Looking for a tasty alternative to shop-bought breakfast sausages? This Apple and Red Onion Sausage Square is packed with flavour, made with extra lean ground meat, sweet apple, red onion, a blend of savoury herbs and seasonings, then finished with wholegrain mustard and a touch of maple syrup for the perfect balance of sweet and savoury. It's easy to make, perfect for meal prep, and slices into generous portions.
If you've ever struggled to find good quality low fat sausages that actually taste like sausage, you're definitely not alone. The ones that are lower in calories can be expensive and often lack flavour. This homemade sausage square solves both problems. It's a versatile recipe that's perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and pairs beautifully with all kinds of sides, making it a great option to have ready in the fridge for easy meals throughout the week.
Calories in Apple and Red Onion Sausage Square
This recipe serves 4 and is 265 calories per serving.
If you're looking for more recipes by calories, you'll find plenty of options grouped by calorie range here: Slimming Eats Low Calorie Recipes
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Lean Pork Mince (Ground Pork): I used lean pork mince to keep this recipe lighter while still giving you that classic sausage flavour.
- Ground Sage: This is the secret ingredient that gives homemade sausage its traditional breakfast sausage flavour. Don't skip it if you can help it.
- Paprika: Adds a gentle warmth and helps give the sausage a lovely colour.
- Onion Powder & Garlic Powder: These boost the savoury flavour throughout the sausage mixture without adding extra moisture.
- Black Pepper & Salt: Essential for seasoning and bringing all the flavours together.
- Fresh parsley: adds additional flavour and a flecks of fresh green throughout the sausage. This is optional.
- Red Onion: Softens as it cooks, adding sweetness and texture to every slice.
- Apple: A crisp eating apple works best here, adding natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with the pork and sage.
- Wholegrain Mustard: Brushed over the top before baking, it adds a delicious tangy flavour and helps create a beautifully golden finish.
- Maple Syrup: Brushed over the top with the wholegrain mustard before baking. It adds a subtle sweetness while also helping the sausage caramelize and develop a beautifully golden finish and better overall flavour. If you don't have maple syrup, honey is the best substitute, but I wouldn't recommend leaving it out altogether.
- Olive Oil Spray: Used to lightly soften the onion and apple before adding them to the sausage mixture. Any low-calorie cooking spray will work too.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions
Variations and Substitutes
This Apple and Red Onion Sausage Square is easy to customise, so don't be afraid to make it your own.
- Lean Pork Mince (Ground Pork): Lean pork gives the most authentic breakfast sausage flavour, but you can swap it for lean turkey or chicken mince if you prefer. Just bear in mind the flavour and texture will be slightly different.
- Apple: Any crisp eating apple, such as Gala, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, works well. Pear is another great option if you'd like a slightly different sweetness. Slice into thin half moons and gently press into the sausage mixture before baking. Or if you prefer a more savoury option, you can also use small cubes of par-cooked butternut squash, sweet potato or regular potato for a colourful seasonal variation.
- Red Onion: White onion or sweet onion can be used instead. Slice into thin half moons and press into the sausage mixture before baking. You can also swap it for thin slices of red, yellow or orange bell pepper, or halved cherry tomatoes for a colourful finish. Just bear in mind that some vegetables, particularly tomatoes, can release extra moisture as they bake, which may make the top of the sausage square a little wetter.
- Wholegrain Mustard: Dijon mustard makes a great substitute if you prefer a smoother glaze.
- Maple Syrup: Honey can be used in place of the maple syrup for a slightly different sweetness.
- Seasonings: Sage is the key ingredient that gives this recipe its classic breakfast sausage flavour, so I wouldn't recommend leaving it out. You can add a pinch of dried thyme or rosemary if you'd like to vary the flavour, or tuck a few fresh sage leaves or sprigs of thyme into the topping before baking for an attractive finish.
- Cheese: add some grated or small cubes of cheddar or your favourite cheese into the pork mixture for melted cheesy goodness
Tips for Cooking
This sausage square is incredibly simple to make, but a few handy tips will help ensure it's perfectly cooked every time. From pressing the mixture into the dish to allowing it to rest before slicing, these little details make all the difference to the finished texture and presentation.
- Don't overwork the mixture - Mix everything together until just combined. Overmixing can make the finished sausage square denser and firmer.
