Whether you’re building a weekend spread or need a fast hit of protein on a weekday morning, a really good breakfast sausage can elevate the experience. Unfortunately, we don’t always have time to make our own sausage patties. That’s why our team of expert tasters put 19 breakfast sausages through a blind taste test to determine their favorites.
If you’re short on time—or simply short on patience—a package of premade breakfast sausages can be a lifesaver. You’ll find them as patties and links, frozen or refrigerated, pre-browned or uncooked. Dig them out of your freezer or grab a pack from your refrigerator, fry them in your favorite skillet, and you’ll have a savory addition to your morning routine in minutes.
Methodology
How we picked the products
We tested 19 breakfast sausages, focusing on brands available nationally in grocery stores and online. We identified a few main categories (raw vs. precooked; patties vs. links) and sought a range of products within each subcategory. That is: raw patties, raw links, precooked patties, and precooked links. For this test, we narrowed the search to classic breakfast sausage only. That meant they had to be made from ground pork and flavored with black pepper and sage. We did not include reduced-fat, low-sodium, or flavored options (such as maple or extra-spicy).
How we tested
We prepared each breakfast sausage in a hot skillet with oil, following the directions on its packaging, until browned. Tasters sampled the sausages in four rounds, grouping like with like—precooked links with precooked links, raw patties with raw patties, and so on. To keep the focus on flavor and texture, all brands were concealed during tasting.
How we evaluated each breakfast sausage
Regardless of the format, our criteria were consistent. Each breakfast sausage should have a bold, well-balanced flavor and a richness that would stand up to eggs and toast. The best sausages were juicy and tender with a satisfying bite, not dry, crumbly, or greasy. We favored sausages with a cohesive, meaty texture over those that were grainy or mealy, looking for options that stayed succulent from first bite to last.
Best fresh sausage links: Aldi
Aldi’s store-brand links delivered the springy bite and deeply savory sage flavor we wanted in a classic breakfast sausage.
Why it stood out: The links from this budget-focused chain had a noticeably coarse grind, with distinct pieces of meat rather than the soft, pasty texture of some competitors. But flavor is what pushed them to the top.
“These have the sage-y quality I want,” called out senior cooking and SEO editor Joe Sevier, while senior Test Kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk praised their “true pork flavor.” Tasters appreciated the well-balanced mix of salt, herbs, and deep umami that left a lingering savoriness after each bite.
Best fresh sausage patties: Bob Evans
Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Patties delivered bold garlic flavor and a juicy texture.
Why it stood out: Some patties we tasted were overly fatty; others were dry and crumbly. These hit the Goldilocks zone with a juicy bounce that tasters thoroughly enjoyed. Jesse noted the patties’ supremely savory flavor, which Joe characterized as well-salted and especially garlicky. They were just right for sweetness too. While some contenders tasted nearly candied, the sugar here was just enough to balance the other flavors at play.
Best precooked sausage links: Jimmy Dean
Jimmy Dean’s precooked links delivered a delicately smoky, savory flavor with a hint of earthy white pepper.
Why it stood out: According to Jimmy Dean, the legendary country music entertainer who founded his namesake brand in 1969, “Sausage is a great deal like life; you get out of it what you put into it.” Fortunately, these links deliver plenty of savory flavor. Our tasters reveled in their smokiness, prominent sage notes, and hint of white pepper. Senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic enjoyed what she described as a “rustic texture,” referring to the meat’s rough grind, which made each bite taste hearty and delicious.
Best precooked sausage patties: Jones Dairy Farm
Thin enough to brown beautifully, these precooked patties had the crispiest bite of the bunch.
Why it stood out: These patties are slightly thinner than many in their cohort, with a savory, robust kick of onion powder. The extra surface area allowed each patty to develop more browning, resulting in a delicately crisp exterior.
We’d love it
…stacked into Wylie Dufresne’s breakfast grilled cheese or any great breakfast sandwich.
We also tasted
- 365 Classic Pork Breakfast Sausage: A distinctly chicken-y flavor took this one out of the running.
- Applegate Naturals Classic Pork Breakfast Sausage: Had a particularly dense, rubbery bite.
- Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Links: The herbs here overpowered the meat.
- Breakfast Best Heat ’N Serve Sausage Links: We weren’t fans of the spongy texture.
- Banquet Brown ’N Serve Original Sausage Links: Oddly soft, resulting in a mushy bite.
- Banquet Brown ’N Serve Original Sausage Patties: Pleasant flavor, doughy texture.
- Great Value Uncooked Original Breakfast Sausage Links: Nice seasoning, but a touch too dry.
- Great Value Fully Cooked Original Frozen Pork Sausage Patties: An overly smoky flavor, uncharacteristic of breakfast sausage, overpowered this contender.
- Great Value Uncooked Original Breakfast Sausage Patties: Fell short on both juiciness and flavor.
- Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Original Breakfast Sausage Patties: A robust sage note was promising, but the mushy texture let us down.
- Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausage Links: The prominent fennel flavor was pleasant, if out of place here, but also far too dry.
- Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausage Patties: While some tasters were into these, their overt sweetness ultimately pushed them down in the rankings.
- Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Golden Brown Pork Sausage Links: Wonderfully juicy, but an unpleasantly bold smoke flavor.
- Smithfield Hometown Original Fully Cooked Sausage Links: Over-salted with little other flavor.
- Smithfield Hometown Original Fully Cooked Sausage Patties: A bell pepper note, reminiscent of Italian sausage, wasn’t bad, but not what we want in a go-to breakfast sausage.
