How to Make Delicious Homemade Pizza Sausage

Pizza is a fan favorite meal for good reason – the customizable combinations of bread, sauce, cheese and toppings make it easy to create a pizza tailored to your specific tastes. While delivery and frozen pizzas are convenient options, nothing quite compares to the flavor of homemade pizza fresh from your oven. One of the keys to incredible homemade pizza is using high quality ingredients, including homemade pizza sausage if you are a sausage lover. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to make delicious homemade pork or turkey pizza sausage from scratch.

Why Make Homemade Pizza Sausage?

There are a few reasons why you should consider making your own pizza sausage rather than buying premade

• Customize the flavor – When you make the sausage yourself, you can control the blend of seasonings to match your preferences exactly. Want extra fennel? More garlic? Spicier? Milder? It’s up to you. Store bought sausage tends to be one-note.

• Use quality meat – Premade sausage often contains meat industry leftovers and fillers while homemade lets you choose fresh high quality pork or turkey. This gives you tasty sausage with a nicer texture.

• Avoid unwanted ingredients – Many store bought sausages contain additions like sugar, preservatives and artificial flavors Making it yourself allows you to keep the ingredient list clean

• It’s easy! – With the simple instructions below, you’ll see how fast and simple it is to make restaurant-quality sausage at home. The active time is under 10 minutes.

Once you discover how easy homemade sausage is, you’ll never want store bought again! The flavor of sausage you customize from scratch is outstanding on pizza and beyond.

Tips for Making Pizza Sausage

Follow these tips for the best results when making sausage for your pizzas:

• Use ground pork shoulder or ground turkey. Ground pork butt/shoulder has the right fat ratio. Ground turkey breast is lean but works well. Avoid super lean ground pork/turkey.

• Don’t overmix. Mix the meat and spices just until combined to avoid dense sausage.

• Cook before topping pizza. For the best flavor and texture, brown the sausage before topping pizza.

• Make ahead. Cooked sausage freezes well for 1-2 months. Thaw before using.

• Add fennel seed. This gives sausage authentic Italian flavor. Crush the seeds slightly before adding to release more flavor.

• Spice it up. If you like heat, add a pinch or more of crushed red pepper flakes. For background warmth, use paprika or cayenne.

• Saute aromatics first. For the deepest flavor, saute minced garlic and onion before adding meat.

With these tips in mind, let’s get to the easy recipe!

How to Make Basic Italian Sausage

This simple sausage recipe gives you a blank slate to customize with your favorite pizza sauce ingredients. Follow the instructions to make the basic sausage, then pick add-ins from the list below to give yours unique flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork or ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 onion, minced (optional)
• Custom flavorings (see below)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine pork, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Mix lightly with your hands until just blended. Avoid overmixing.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Add meat mixture to pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink.

4. Drain excess fat if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Use as pizza topping, or refrigerate for later use. Cooked sausage keeps for 4-5 days.

Flavor Variations:

Customize your sausage by mixing any of the following into the meat along with base seasonings:

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1⁄4 cup grated parmesan
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano or basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (for breakfast sausage)
• 2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, minced

The options are endless for crafting your own signature sausage. Try out different add-in combinations to find favorites to keep making again and again.

Simple Italian Sausage Recipe

To make flavorful classic Italian sausage in just 10 minutes active time, check out this easy recipe from Amanda’s Cookin’:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon crushed thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine pork, garlic, paprika, thyme, fennel, cayenne and salt. Mix well.

2. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking up meat, until browned.

3. Drain excess fat and let cool slightly before using on pizzas.

This simple Italian spice blend gives you flavorful sausage with just a handful of ingredients likely already in your pantry. Let the sausage cool before topping pizzas so it doesn’t make the crust soggy.

How to Make a Breakfast Sausage

While Italian seasoning makes a perfect pizza sausage, you can also craft a homemade breakfast sausage to enjoy any time of day.

Try this recipe from Allrecipes for flavorful maple breakfast sausage patties, links or crumbles:

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients until just combined.

2. To make patties, form meat into 3-inch wide patties. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

3. For links or crumbles, form sausage into logs or small clumps and cook until browned and cooked through, 7-10 minutes.

4. Drain excess fat before serving.

The hint of sweetness from the maple syrup balances the savory herbs and spices perfectly in this breakfast sausage. Feel free to adjust any seasonings to your liking.

More Homemade Sausage Recipes

Once you realize how easy it is to craft your own sausage recipes at home, you can come up with all kinds of flavorful varieties to use in your favorite dishes.

Here are just a few more homemade sausage recipe ideas to try:

• Chorizo Sausage – Savory Mexican-style sausage. Great in tacos or burritos.

• Bratwurst – Classic beer-flavored German sausage.

• Andouille Sausage – Smoky and spicy Cajun sausage for jambalaya or red beans and rice.

• Kielbasa – Polish sausage loaded with garlic.

• Breakfast Sausage Patties – Quick and easy maple-flavored sausage.

Have fun developing your own homemade sausage creations! The flavor combinations are endless.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make pizza sausage with ground turkey?

Absolutely! Ground turkey breast makes a tasty lower fat option. The seasoning directions are the same.

How long does homemade pizza sausage last?

Cooked sausage keeps for 3-4 days refrigerated, and 2 months frozen. Freeze it in an airtight container with slices of bread to help absorb extra moisture.

What’s the best way to cook pizza sausage?

For the best flavor and texture, cook the sausage before topping pizzas. Saute in a skillet over medium-high heat until fully browned and cooked through. Drain any excess fat.

How do you shape homemade sausage?

For sausage crumbles, form the meat into small, loose clumps. For patties or links, shape the meat into disks or logs. Chill first for easier shaping if needed.

Can I make Italian sausage spicy?

Yes! Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or a