- Press the mixture in firmly - Transfer the mixture to a greased ovenproof baking dish (you can line with parchment if you prefer) and press it down evenly right into the corners. This helps it cook evenly and gives you neat slices once baked.
- Decorate before glazing - Gently press the apple and onion slices into the top of the sausage mixture before brushing over the wholegrain mustard and maple syrup glaze.
- Bake until cooked through - Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F), 180°C Fan or Gas Mark 6 for 25-30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the top is beautifully golden.
- Check the temperature - If using a meat thermometer, the centre should reach 71°C (160°F).
- Rest before slicing - Allow the sausage square to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute and makes it much easier to cut into neat squares.
- Choose the right baking dish - Use a dish that's just large enough for the mixture to be around 1½-2cm (¾ inch) thick. If spread too thinly, it can dry out before the top has a chance to caramelize.
Serving Suggestions
This Apple and Red Onion Sausage Square is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed any time of the day. Whether you're serving it for a hearty breakfast, a quick lunch or an easy family dinner, it pairs well with all kinds of delicious sides.
Our favourite way to enjoy it is with mini hash brown bites, baked beans, and sometimes a fried egg, grilled mushrooms and grilled tomatoes for the ultimate cooked breakfast. It's also delicious served with:
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes
- Scrambled, poached or fried eggs
- Toast, English muffins or bagels
- homemade chips, potato wedges or roasted baby potatoes
- A fresh mixed salad or crunchy coleslaw for a lighter meal
- Any other breakfast items you like
- Serve with some onion gravy and mashed potatoes and your favourite vegetables.
- Pair with some of the tomato and onion relish
Leftover slices are equally delicious served cold in a lunchbox or quickly reheated for a speedy meal during the week.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
To Store:
Allow the sausage square to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can keep it whole or slice it into individual portions for easy grab-and-go meals.
To Freeze:
Once cooled, slice into portions and wrap each piece individually or separate with baking parchment before placing in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat from frozen, allowing a little extra cooking time.
To Reheat:
- Microwave - Heat individual portions for 1-2 minutes, or until piping hot throughout.
- Air Fryer - Reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 4-6 minutes or until heated through and the edges are lightly crisp.
- Oven - Place in an ovenproof dish, cover loosely with foil and heat at 180°C (350°F), 160°C Fan or Gas Mark 4 for 10-15 minutes, or until piping hot throughout.
If reheating from frozen, simply add a few extra minutes to the cooking time and ensure the centre is thoroughly heated before serving.
More Breakfast Recipes
Looking for some more ideas for breakfast? Check out these:
See more Pork Recipes →
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Recipe Card
Apple and Red Onion Sausage Squares
These Apple and Red Onion Sausage Squares are perfect for meal prep and stores, freezes and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for easy breakfasts, lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 455g (1lb) of lean ground pork (pork mince)
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of ground sage
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- ¾ teaspoon of onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thinly
- 1 crisp apple, cored, halved and sliced thinly
For the top:
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F), 180°C Fan or Gas Mark 6.
- Add the lean ground pork, parsley, ground sage, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix until the seasonings are evenly distributed, being careful not to overmix.
- Lightly spray an 8-inch (20cm) square ovenproof dish with olive oil spray. Transfer the sausage mixture to the dish and press it down firmly into an even layer, making sure it reaches all the corners.
- Arrange the thinly sliced apple and red onion over the top, gently pushing the slices into the sausage mixture until they're partially submerged, spacing them evenly across the surface.
- In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup and the wholegrain mustard. Brush this mixture evenly over the top, making sure to coat the apple and onion slices. Finish with a light spray of olive oil spray.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the top is beautifully golden with lightly caramelized apple and onion.
- Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Gluten and Dairy Friendly
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly - see storing, freezing and reheating section
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 245Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 98.4mgSodium 346mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 38g
Jenna says
Really easy and delicious dinner! I did it with some roasted butternut squash and some runner beans (seem to have an abundance in the garden at the moment so they are going with pretty much everything!) I also made an onion gravy which was nice addition to give it all a bit more moisture. Will definitely make it again, the other half ate two portions he liked it so much!
Bri says
What if you don’t want to put fruit in your sausage square, as you find the sweet savoury combo really unpleasant? Options?
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
you can totally omit the apple if you prefer, check out the variations and substitutes section of the recipe post for other ideas 🙂