Theres a wide world of sausage; some varieties are hard to tell apart. Like, what is the difference between Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage? How about hot and mild Italian sausage? Can you use them all interchangeably? Advertisement
Italian sausage, as its referred to in the United States, is most often a pork sausage that is made with fennel seed or anise. It can be seasoned with fresh or dry herbs and is the sausage found in most pasta sauces or atop pizzas. As you might have guessed, theres no “Italian sausage” on the menu in Italy, only sausage (or salsiccia). However, there are many different types of actual Italian sausage. Fennel is a common flavoring, but its not always in the mix.
Sweet Italian sausage, or mild Italian sausage, is simply the less spicy version. “Sweet” and “mild” are used interchangeably, and whats known as hot Italian sausage contains a dash or two of hot red pepper flakes to give it some punch. As long as you like the taste of both, you can use them interchangeably in your cooking. In any recipe, you can safely substitute sweet sausage for mild sausage — and vice-versa — without concern. If you dont mind some heat, experiment with hot Italian sausage. If your recipe calls for hot Italian sausage, but all you can find is sweet or mild, add some crushed red pepper from your spice rack! Advertisement
Ingredients: Pork, Less than 2% of the following: Water, Sugar, Salt, Spices (including fennel & black pepper), Potassium Chloride, Paprika, Natural Flavors.
The average home cook may want to leave stuffing sausage links to the pros. However, you can still make Italian sausage with ground meat at home. If youre using bulk sausage (the kind you buy loose by the pound from the butcher), you can always buy ground pork and add seasonings. If you have Italian link sausage, remove the meat from the casings to crumble it into a dish and add herbs or spices to doctor it up to your liking. Advertisement
Theres a wide world of sausage; some varieties are hard to tell apart. Like, what is the difference between Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage? How about hot and mild Italian sausage? Can you use them all interchangeably? Advertisement
Sweet Italian sausage, or mild Italian sausage, is simply the less spicy version. “Sweet” and “mild” are used interchangeably, and whats known as hot Italian sausage contains a dash or two of hot red pepper flakes to give it some punch. As long as you like the taste of both, you can use them interchangeably in your cooking. In any recipe, you can safely substitute sweet sausage for mild sausage — and vice-versa — without concern. If you dont mind some heat, experiment with hot Italian sausage. If your recipe calls for hot Italian sausage, but all you can find is sweet or mild, add some crushed red pepper from your spice rack! Advertisement
So, how do you use Italian sausage? Whether homemade or store-bought, its a great addition to soups, stews, pasta, and pizza. If you remove it from the casing, you can crumble it and use it similarly to ground beef. Its great grilled on a bun instead of bratwurst, though it has a more pronounced flavor. And, while its not usually recommended in place of breakfast sausage (the latter has a strong sage flavor), nothings stopping you from trying it as a component of your breakfast hash, alongside scrambled eggs and pancakes, or in a breakfast sandwich. Advertisement
Homemade Italian sausage recipes commonly call for fennel, garlic, parsley, sweet paprika, and oregano, among other spices. Red wine (or red wine vinegar) frequently appears as well. Add crushed red pepper for a hot version, or try an Italian seasoning blend for a shortcut. If you dont eat pork, substitute ground chicken in your homemade sausage.
And if you don’t eat pork, you can use ground chicken or turkey for your homemade sausage instead.
Yes and no. In most recipes, you can safely substitute “sweet” sausage for “mild” sausage, and vice-versa, without concern. If you don’t mind some heat, you can use hot instead of either too. And if your recipe calls for hot but all you can find is sweet or mild, just add some crushed red pepper from your spice rack!
Homemade Italian sausage recipes commonly call for fennel, garlic, parsley, sweet paprika, and oregano, among other spices. Red wine vinegar frequently appears as well. Add crushed red pepper for a hot version or try an Italian seasoning blend for a shortcut.
But what, exactly, is sweet Italian sausage? This version of the meat has the special addition of sweet basil. It’s still Italian and it’s still sausage, of course, but it imparts a sweeter flavor due to this herb.
Italian sausage is a great addition to soups, stews, pasta, and pizza, and if you remove it from the casing, you can crumble it and use it similarly to ground beef. It’s great grilled on a bun in place of bratwurst (though it has a stronger flavor).
My Family’s HOMEMADE Italian Sausage Recipe
FAQ
Does all Italian sausage have fennel?
What is sweet Italian sausage made of?
Does Johnsonville Sweet Italian sausage have fennel?
What kind of sausage does not have fennel?
Does Italian sausage have fennel seed?
Italian sausage has many herbs and spices, but fennel seed is what gives it its distinct flavor. Don’t skip it. I buy whole fennel seed and crush it slightly when making this seasoning mix. It may seem like we’re cheating by adding in pre-mixed Italian seasoning. We find that most people have this in their spice cupboard already.
What is the purpose of using fennel in Italian sausage?
The fennel in the sausage is just for flavor. But Fennel is widely used to combat gastrointestinal problems, helps digestion, fights flatulence and diarrhea, can help fight anxiety, stress and insomnia, helps release excess fluid in the body, can reduce menstrual pain, prevents bad breath and heartburn, in addition to other benefits.
What is fennel sausage?
Fennel sausages are simply a type of sausage made with fennel seeds. “Italian sausages” sold in the United States usually contain fennel seed. Authentic Italian sausages (i.e., sausages from Italy) may or may not contain fennel seed in the sausage.
How do you eat Italian fennel sausage?
Using ground pork, chopped chicken fillets, aromatic herbs, and flavorful spices, it truly embodies the essence of traditional Italian cuisine. Serving a baked Italian fennel sausage on a bed of crunchy bruschetta is a wonderful choice. You can also simply put them in soft burger buns, just like you do with regular burgers.