Family Favorite Sweet and Savory Strawberry Sausage Patties

5 from 1 vote

Family Favorite Sweet and Savory Strawberry Sausage Patties

These Strawberry Sausage Patties are a cozy, unexpected hug for your taste buds. I’ve always loved the way savory meats and fruit play together, but there’s something about the jammy sweetness of a strawberry meeting the earthy scent of fresh thyme that feels a bit like magic. They’re savory and grounded, but with these bright, happy pops of color and flavor. These sausage patties have quickly become a breakfast staple for my family.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

cooling time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Breakfast Recipe, brunch recipe, easy recipe, sausage recipe, snack recipe

Servings: patties

Calories: 281kcal

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Equipment

Parchment paper

baking sheet

Ingredients

2 Pounds Ground Sausage
1 Cup Strawberry Jelly or strawberry preserves
1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers crushed
1 Cup Cheese Your favorite, shredded, Cheddar or Parmesan are great choices
2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Onion Powder

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. This temperature is high enough to caramelize the sugars in the jelly without drying out the meat. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup fast.
Combine the ground sausage, strawberry jelly, crushed Ritz crackers, shredded cheese, thyme, salt, pepper, and onion powder in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together, working gently. Overmixing makes the meat tough and dense. You want the jelly and cheese distributed evenly, but you're not trying to knead bread dough here. Stop as soon as you don't see streaks of jelly.
2 Pounds Ground Sausage, 1 Cup Strawberry Jelly, 1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers, 1 Cup Cheese, 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme, 1 Teaspoon Salt, ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
Divide the mixture into equal portions, about 1/4 cup each. A kitchen scale helps if you want them all the same size, but eyeballing works fine. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten it into a patty about 1/2-inch thick. Press a small thumb indentation into the center of each patty. This prevents the patties from puffing up into little domes as they cook. The center always cooks slower than the edges, and this divot helps everything cook evenly.
If you have time, refrigerate the patties for at least 1 hour or overnight. This step is optional but recommended. Chilling lets the flavors meld and firms up the fat in the sausage, which helps the patties hold their shape better during baking. If you skip this, they'll still taste great, but they might spread a bit more.
Arrange the patties on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each one. Don't crowd them. Air needs to circulate for even browning.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through. You're looking for deeply golden edges and an internal temperature of 160 degrees on a food thermometer. The flip ensures both sides get caramelized. When you pull them out, they should have crispy, slightly sticky edges and feel firm but not rock-hard. Let them rest for a minute or two before serving so the juices redistribute.
The patties are done when they're bronzed on both sides and the jelly has created a glossy, almost shellacked surface.

Notes

For servings, it depends on the size of your patties.

2 pounds of sausage is 32 ounces.
At ¼ cup per patty, you'll get about 16 patties.
If serving 2 patties per person for breakfast, that's about 8 servings.
If serving 1 patty alongside a larger breakfast spread, that's about 16 servings.

Tips for Success

Make a small test patty first if you'd like to adjust the seasonings.
Chill the patties before baking for the best texture.
Use a thermometer to ensure they reach 160°F.

Nutrition