Homemade Garlic Basil Sausage Recipe
Homemade garlic basil sausage is a flavorful fresh pork sausage seasoned with plenty of garlic and fragrant basil. It has a savory, herb-forward flavor that makes it especially versatile in the kitchen.
Garlic and fresh basil make great sausage
For many years, I didn’t try making homemade sausage because I thought I needed special equipment to do it. Once I learned that I could make really great sausage completely by hand, I started having a great time developing different varieties of homemade sausage in my kitchen.
These days, I do use a stand mixer because I prefer the texture it gives the sausage. But when I first started, I didn’t have one, and I made some pretty stellar sausage using nothing more than my hands to mix it.
This garlic basil version turned out really great the very first time I made it. No tweaking necessary. This incredibly flavorful recipe was ready to share with you straight out of the gate. And you’re going to love using this bold, garlic and basil seasoned sausage to make your favorite sausage dishes. I know I did. I liked it so much that I made a second batch as soon as the first one was gone.
If you enjoy making sausage from scratch, be sure to try my homemade apple pork sausage, homemade sweet Italian sausage, and homemade spicy pork sausage too. Before long, all of the sausage in your from-scratch kitchen will be fresh and made with your own hands.
Recipe ingredients
- Ground pork: Choose ground pork with enough fat to keep the sausage juicy and give it a tender, cohesive texture. Very lean ground pork can produce a drier, more crumbly sausage and won’t carry the garlic and basil flavors as well.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic provides the bold, savory backbone of this sausage. Choose firm, plump cloves for the freshest, cleanest garlic flavor.
- Fresh basil: Use fresh basil with vibrant green leaves and a strong aroma for the best flavor. It brings a distinctive herbal freshness to the sausage and pairs particularly well with both the pork and garlic.
- Red wine: Choose a dry red wine that you enjoy drinking rather than a sweet wine or cooking wine. It adds acidity and complexity to the sausage while contributing moisture that helps the seasonings distribute throughout the meat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make homemade garlic basil sausage
Step 1: Place the ground pork, chopped fresh basil, olive oil, pressed garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Step 2: Beat on low speed while slowly drizzling in the red wine. Once all of the wine has been added, continue beating on low speed for 5 minutes. This thorough mixing helps the meat develop the cohesive texture you want in a well-made sausage.
Step 4: Transfer the sausage mixture to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. For the best flavor, refrigerate it for a full 24 hours to give the garlic, basil, wine, and seasonings time to meld with the pork.
Step 5: Divide the chilled sausage mixture into 8 equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a large link, keeping the size and thickness as consistent as possible so they cook evenly.
Step 6: Heat a small amount of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage links and cook, turning them as needed to brown evenly on all sides, until they are cooked through and the center of each sausage reaches 160°F (71°C).
Top tips
- Keep the pork cold: Cold meat is essential for good sausage texture because it keeps the fat firm and properly incorporated into the meat. If the pork starts getting warm while you work with it, return it to the refrigerator before continuing.
- Use a light touch when shaping: Avoid squeezing or compacting the sausage more than necessary. Overworking it at this stage can make the finished links unnecessarily dense.
- Give room in the skillet: Leave space between the sausages so they brown properly rather than trapping excess moisture in the pan. If your skillet is too small to comfortably hold all eight, cook them in batches.
- Let the sausage rest: Give the links a few minutes to rest before serving. This allows the juices to settle back into the meat rather than running out as soon as you cut into them.
- Freeze the sausage uncooked: The shaped sausage links can be frozen before cooking, making it easy to keep a batch on hand for later. Freeze the links in a single layer until firm before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or bag so they don’t freeze together.
Serve
For an Italian-inspired dinner, serve this sausage alongside pasta topped with homemade lentil Bolognese, creamy pumpkin cheese sauce, creamy brandy sauce, or no cook tomato basil sauce. It’s also delicious with creamy Parmesan polenta, garlic-seasoned white beans, or tucked into lightly crusted slider buns with sautéed peppers and onions and melted provolone.
For vegetable sides, try a zucchini and tomato skillet or red cabbage and apples. Roasted peppers and onions or a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad are great options as well.
For something heartier, pair the sausage with crispy asiago potato wedges, from scratch cheesy garlic potatoes, oven baked twice stuffed potatoes, or creamy mashed potatoes. Sweet potato casserole from scratch makes a delicious sweet and savory pairing.
For breakfast, serve alongside home fries with eggs or smashed avocado toast.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you loved this from scratch sausage recipe, give these other great sausage recipes a try too!
Fennel Sausage Recipe | Traditional Italian Sausage
Breakfast Sausage Patty Recipe
Traditional Irish Breakfast Sausage (Butcher-Style at Home)
Homemade Garlic Basil Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 cup fresh chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 large garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
Instructions
- Place the ground pork, chopped fresh basil, olive oil, pressed garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat on low speed while slowly drizzling in the red wine. Continue beating for 5 minutes after all of the wine has been added.
- Transfer the sausage mixture to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 hours, to allow the flavors to develop.
- Divide the chilled sausage mixture into 8 equal portions and gently shape each into a large sausage link.
- Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage links and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
Notes
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A stand mixer produces a more cohesive sausage texture, but you can mix the ingredients thoroughly by hand if you don’t have one.
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Work with well-chilled ground pork to keep the fat firm and properly incorporated into the sausage.
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Uncooked sausage links can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze individually until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
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Refrigerate leftover cooked sausage in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
