Spicy Breakfast Sausage Recipe

Name: Spicy Breakfast Sausage
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork ((25-40% fat content)); ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground sage; 2 tablespoons cold water; ½ teaspoon salt

Five ingredients are all you need to make tasty breakfast sausage patties from scratch. Make your own Spicy Breakfast Sausage this weekend!

4.8 from 19 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Jump to Recipe

Spicy breakfast sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate with a jar of jelly in the background.

Whip up this Spicy Breakfast Sausage for a delicious addition to your weekend breakfast. The spice level in this recipe is very flexible and can be adjusted from mild to hot. Five ingredients are all you need to make your own tasty breakfast sausage patties from scratch. Cook this sausage in patties and serve it with eggs and toast, or crumble it and serve in gravy over a buttermilk biscuit.

Now, if you want to get a bunch of southerners engaged in a lively debate, just mention who you think makes the best sausage. It’s a big deal, believe me.

There are little “mom and pop” places dotted across the South where sausage is made according to old family recipes handed down through generations. And each sausage maker has his or her devotees.

Some are really tiny and make their recipe in small batches sold from the meat case in the back of their little country grocery store. Then there are others who are large producers shipping all over the country. Each with their own special recipe and all pretty darned good.

The thing I enjoy about making homemade sausage is that you control the ingredients. Mild, medium, or hot it’s up to you.

💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You control the ingredients and the heat
No preservatives or fillers
Very versatile (use it for a breakfast casserole, breakfast sandwiches, in an omelet, for biscuits and gravy)
Budget and family friendly

🥘 Ingredients You’ll Need

Ground Pork (25-40% fat content) – See the “Purchasing Pork” section below for information on the pork you’ll need for this recipe.
Black Pepper – Grind it yourself for the freshest flavor!
Red Pepper Flakes – You’ll want flakes, not ground cayenne pepper. I typically use the standard McCormick brand of red pepper flakes.
Ground Sage – Some people don’t care for sage in their sausage. I do, so I always include it.
Salt – Unless stated otherwise, I use Morton kosher salt for all my recipes.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🐷 Purchasing Pork for Sausage Making

Now, I’m not an expert sausage maker. I can’t compete with “mom and pop” or with any of those big experts. But I do like to try my hand occasionally at putting together just the right combination of spices for pan sausage.

Keep in mind that if you’re using ground pork from your local grocery store, it will probably have a much different texture from a commercially produced sausage. That’s because the grocery store ground pork is usually a lot leaner which will produce a more dense patty.

If you want yours to be more moist, juicy, and tender, then tell the butcher what you’re making and ask for fattier ground pork. A good store will grind it for you with a higher fat content. You want between 25 and 40% total fat. The only real way to know the level of fat that you like is to experiment. I’d advise you to start with about 30% fat and work up or down from there. And do remember that a lot of the fat renders out when cooked.

🔪 How to Make Spicy Breakfast Sausage

Mix the Ingredients

Photo collage showing all the ingredients being added to a mixing bowl.

Simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Blend everything together thoroughly. I find it easier to just take off my rings and get my hands in there to mix it all up. However, you can also do the mixing in a stand mixer on low speed.
Once everything is well combined, it’s a good idea to test the seasonings. Make a small quarter-sized patty and cook it until it’s done all the way through. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

Form the Mixture into a Roll

Photo collage showing the sausage being formed into a roll shape for storage.

PRO TIP

You can cook the sausage immediately, or shape it into a roll, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready. I like to make it up the night before and then cook it the next morning.

Portion and Cook

Sausage roll on a cutting board being sliced into 8 pieces.

Divide the mixture into eight portions. Shape each portion into a patty.

Eight sausage patties cooking in a skillet.

Fry in an ungreased skillet over medium to medium-high heat until cooked through. You may need a little bit of oil in the pan if you’ve used leaner ground pork.

Cooked sausage patties and biscuits on a serving plate.

Serve with hot biscuits and your favorite jam or jelly. I’ll have some Mayhaw jelly with mine, please.

🔀 Variations

My recipe is very mild and simply flavored but you can adjust the seasonings to suit your own tastes. Starting with the basic recipe, make a quarter-sized patty, fry it in a skillet and have a taste. From there adjust the seasonings a little at a time until you find the combination you like best.
Additional seasonings you might want to include: garlic powder (start with 1/4 teaspoon), ground rosemary (start with 1/2 teaspoon), dried thyme (start with 1/2 teaspoon), and/or brown sugar (start with 2 teaspoons).

🕒 How to Make Ahead

Making breakfast sausage ahead is really simple! Mix all the ingredients and shape into either one long roll or form it into 8 patties. Wrap well in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to four days before cooking. When ready to cook, simply remove it from the refrigerator and place it directly in the pan.

🍚 Storage Information

To store freshly made sausage, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To store cooked sausage, allow it to cool completely and then store it in a container or ziptop bag in the fridge for 2-3 days.

❓ Questions About Spicy Breakfast Sausage

Can I substitute ground turkey for ground pork in the sausage mix?

You can easily substitute ground turkey, or ground chicken, for the pork in this sausage mixture. One word of caution, ground turkey is quite a bit leaner than pork so be aware that cooked turkey sausage may be quite a bit drier than pork sausage. You will also need to add oil or butter to the pan when cooking it.

Can I freeze the raw breakfast sausage?

Yes. You can freeze the entire pound of finished sausage or make individual patties to freeze. Freeze for up to six months in a freezer quality ziptop bag or other sealable, airtight container. Try to remove as much air as possible from the bag or container before freezing. Thaw the sausage overnight in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze cooked sausage?

Absolutely! Allow the cooked sausage to cool, then place in a freezer bag or container. Reheat from frozen either in the microwave or on the stovetop.

🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like

Have you tried this recipe? I’d really appreciate you giving it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card or in the comments section.
AND REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR MY FACEBOOK GROUP.
If you’d like to hang out with me and lots of other online Southern Comfort Food lovers, make sure to join my FREE P R I V A T E Facebook group.

📖 Recipe