For years I avoided making sausage at home—partly because I’d been a vegetarian in my teens and early twenties and partly because it just seemed intimidating. I had tackled things like cheesecakes and homemade bread, but sausage felt like a mystery. One day, with an unexpected abundance of pork shoulder in the fridge, I decided to try. I ground a couple of pounds of pork, mixed in fennel, garlic, crushed red pepper, kosher salt and black pepper, rolled the mixture into small meatballs and browned them before simmering them in marinara. The result blew me away.
That first batch banished any lingering doubts: the texture and flavor of homemade sausage were far superior to store-bought. It was juicy, garlicky, slightly spicy and perfectly browned. Inspired, I made sausage-based meals night after night—until the chore of cleaning the grinder made me rethink my approach. The solution was obvious: make a lot at once and freeze it.
I portion the seasoned sausage into gallon freezer bags—about 2½ pounds per bag—squeeze out the air, flatten each bag and press it with a wooden spoon to create segmented rectangles. Flattened packs freeze faster, stack neatly and allow you to break off single portions without thawing the entire bag. Two rectangles typically yield one to one-and-a-half pounds, perfect for quick sautés, pizza toppings or sauces.
Those early experiments led to many more variations—chorizo and hot Italian links among them—but bulk Italian sausage remains my favorite make-ahead staple. It’s versatile and reliable: toss it into sauces, top pizzas, or use it in casseroles. One of our fastest weeknight favorites is Broccoli Sausage Pasta, a simple, hearty dish of browned, garlicky Italian sausage, crisp-tender broccoli and rotini tossed with grated Romano or Parmesan.
Use fresh or frozen broccoli, depending on what you have on hand. If you grind your own pork, pork shoulder is a great value and has the right balance of fat for flavorful, juicy sausage. If you don’t have a grinder or food processor, store-bought ground pork works well too—you’ll still notice a big flavor difference from mixing your own seasonings.
This past weekend I replenished my sausage stash while my kids played in fresh snow. When everyone returned rosy-cheeked, a pan of Broccoli Sausage Pasta was waiting and dinner was an easy hit.
What would you make if your freezer were stocked with homemade Italian sausage?
Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
To Make the Bulk Italian Sausage:
- 8 pounds freshly ground pork shoulder {*See Notes} or purchased ground pork.
- 18-26 peeled garlic cloves depending on how garlicky you like your sausage.
- 8 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 2-5 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like your sausage.
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt you can adjust upward, but this is the minimum amount you should use.
To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:
- 1 pound Bulk Italian Sausage
- 1 pound rotini or other shaped pasta
- 12 ounces to 1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets The pictured dish used 12 ounces of frozen baby broccoli florets.
- 1/3 cup chicken stock or water preferably
- grated Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
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Add the pork to a large mixing bowl. Put the garlic cloves, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes and salt into a food processor or pile them on a cutting board. Process or chop until the garlic is very finely broken down, almost paste-like.
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Scrape the seasoning mixture over the pork and use your hands to blend thoroughly. Fry a small quarter-sized patty to test the seasoning and adjust salt or spices if needed.
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Divide the sausage into four gallon-sized freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as possible, leaving a small corner open so air can escape, then flatten the sausage to fill each bag. Seal the bag and press a line down the center with the handle of a wooden spoon, then press two more perpendicular lines about one-third and two-thirds along the bag to create six rectangles.
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Lay each bag flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Properly stored, the sausage will keep for up to six months before flavor begins to fade. Break off frozen rectangles as needed for recipes.
To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
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In a large, heavy skillet, break up and cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crisp in places but still moist. If there’s excessive fat, drain some but leave a bit to coat the pasta.
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Add the broccoli florets and the chicken stock or water, scrape up the browned bits from the pan, cover and steam until the broccoli is crisp-tender. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
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Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sausage and broccoli. Toss well and serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the specific ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
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