This Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage recipe gives you all the flavor of regular Italian sausage with only a fraction of the sodium. It’s easy to prepare and freezes beautifully with only 63 mg of sodium per serving.
If you’ve been living a low sodium lifestyle, sausage may be one of the foods you’ve abandoned to cut your sodium. This Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage makes it possible to put sausage back on your table!
Italian sausage, like most sausages, is typically extremely high in sodium. One Italian sausage link can contain more than 500 mg of sodium. This low sodium version is full of flavor, and you can prepare it easily with your choice of ground meat or poultry and a few spices.
The Low Sodium Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need these ingredients to make low sodium Italian sausage from scratch.
- Ground Pork, Turkey or Chicken
- Garlic
- Italian Seasoning
- Onion Powder
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dried Parsley
- Paprika
- Salt-Free Seasoning
- Black Pepper
- Fennel Seeds
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Olive Oil
Tools You Need to make Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage
How to Make Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage
I love it you can transform a handful of ingredients into something as delicious as this sausage. Sausage, in general, is simple to make. Mix your spice mix into your ground meat. Let it rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours (but overnight is better), brown it up, and serve!
Step by Step Instructions
- Combine pork, spices and vinegar in a large bowl.
- Mix until spices are evenly-distributed and well-mixed.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Heat olive oil in large pan and add sausage.
- Cook sausage over medium-high heat until evenly browned, and serve.
The Fennel Factor
Fennel seeds are the seeds of the fennel plant, the root vegetable that tastes like black licorice. They’re also the ingredient that gives Italian sausage its unique flavor. I am not a lover of the taste of black licorice but trust me when I tell you not to skip the fennel in this recipe. It calls for a half teaspoon of whole fennel seeds, and just that tiny bit gives this sausage its signature flavor.
Ground fennel will also work in this recipe, but whole fennel seeds can be easier to find in the supermarket. I like to chop the seeds coarsely, so I still get the flavor without biting into the larger, whole seeds.
How can I use Italian sausage?
You can use this sausage as you would regular Italian sausage. Use it to fill an omelet, stir it into soups or stews for added flavor or add it to your pizza. It makes an excellent filling for tacos, and you can shape it into patties and serve it up as a breakfast sausage.
Can I freeze Italian sausage?
Yes, you can freeze it before or after cooking by placing it in a freezer bag. It will stay fresh in the freezer for three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before cooking or serving.
Can I use ground meat other than pork?
Yes, this recipe works well with any ground meat, so feel free to swap the ground pork for ground turkey, chicken, or beef.
Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork, turkey, or chicken
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a large bowl. Mix until ingredients are evenly-blended.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the pork in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- To Cook: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until sausage is browned and cooked through, 7-9 minutes. Make sure there is no pink meat left in the pan.
Nutrition Facts
Low Sodium Homemade Italian Sausage
Serves: 4 servings
|
Amount Per Serving: 4 oz
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 352 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 24.7 g | 36.9% | |
| Saturated Fat 8.6 g | 40% | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | ||
| Cholesterol 85 mg | 28.3% | |
| Sodium 63.2 mg | 2.6% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 3.9 g | 1% | |
| Dietary Fiber 1.2 g | 4% | |
| Sugars .2 g | ||
| Protein 22.6 g | ||
| Vitamin A 15.2% | Vitamin C 3.3% | |
| Calcium 31.4% | Iron 7.9% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Did You Make This Italian Sausage?
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Just what is salt free seasoning in this recipe..tia
Hi Joan!
Salt-free seasonings are seasoning blends that do not contain any sodium, like Mrs. Dash seasonings. If you don’t make your own, there are several brands you can buy at your grocery store or online that are salt-free. This is one I use at home all the time: https://saltsanity.com/the-best-all-purpose-salt-free-seasoning-blend/.
Hope this helps!
Good evening Chef Danielle
made my 1st batch of low sodium ital sausage. It turned out dry and bland. I definitely followed the recipe. After mixing, it was allowed to sit covered in frig for 12+ hours. It was cooked then I drained in collider.
I’m thinking of adding horseradish sauce when I use sausage in omelet for flavor. Do you think my draining sausage after cooking caused the dryness?
Even if I can’t overcome bland and dry, I’ll continue to make and use bec of the low sodium protein aspect. So thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for visiting the site! You definitely want to skip draining the sausage once you’re done. Ground turkey is fairly lean so there shouldn’t be a ton of fat/oil left after cooking and what is left adds flavor and moisture. Make sure you’re cooking it just until the turkey is cooked through because overcooking can also lead to dryness. Try doubling the spices next time if you’d like more flavor. You don’t have to settle for bland because you’re low sodium. Play with the spice amounts to create a version that suits your taste. I’m going to give horseradish a try next time. That sounds delicious!
Is it possible to reduce the sodium in Italian sausage as you did with hotdogs?
I have made this Low Sodium Italian Sausage twice now! I love using it in my low sodium pizza as well as in pasta. I highly recommend this. you can tell the difference between this and the “real” thing. I give it a 10 out of 10 and on a side note it freezes well.