Rice Free Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
Store-bought breakfast sausage is a minefield for anyone avoiding rice-based fillers and binders, which manufacturers often sneak in as extenders or anti-caking agents. Making your own from scratch with ground pork and a handful of pantry spices puts you completely in control of every single ingredient. The blend of sage, thyme, smoked paprika, and garlic powder creates that classic savory-sweet sausage flavor, and a touch of maple syrup rounds everything out beautifully if you like a hint of morning sweetness. Mixing just until the seasonings are evenly distributed keeps the patties tender rather than dense — a small step that makes a big difference in texture. The air fryer does the heavy lifting here, delivering deep golden-brown patties with a satisfying crust in about ten minutes without any oil or fuss. Flipping halfway through ensures even browning on both sides, and pulling them at 160°F means they're perfectly cooked through every time. These patties are the kind of breakfast staple you'll want to make on repeat.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes and maple syrup if using. Mix with your hands until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat, about 30 seconds — stop as soon as the mixture is uniform to keep the texture tender.
- 2
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and press each into a round patty about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Slightly thinner edges help the patties cook evenly.
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