AIP Breakfast Sausage

This sweet and savory AIP Breakfast Sausage recipe is the perfect addition to your morning meal. This recipe is freezer-friendly, easy to make, and so satisfying. Whip up these sausage patties in under 20 minutes!

Jump to:

• What is AIP?
• Is Sausage AIP?
• Ingredient Notes
• How To Make AIP Breakfast Sausage
• How To Store This Recipe
• Recipe Tips
• Related Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

The Autoimmune Paleo Protocol is hard enough, and navigating all the additives and unfriendly spices that are put in most breakfast foods can be disheartening. This recipe will hopefully lift your spirits and get you through to the reintroduction phase!

This sausage recipe uses specific herbs and spices that are appropriate for an autoimmune elimination diet. With that said, it can certainly be enjoyed by anyone. It is less spicy than traditional sausage because it does not contain any nightshades (like red peppers) or seed/berry-based spices (peppercorn), but still has a really pleasant flavor that most people will enjoy.

While following AIP, these sausages have been a staple in our home!

I usually prepare several pounds of ground pork at a time. This way I can freeze some and pull it out when needed. It is no extra dishes to double or triple the recipe. And, I like having sausage on hand that I can thaw and cook because breakfasts on this protocol are generally the most challenging meals for us!

What is AIP?

AIP (Autoimmune Paleo) is an elimination diet used to help those with autoimmune conditions figure out what potentially immunogenic foods may be triggering an immune response.

Autoimmune illnesses are tricky because symptoms can manifest in many ways. Food triggers are extremely common for people with autoimmune illnesses, but stress, environmental allergens, and other lifestyle triggers may also play a role.

Common allergenic foods are removed on the AIP diet, like eggs, soy, nuts, dairy, and gluten. In addition, other potentially immunogenic foods are also removed. These include things like seeds, all grains, nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, etc.), and seed-based oils.

Usually, people will see an improvement in symptoms after initiating an AIP protocol. After the improvements plateau, a gut rebuilding phase is ideal. Thereis a lot of evidence suggesting that autoimmune illnesses are linked to gut permeability.

After supporting gut health, the individual following the AIP protocol should consider reintroducing foods. This needs to be strategic. Only one food type should be introduced at a time. Starting with the least likely to cause a reaction.

Here are some resources for following an AIP elimination diet.

Is Sausage AIP?

Traditional sausage is not AIP-friendly. Conventional sausage can have all sorts of strange additives and preservatives. In addition, there are usually a lot of non-AIP spices in sausage.

This recipe uses herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, and spices like ginger root, and cinnamon to create the sausage flavor. A pinch of maple syrup is added for sweetness. The end result is a tasty AIP-compliant breakfast.

Ingredient Notes

Ground Pork - Ground pork will sometimes indicate a lean to fat ratio on the package. Choose 80:20 if you can because the higher fat percentage will make these sausage tender and juicy. Fresh ground pork, that is ground by the butcher at the grocery store, tends to be made from lean pork. This will work in this recipe, but I would encourage you to use the vinegar to aid in making the sausage more tender and moist.

Pork Fat - I like to add a little extra fat to these sausages both for flavor and texture. Pork fat (like this Epic Pork Fat is a great option) or rendered bacon fat (from AIP-friendly bacon) work well. If using bacon fat, you can strain the liquid fat through a coffee strainer to remove any pieces of bacon. Other types of animal fat, like tallow or duck fat, or even coconut oil can be used in a pinch. You'll definitely want to select refined coconut oil to avoid a coconut-y flavor.

Maple Syrup - With 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, the recipe is still only slightly sweet. If you prefer a more savory sausage, use just 1 tablespoon but don't remove all together as the sugars help with the caramelization.

Red Wine Vinegar - The red wine vinegar is optional in this recipe because it will still turn out well without it; however, it is really helpful to tenderize the meat, it adds flavor, and it can help prevent the sausages from coming out dry.

Salt - I like a slightly salty sausage, but if you're sensitive to salt, you can reduce to ¾ teaspoon or salt to taste.

How To Make AIP Breakfast Sausage

This Autoimmune Paleo Breakfast Sausage recipe is simple to make and can be made, start-to-finish, in just 20 minutes! Here's how:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together with clean hands until the spices are all well incorporated.
2. Form 8-10 sausages patties either with your hands or with a Sausage Press.
3. Heat a very lightly greased frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add patties to the pan. Allow them to brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side or until the sausages are browned and the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Remove from heat and serve.

How To Store This Recipe

Yes! This sausage can be stored raw in an airtight container for 2 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.

The cooked sausage should keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to cook the sausage patties, place them in an airtight container, separate the patties with parchment paper, and freeze them. That way we can pull out individual sausage patties as needed.

Recipe Tips

• If you're really missing spice, you can add a little more ginger, ground horseradish, or some fresh garlic cloves for an AIP-friendly kick.
• Aim for even-sized sausage patties to ensure even cooking. I use a Sausage Press to get perfectly sized sausage patties, but this is, by no means, a necessity.
• A good trick I like to use for an easy, on-hand breakfast option is to make and cook the sausage patties. I freeze the extras in an airtight container, and just heat them in the microwave! Use a piece of parchment paper to separate them so they don't stick together and you have a breakfast protein ready to go!

Related Recipes

• AIP Cranberry Sauce
• Paleo Teriyaki Salmon (AIP, Whole30)
• AIP Pumpkin Pie
• Banana Flour Pancakes
• AIP Pumpkin Pie

Did you make this AIP Breakfast Sausage recipe? If so, comment below and leave a rating! I would love to hear how it went for you.

📖 Recipe