On the day of this writing, I paid $2.89 for a 1 pound chub of (terribly fatty) breakfast sausage (which we already use in spaghetti sauce), while the price of bulk Italian sausage was nearly $6 per pound. This isn’t as good quality as the Italian sausage, but it’s a lot cheaper and is a reasonable substitute in my Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 scant teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon minced onion

Directions

  1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, and mix well. For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld.
  2. Use in place of Italian sausage in recipes.