Italian cuisine is globally famous for its uniqueness and the incredibly high quality of its ingredients. While popular jokes often say nobody wants to know what is in a sausage, the Italian variants are worth the effort. Most of them are made of pork, though beef and even vegan options exist, but in any case, they use a wide variety of seasonings, such as pepper, garlic, fennel, and herbs.

In fact, the famous “salsiccias” are so good that they’re often used out of their original context in recipes with ground Italian sausage meat. Here are some tasty tips on how to cook with ground Italian sausage.

Sausage Affairs

When it comes to Italian cuisine, most people remember endless varieties of pasta and sauces and even vegan-friendly options like arancini. Meanwhile, recipes using Italian sausage meat are often overlooked. Worse still, many people think that pepperoni is a legit Italian sausage when, in fact, it’s an American recipe from the early 20th century mimicking the “salami piccante,” or spicy salami.

Recipes with ground Italian sausage meat can make perfect dinner dishes, like spaghetti meat sauce with Italian sausage. Alternatively, they can be used in hearty broths with cheese tortellini and leaves like spinach, easily cooked in one pot on a regular weeknight. Indeed, there are many recipes for ground Italian sausage meat, but since there are so many varieties, it’s important to know what the most common types are made of.

After all, “Italian sausage” is a vague way to call pork-based seasoned salsiccias that doesn’t come close to describing the wide range of ingredients that can be involved.

Trapani

Trapani is one of many types of Calabrian salsiccias, though it stands out for its seasonings, ranging from wild fennel to chili peppers and white wine. The curating process takes only two weeks, and it can be used in recipes with ground Italian sausage meat or eaten raw. It’s also a popular option for spaghetti meat sauce with Italian sausage.

Luganega

The traditional salsiccia from Lucania, in the southern region, dates to ancient Roman times. The oldest references go back over 2,000 years when a Roman historian described “gut casings stuffed with minced beef, which soldiers learned how to prepare with the people of Lucania.” Spices include anise, wild fennel, and chili pepper.

Mazzafegato

Mazzafegato isn’t commonly used in recipes using Italian sausage meat around the world, and it’s not for the lily-livered either. This Abrusian specialty is made of pork liver, lungs, heart, and cheeks, spiced with orange peel, bay leaves, garlic, and pepper. Anyway, it’s a must-try for sausage lovers.

Cervellata in Toritto 

Not all recipes for ground Italian sausage meat need to be pork-based. Bari’s classic “cervellata in toritto” uses 70% of beef and only 30% of pork in its composition. This salsiccia is remarkable for its seasonings, which include grated pecorino, garlic, and fresh basil. The “zampina barese” uses similar ingredients but usually adds parsley, basil, and tomato pureé.