Love the rich, meaty flavor of Italian Sausage, but cooking for someone who doesn’t appreciate spicy food? A picky toddler? Or someone needing to avoid nightshade spices (peppers, tomatoes, and paprika)? You can still enjoy amazing, homemade Italian Sausage Crumbles.

With a handful of spices and a skillet, you can transform plain ol’ ground pork into something magical and versatile in a matter of minutes. Sprinkle these No-Heat Italian Sausage Crumbles onto a pizza, flatbread, or loaded baked potato. Add them to a breakfast egg casserole, veggie hash or pasta. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, these Italian Sausage Crumbles can jazz up any meal!

We thought we might miss the heat, but we were wrong! My husband grew up in a home where Italian Sausage was taken very seriously, and he claims this sausage hits the mark! While I prefer ground pork for a more traditional flavor, another meat could be substituted based on what you have in the fridge or dietary preference.

This recipe makes two pounds of sausage crumbles which is likely more than you need, unless you’re feeding a crowd. This was intentional, because the leftovers freeze beautifully. Automatically put half in the freezer and you’re taking a shortcut to dinner on another night! Not interested? All the quantities may be easily cut in half to make only a single pound.

How will you eat your No-Heat Italian Sausage Crumbles? We ate ours on flatbreads (pictures above) – heavenly pizza crust recipe to follow soon! Stay tuned!

Print Recipe

No-Heat Italian Sausage Crumbles

Full of flavor, but not the heat! These Italian Sausage Crumbles are a favorite of kids and adults whether or not they enjoy spicy foods and those who need to avoid nightshade spices, such as peppers and paprika, common ingredients in Italian Sausage. Sprinkle on flatbreads, pizzas, pasta, or veggies for a delicious meal! (Paleo, AIP option, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, nut-free, nightshade-free)

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1 drizzle olive oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• salt, to taste

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except salt to a large skillet. Over medium-high heat, using a spoon or spatula, break up meat into small chunks and stir to distribute spices evenly throughout.
• Stirring occasionally, cook until browned and cooked all the way through, about 15 minutes on my cooktop. Remove from heat. Enjoy!

Notes

AIP option: omit fennel seeds and black pepper.

Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for three days. Sausage crumbles reheat well in microwave or on a skillet on medium heat just until hot. Leftovers freeze beautifully.