Homemade Italian Sausage
This homemade Italian sausage is super easy to make and doesn't require casings! All you need is ground pork and a handful of seasonings and a frying pan to cook it. It is full of flavor and delicious served for breakfast with some scrambled eggs, added to a vegetable soup, or part of a hearty pasta sauce.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 garlic clove, (finely grated or minced)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- 1
Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar an pestle (or put them in a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) For extra flavor, toast the fennel seeds for a few minutes in a dry pan before crushing, but it is not necessary.
- 2
Place the ground pork in a mixing bowl and add the minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, and dry seasonings.
- 3
Use your hands to mix and squish the seasonings into the ground pork until it becomes sticky and pasty. (You can also mix the ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you don't want to use your hands.)
- 4
Transfer the raw sausage mixture to a dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the flavors develop.
- 5
When ready to cook, fry the sausage meat over medium-high heat in a skillet.
- 6
Fry until it is cooked through, frying longer if you want more browning on the sausage bits.