Italian Sausage Burgers pack all the flavors of a sausage and peppers sandwich into one juicy patty. Topped with fire-roasted tomatoes and cheese, it's a bold flavor bomb.
This is no ordinary burger on the grill. Unlike our classic Umami Burgers, Italian Sausage Burgers are made with spicy pork sausage, mixed with peppers, onions, and salami to create a unique bite with a kick. They really do remind us of a classic sausage and peppers sandwich (without all the mess). It's the perfect way to add some unexpected flavor to your cookout.
Serve them with: Mashed Potato Salad and Grilled Mexican Street Corn. Wash them down with a refreshing Coronarita.
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Ingredients
- ITALIAN SAUSAGE: ground sausage (Italian pork sausage)
- SALAMI: diced salami adds depth of flavor to the burger
- PEPPERS: sweet mini peppers or red bell peppers, diced. We add these to the burger mixture.
- TOMATOES: top the burger with fire-roasted tomatoes. We used cherry tomatoes, but you can also use Roma tomatoes. See instructions below.
- ONION: red onion, Vidalia onion, or other sweet onion
- GARLIC: fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you2 tablespoon olive oil
- BUNS: we like soft brioche buns for this recipe
- CHEESE: we like Muenster cheese, you can also use Provolone cheese
- FENNEL SEEDS: (optional) we add these to the top of the bun for complex flavor
- COOKING SPRAY: olive oil cooking spray or canola oil cooking spray
*see recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Make Burger Mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine sausage, peppers and salami and mix until combined.
- Divide into Patties: Divide in 3 equal parts and form into patties.
- Make Fire Roasted Tomato Topping: Heat grill to high and spray with cooking spray. Place tomatoes on grill and turn every 30 seconds until blistered. Then remove from grill and place in medium sauté pan along with garlic, olive oil and onions. Cook over low heat while smashing tomatoes with a fork. Continue to cook until mixture resembles a thick sauce about 6-8 minutes.
- Grill Sausage Burgers: In the meantime, cook sausage patties over medium high heat on grill (about 4 minutes each side).
- Let Burgers Rest: Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Prepare Buns: Prepare buns by spraying with cooking oil. Divide fennel seeds and place on top of bun.
- Dress Burgers: Place burger on bun and top with tomato mixture and slice of cheese.
Top tip
Don't press down on burgers when you are grilling. This pushes all of the juice (and flavor) out, leaving you with a dry burger.
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Variations
- SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS: add more kick with roasted red peppers or jalapeño slices
- LOW CARB: use whole wheat buns or gluten free buns. We also like to use whole wheat pita bread or English muffins
- GLUTEN FREE (NO CARB): go without the bun, use a lettuce bun, or serve burger on top of an Arugula Salad
Storage
- MEAL PREP: freeze sausage burgers (extra uncooked patties) in an airtight container. We recommend wrapping each one separately in plastic wrap. Thaw them completely in the refrigerator before you're ready to serve, then follow cooking instructions.
- STORE LEFTOVER BURGERS (minus buns, cheese, and tomatoes) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- STORE FIRE ROASTED TOMATOES in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
🍔 More Burger Recipes
- Ultimate Umami Burger: This better-for-you burger is made with ground mushrooms for incredible texture & umami flavor
- Grilled Turkey Burgers: A lean burger that's not lean on flavor, this tender and juicy burger is topped with fresh pineapple slaw
- Caprese Pork Sliders: these tasty bites scream summertime, topped with fresh mozzarella and juicy tomato slices
FAQ
Sausage burgers are a type of burger made with ground sausage instead of traditional beef. We make ours with Italian pork sausage, onions and peppers to create bold flavor.
While we prefer Italian sausage for this recipe, you can use any type of ground sausage for sausage burgers, such as pork, chicken, turkey sausage, or breakfast sausage.
Sausage burgers should be cooked until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
Yes, sausage burgers can be frozen. Wrap the uncooked patties individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.
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Italian Sausage Burger recipe
Italian Sausage Burgers pack all the flavors of a Sausage and Peppers Sandwich into one patty. Top it with fire-roasted tomatoes and cheese.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 burgers 1x
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bulk hot sausage
- 2 ounces salami, diced
- ¼ C peppers, diced
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 brioche buns
- 3 slices Muenster cheese
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- cooking spray
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine sausage, peppers and salami and mix until combined.
- Divide in 3 equal parts and form into patties.
- Heat grill to high and spray with cooking spray. Place tomatoes on grill and turn every 30 seconds until blistered. Then remove from grill and place in medium sauté pan along with garlic, olive oil and onions.
- Cook over low heat while smashing tomatoes with a fork. Continue to cook until mixture resembles a thick sauce about 6-8 minutes.
- In the meantime, cook sausage patties over medium high heat on grill (about 4 minutes each side).
- Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Prepare buns by spraying with cooking oil. Divide fennel seeds and place on top of bun.
- Place burger on bun and top with tomato mixture and slice of cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: burgers & sandwiches
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces
- Calories: 581
- Sugar: 9.9 g
- Sodium: 922.9 mg
- Fat: 37.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.7 g
- Protein: 30.3 g
- Cholesterol: 108.9 mg
Jackie says
This burger has so much flavor! We love to make it at summer barbecues, for people who are looking for something non-traditional.