Picked With Passion

Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning can be made with spices you already have at home and makes a delicious and healthy sausage using any kind of ground meat.

Lean sausage is one of those ingredients that I always have on hand and use in almost everything from quick pasta dishes to stir-fries to breakfast hash. However lately I have been thinking that there must be an easy way to make it at home without paying a premium for the store bought brands. After some research, it turns out there are hundreds of ways to make healthy homemade sausage and it all comes down to the seasoning. I tried out lots of different combinations and this one turned out to be our favorite. It’s got all the flavor of a traditional Italian sausage and I promise you won’t even miss the added fat.

Now when it comes to using this recipe, the possibilities are endless and it can be used in any recipe that calls for ground meat or ground sausage. Plus it can be made with ground chicken, beef, turkey, pork, or bison. I have even used it successfully with vegetarian crumbles. The three ways I use it most often are as ground sausage, sausage patties (great for breakfast!), and meatballs. And it goes without saying that you can mix up the spice blend to suit your personal tastes. Some people will want extra fennel, others will want things a bit spicier, and some might leave out the paprika since it isn’t a traditional Italian sausage seasoning.

Here are some tips for making this Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning:

• Instead of preparing just one batch, triple or quadruple the recipe and keep it ready in your spice cabinet. This way you want have to measure out all the ingredients every time and you can also experiment trying it with other dishes. We roasted some cauliflower with it last week that came out delicious.
• Get creative when using this spice blend! It works in all kinds of dishes and adds so much flavor.
• If you like to sneak in extra veggies, add some minced bell peppers and onions to the meat as well.
• This spice blend can be used for any ground meat and even vegetarian crumbles and tempeh.
• When making the spice blend, taste it as you go and adjust the flavoring to make a combination that is perfect for you. Just don’t forget to write down the measurements so you can make it over again.

Looking for some recipes to use this homemade sausage?

Here are some of the tools and products I used to prepare this recipe:

• I always use a non-stick pan to cook ground meat since it ensures it won’t stick and I don’t need to add any extra oil. There are all kinds of nonstick pans on the market but I have been using these All Clad Nonstick Fry Pans for years and love them. The nonstick surface hasn’t deteriorated at all over tons of use and they still work like the first time I used them. Also just FYI, it’s best not to use aerosol on non-stick pans since it can damage the surface. Look for a non-aerosol cooking spray or use regular oil if you need anything.