” x 17” baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil over top. Place the sausage patties onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving ½ inch of space between them. Bake them for 15 – 18 minutes or until they are golden-brown in colour and fully cooked. You know your Breakfast Sausage Patties have cooked through when a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the patties registers an internal temperature of 160F or 71C.

4. Stovetop Method: Set a large cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 ½ Tbsp of olive oil and 4 sausage patties. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes per side or until cooked through and golden-brown in colour. Transfer the patties to a large serving platter or plate. Add the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp of olive oil and repeat the process for the remaining 8 patties.

5. Enjoy these breakfast sausage patties on their own alongside some eggs and toast or use them in a breakfast sandwich!  

   
   

Notes:

1. Brown Sugar Will Do: Maple syrup and brown sugar can be used interchangeably in this recipe! Despite having vastly different viscosities, maple syrup and brown sugar are similar with respect to their complex and deep flavour profile. Simply substitute the maple syrup in this recipe on a 1:1 basis with packed brown sugar.

2. Fresh versus Dried: If you don’t have fresh thyme leaves on hand, don’t fret! Simply substitute 1 ½ tsp of fresh thyme with ½ tsp of dried thyme. Dried herbs, including thyme, have a more potent flavour. Therefore, when substituting dried for fresh it is important to scale back the ingredient volume to ensure a comparable taste.

3. Reheating Leftovers?!: If you are not cooking for a large crowd, you will be left with plenty of patties! Leftover patties can be refrigerated for 1 – 2 days. When reheating, for best results, place the sausage patties in a microwave-safe bowl, add a drop or two of water, cover and heat for 1 minute or to your desired temperature. The water is the secret here - it helps keep the patties extra juicy when reheated.

4. Freezing for Meal Prep: To keep the breakfast sausage patties extra fresh, store them in the freezer and consume them within 1 - 2 months. Wrap each patty tightly in parchment or wax paper. This prevents freezer burn, makes them easier to separate and allows you to grab and defrost however many you see fit. Store the individually wrapped patties in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Now, when you’re craving a sausage patty, grab one from the freezer, remove the paper wrapping, place it in a microwave-safe bowl with a drop of water and defrost it to your desired internal temperature. Serve and enjoy!