Did you know you can quickly and easily make your own homemade sausage patties? No fancy ingredients needed — just a few simple tricks. They’re full of flavor and fun to make and eat! (Skip to recipe.)
Sausages aren’t complicated. Compared with a hamburger patty or a meatball, sausages are more highly seasoned and traditionally come in a casing. That casing—made from cleaned animal intestines or manufactured collagen—only holds the meat together, so when making patties at home we can skip it and shape the meat into small, dippable rounds instead.
Another key difference is texture. Sausages have a firmer, slightly springy bite compared with the looser texture of a burger. That “bounce” comes from how the meat is mixed and how salt affects the meat proteins to align and tighten them. You can speed up this effect with a small pinch of baking soda, which works on the proteins much like salt and delivers that springy texture faster.
When you make burgers you usually avoid overworking the meat, but for sausage patties you want the opposite: mix and knead the meat well so it binds and develops the traditional sausage texture.
There are three simple steps to make flavorful, springy homemade sausage patties:
- Use enough salt and add a pinch of baking soda to tighten the meat.
- Let the seasoned meat rest so the salt and baking soda can work.
- Work the mixture thoroughly by hand until it becomes slightly sticky.
These little patties are cute, perfectly dippable, and delicious with pancakes, eggs, on a bun, or straight from the pan with ketchup. They’re also lovely with homemade applesauce for a sweet contrast.
Cooking with William
William helped make these sausages and learned how seasoning and mixing affect texture. Handling raw meat made him a bit squeamish at first, but he took pride in the finished patties. While the meat rested he made pancakes, and together they enjoyed a favorite “breakfast for dinner” meal that kids and adults both loved.
How to Make Homemade Sausage Patties
Start by combining ground meat with salt and a pinch of baking soda and let it rest so it firms up. After resting, add grated carrot and onion, spices, and a binding flour, then knead until the mixture becomes slightly sticky. Portion the meat into even wedges, roll into balls, and flatten into small patties. Cook slowly in a skillet so the patties stay moist and develop a golden crust.
Grating a carrot adds subtle sweetness and color, while grated onion provides moisture and savory flavor — the onion can make you tear up, but it’s worth it for the taste. After adding shredded vegetables and spices, mix thoroughly by hand and knead for two to three minutes until the texture changes and the mixture holds together.
An easy way to portion evenly is to press the mixture flat in the bowl and cut it into eight wedges; each wedge makes two small patties. Rolling the patties is a fun part of the process for kids and adults alike.
Frying the patties fills the kitchen with a mouthwatering aroma. Cook them over medium heat in a little oil, coconut oil, or ghee until golden brown on both sides and cooked through — generally about 5–6 minutes per side if cooked slowly. A slow, steady cook helps keep them juicy inside while crisping the exterior.
The result: golden-brown, savory patties with a slightly crisp outside and the right springy texture inside, bursting with spicy-sausage flavor.
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Kitchen Frau Notes: Ground pork gives the classic sausage flavor, but you can substitute ground beef. Chickpea flour adds fiber and helps bind while keeping the recipe gluten-free; regular all-purpose flour works fine if gluten isn’t a concern. The carrot is optional but adds sweetness, color, and extra fiber.
If you prefer traditional links, shape the mixture into thumb-thick cylinders. Alternatively, leave the meat loose and crumble it into recipes that call for bulk sausage.
Homemade Sausage Patties
- 1 lb (454 g) ground pork
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large carrot, shredded (about 1/2 cup) — optional
- 1/4 medium onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour (or regular flour)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Oil, coconut oil, or ghee for frying
Add salt and baking soda to the ground pork and work them into the meat with your hands. Let the mixture rest for at least 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours refrigerated) so the salt and baking soda can modify the proteins and give the meat a firmer, springy texture.
If using carrot, shred it on the large holes of a box grater and chop the shreds briefly. Add carrot, grated onion (including any juices), flour, oil, and spices to the meat. Mix and knead by hand for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly sticky.
Press the mixture flat in the bowl and cut into eight wedges. Take each wedge, split it in two, roll into balls, and flatten into patties (or form into small cylinders). If the meat sticks to your hands, wet them with water between shaping patties.
Heat a small amount of oil, coconut oil, or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties gently until golden brown and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes per side. You may need two batches if your pan is small.
Makes about 16 small sausage patties.
Guten Appetit!
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Cooking with Kids: Burger Pops (Food on a Stick)
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Basic Big Batch Meatballs