Sausage

Pan sausage
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and let it brown a little before breaking it up. For pasta, pizza, or gravy, crumble it with a spatula and stir as it cooks. For breakfast sandwiches, shape it into patties and flip once the first side is browned. Cook ground pork sausage to 160°F. If the pan is dry, start with a small splash of oil. If the sausage gives off plenty of fat, save a spoonful in the skillet for cooking your onions or making gravy.

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sausage links
Cook links whole in a skillet over medium heat or on a grill over medium heat. Turn them every few minutes so they brown evenly. On the grill, move them to a cooler spot if the fat starts to flare. Cook the center to 160°F, then serve whole or slice into coins. You can also split the casing lengthwise and remove it if you’d like to use the filling as crumbled sausage.

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What Can I Make With It?

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Mild Italian Pan Sausage: Biscuits and gravy, breakfast hash, baked ziti, stuffed peppers, or sausage and white bean soup

Hot Italian Pan Sausage: Spicy tomato pasta, pizza with banana peppers, sausage and spinach dip, or cheesy sausage-stuffed mushrooms

Mild Italian Links: Grilled sausage buns, sheet-pan sausage and potatoes, creamy sausage and kale soup, or a skillet with cabbage and apples

Hot Italian Links: Sausage and pepper hoagies, spicy red beans and rice, grilled sausage skewers, or sliced links over creamy grits

 

Four Easy Recipes to Get You Started
 

Mild Italian Pan Sausage Biscuits & Gravy

You’ll need 1 lb Mild Italian Pan Sausage, ¼ cup flour, 2½ cups whole milk, cracked black pepper, and warm biscuits.

1. Brown and crumble the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, cooking it to 160°F. Leave about 3 tbsp of drippings in the skillet. Add butter if you need a little more.

2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk, scraping up the browned bits.

3. Simmer for 5–8 minutes, stirring until thickened. Add black pepper and taste for salt. Spoon over split biscuits.
   
    

Hot Italian Pan Sausage & Tomato Rigatoni

You’ll need 1 lb Hot Italian Pan Sausage, 12 oz rigatoni, 1 jar marinara (about 24 oz), 2 handfuls baby spinach, and grated Parmesan.

1. Cook the rigatoni according to the package. Save ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

2. Brown and crumble the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, cooking it to 160°F.

3. Stir in the marinara and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.

4. Toss with the rigatoni, adding a splash of pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Finish with Parmesan.
   
    

Sheet-Pan Mild Italian Links & Crispy Potatoes

You’ll need 4 Mild Italian Links, 1½ lb baby potatoes cut into bite-size pieces, 1 red onion cut into wedges, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the potatoes and onion with the oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread them out on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes.

2. Stir the vegetables, add the links, and roast for another 15–25 minutes, turning the links halfway through. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the sausage centers reach 160°F.

3. Serve with Dijon mustard for dipping or a squeeze of lemon over the potatoes.
   
    

Hot Italian Link Hoagies with Peppers & Onions

You’ll need 4 Hot Italian Links, 2 sliced bell peppers, 1 sliced yellow onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 4 hoagie rolls. Add provolone if you like yours cheesy.

1. Cook the peppers and onion in the oil over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned at the edges.

2. Grill or pan-sear the links over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the centers reach 160°F.

3. Toast the rolls and fill each with a link and a generous scoop of peppers and onions. If you’re adding provolone, lay it over the hot sausage so it melts into the roll.