Maple Breakfast Sausage is the perfect sweet and savory protein to add to your morning. Enjoy juicy and tasty sausages in just 10 minutes!
Looking for the perfect dish to round out your Breakfast? This sausage recipe is perfect for serving up with Pancakes, Waffles, or any other breakfast faves.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Maple Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Combining maple syrup and pork is a classic flavor combo. These Maple Breakfast Sausages are the perfect filling side dish to enjoy any day of the year. They’re absolutely delicious and filling enough to keep you satisfied until lunchtime. Of course, you can pick up ready-made sausages at the store, but the fresh homemade flavor that you get with this recipe is 100% worth the extra time it takes to make your own sausage mix. Plus, it really isn’t that time-consuming. Mixing the ground pork breakfast sausage ingredients only takes a few minutes. Then you can get them done in just 6-8 minutes of active cooking time. The homemade food is quick, simple, and oh-so-good.
My Maple Sage Breakfast Sausage is the perfect way to round out your morning with breakfast protein. The ingredients of these delicious sausages are simply mixed together and grilled for a few minutes until sausage is perfect. Sausage lovers will be asking if there are more breakfast sausage patties available! For more classic breakfast recipes, try breakfast potatoes like Diced Hash Browns or Hash Brown Casserole. You can also make Scrambled Eggs for a crowd with our oven recipe. Any of these dishes are excellent to serve up with your favorite breakfast entrees.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Ground Pork: For the base of the homemade pork sausage, you need 2 pounds of ground pork. Pork has a delightful flavor with a subtle sweetness that the maple syrup enhances. You can substitute it with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup: For the best flavor, use real maple syrup in your homemade sausage patties. You can use pancake syrup in a pinch, but it will taste a lot better with authentic maple syrup in the mixture.
- 2 tablespoons Fennel Seed: Fennel seeds contribute a subtle licorice-like flavor and aroma to the sausage, enhancing its taste. You can replace them with anise seeds if needed.
- 1 tablespoon Dried Rubbed Sage: Dried rubbed sage provides an earthy and savory note to the sausage. Fresh sage can be used if available – use three tablespoons of freshly chopped sage.
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder: Garlic powder adds a mild garlic flavor to the sausage. You can use minced fresh garlic cloves as a substitute.
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder: Onion powder imparts a mild onion flavor to the sausage.
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt: You can use regular table salt, but adjust the quantity accordingly.
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper flakes add a subtle heat and spiciness to the sausage. Adjust the amount to your spice preference.
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is used for cooking the sausage and preventing it from sticking to the pan. You can use other cooking oils like canola or olive oil as substitutes. Coconut oil would be a unique flavor enhancer with the maple syrup as well.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Mixing Bowl: A mixing bowl is essential for combining all the ingredients thoroughly. Choose a large bowl to allow for easy mixing without spilling ingredients.
- Skillet: You’ll need a skillet or frying pan to cook the sausage patties. A non-stick skillet is recommended to prevent sticking, and a cast-iron skillet can provide even heat distribution.
- Spatula: A spatula is useful for flipping and turning the sausage patties in the skillet. It ensures they cook evenly and don’t break apart.
How to Make Maple Breakfast Sausage
Time needed: 10 minutes.
- Mix Ingredients
Combine ground pork, maple syrup, fennel seeds, dried rubbed sage, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.
- Shape Patties
Take the meat mixture and shape it into ¼ cup patties that are about 1/2″ thick. You can use your hands to shape the pork mixture.
- Heat Skillet
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat up until it’s shimmering.
- Cook Sausage
Place the sausage patties in the hot skillet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are browned and cooked through.
- Serve
Once the sausage patties are cooked, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve hot and enjoy your homemade Maple Sausages!
Can This Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make the Maple Breakfast Sausage mixture a day ahead of time and refrigerate it or freeze it for longer storage or meal prep. Simply shape the patties and store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each patty to prevent sticking. Cook them when needed on the skillet, air fryer at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes, or microwave for 2-3 minutes for a convenient breakfast option.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store Breakfast Sausage
Storing
After cooking, you shouldn’t leave homemade Breakfast Sausage at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you have leftover sausage, let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container to store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Reheating Tips
To reheat Maple Breakfast Sausage, place the cooked patties in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 1 minute if you’ve got a bunch in there, but the oven method will help maintain their texture better. The air fryer at 350º for 5-7 minutes is great too!
Freezing
To store the Maple Breakfast Sausage longer, put them in an air-tight freezer storage container and put them in the freezer. Then it can stay good for up to 2 months.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Oven-Baked Maple Breakfast Sausage
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the shaped sausage patties in a single layer on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a greased baking dish. Make sure to leave some space between each patty.
- Bake the sausage patties in the preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes. You can flip them halfway through the cooking time for even browning.
- Check the internal temperature of the patties using a meat thermometer. They should reach 160°F (71°C) to ensure they are cooked through.
- Once they are cooked and have a nice brown color, remove them from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving your breakfast sausage.
Frequent Questions
Breakfast sausage and Italian sausage are quite similar recipes. However, the spices used to flavor the meat are a little different. While breakfast sausage typically features sage, Italian sausage has other traditional Italian ingredients like parsley and basil. In this particular recipe adding the maple flavor also makes the sausage better for breakfast.
If you don’t want to make Homemade Breakfast Sausage with maple syrup, then you can certainly leave it out of the recipe. However, it is highly recommend using maple syrup! The smoky, sweet maple flavor adds a subtle flavor to beautifully balance out the classic pork and herb taste. It also helps to caramelize the outside of the sausages as they cook.
Yes, you can. Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for ground pork for a leaner option, but it will alter the flavor slightly.
Fennel seeds provide a distinct flavor, but you can substitute them with anise seeds if needed. It will still add a similar licorice-like note.
Absolutely! You can shape the sausage patties in advance and store them in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months. Just make sure they’re in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the fridge from frozen.
The sausage patties should be cooked until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) or until there is no pink meat inside when sliced.
You can substitute maple syrup with other liquid sweeteners like honey or agave syrup, but it will not have the desired maple flavor. It’s worth it to go get real maple syrup available at most grocery stores.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon fennel seed
- 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add the ground pork, maple syrup, fennel seed, dried rubbed sage, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and red pepper flakes.
- Mix well until ingredients are well blended.
- Make into ¼ cup patties, about 1/2" thick.
- Cook with vegetable oil on medium heat, 3-4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Variations on Breakfast Sausage
- Meat: Traditionally, sausage is made with pork, just like in this recipe. However, you can also make it with other ground protein options. Try this recipe with any of your favorite breakfast meat varieties like turkey, chicken, or beef.
- Seasonings: You can easily experiment with the flavors in this sausage recipe by mixing different spices and savory herbs. Try adding rosemary, thyme, paprika, ground mustard, or cayenne pepper. If you prefer, you can also use minced garlic cloves instead of garlic powder.
- Spicy sausage: There’s a bit of spice in the original recipe for Maple Breakfast Sausage from the red pepper flakes. However, if you’re a big fan of spice, you can always add a bit more. Try increasing the amount of red pepper flakes, or add some cayenne pepper to the mixture. Just make sure you only add a little at once to avoid going overboard. You can also add black pepper for a subtle kick.
Related Recipes
More Savory Breakfast Favorites
