9 Store-Bought Breakfast Sausages, Ranked

We all want to get our days off to a good start, and having a hearty breakfast is a great way to do so. Incorporating some sausage into your diet first thing in the morning is a great way to bulk up your meal and get a bit more flavor into your day. Whether you prefer a meatless breakfast sausage that's suitable for a vegan diet, chicken sausage for a lighter breakfast, or rich, juicy pork sausage — in link or patty form — this is a great way to get your day started with some extra flavor and protein.

That's why I tasted my way through nine different store-bought breakfast sausages to help you get a better sense of which brands are worth checking out and which may not be worth the cash. For this ranking, I evaluated flavor, texture, and juiciness, with the best-tasting and juiciest sausages taking the top spots, while blander, drier options ranked in the lower half of the list. Of course, this ranking is subjective, but hopefully, by understanding what different brands and varieties of sausage offer, you'll have a better idea of which varieties you want to try the next time you visit the grocery store.

I absolutely love seeing more vegan options popping up at grocery stores, since that means those who prefer not to eat meat (or want to eat less of it) have a variety of options to choose from. However, not all of those options are particularly good, which is exactly the case when it comes to Beyond Meat's Breakfast Sausage Plant-Based Patties. I really wanted to like these, but both the flavor and texture were so off. Yes, there was a savory, distinctly pork sausage-like flavor, but overall, it was kind of bland. More than anything, I tasted a lot of salt with not a lot else to make me want to take another bite.

But the texture was the biggest problem here. This sausage is juicy, but not in a good way. It comes out wet and rubbery, with a texture that's far too soft to resemble meat sausage. Luckily, there are better plant-based meat substitutes and breakfast sausage options to choose from, so you don't have to settle for this less-than-delicious variety.

Go to the frozen section of your local grocery store, and chances are, you'll encounter some Banquet products there. You might notice that they're available for a very reasonable price point ... in fact, sometimes, it seems a bit too reasonable compared to other products on the market. That's probably because a lot of Banquet's products don't taste high-quality, which is the case when it comes to the brand's Brown 'N Serve Original Sausage Patties.

Flavor-wise, they're actually not bad at all. They taste like rich, salty pork, with a slightly spiced quality that keeps them from being too boring. Texture-wise, though, they tend toward the rubbery end of the spectrum. And although they have a subtle juiciness, you lose that moisture if you overcook them for even a minute. Plus, their tiny size means that they don't fit very well on breakfast sandwiches — you're going to have to eat half the package to get your fill of meat. There are better sausage brands to try out there.

When a lot of people think of breakfast sausage, pork is the first kind of meat that comes to mind. But not everyone wants to start their day with such a heavy, salty kind of meat, which is why chicken sausage can be such a great option. It still has that juiciness and richness you want from a good sausage, but it's a lot lighter and less fatty, which is ideal for those who are looking for a healthier breakfast option. Enter Trader Joe's Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties. These thin patties are ideal for including in a breakfast sandwich or eating on their own for a protein-packed breakfast.

Overall, I like the texture of this sausage, but because they're so thin, they're really easy to overcook. If you do overcook them, they tend to dry out, so make sure you keep a close eye on the cook time. The flavor is okay, with a subtlety that most people aren't going to find off-putting, but they're not nearly as flavorful as some of the other types of sausage on this list.

Sweet and salty food tastes so good (also known as "swalty"), so if you're a fan, this one is for you. It's Applegate Naturals Chicken and Maple Breakfast Sausages, and it's a product that offers a much more interesting and unique flavor profile than you'll find from most types of sausage. I saw some other maple-flavored sausages on store shelves, but they were essentially all pork-based. That makes this product a good option for those who don't want to eat pork but who still crave that salty-sweet flavor profile that makes you think of sausage and pancakes.

This sausage is juicy, with a lovely, bouncy texture, but it's unfortunately not nearly as juicy as most of the pork-based sausages on this list, which is one of the main reasons it doesn't rank higher. Additionally, the most intense flavor I picked up on in the sausage is that sweet maple itself — the meat didn't seem all that flavorful. If you're in the market for savory and sweet chicken sausages, this is a product worth checking out. Otherwise, you might want to hold out for a better option further down this list.

Sometimes, you might want a standard sausage that can be relied on to get the job done for a simple, hearty breakfast. That's where Jones All Natural Golden Brown Pork Sausage Patties come into play. When you think of a pork sausage patty, this is probably what first comes to mind. It's quite thin, but still manages to be quite juicy. Their flavor is quite rich, but I mostly picked up on the taste of the pork itself as opposed to other, more complex spices.

I don't think this sausage is particularly interesting or groundbreaking, but let's be honest — that's not what most people are looking for in a frozen breakfast sausage anyway. If you're looking for a standard, salty, juicy patty that will get the job done (and doesn't require you to cook sausage from scratch), then these pork patties should be on your must-try list. Opt for the fully cooked version instead of raw if you don't want to have to deal with making sure they're cooked through.

Beyond Meat's breakfast sausages aren't exactly what I'm looking for when I'm craving a meat-free breakfast, but luckily, Trader Joe's has us covered when it comes to the meatless breakfast options. The popular chain's Meatless Breakfast Sausage Patties are actually shockingly good for a meatless patty. Sometimes, faux meat can be dry and rubbery, but that's definitely not what you get here. Instead, I found that this meatless Trader Joe's sausage was quite juicy, with an oiliness I don't think I've ever encountered in a meatless product before. The edges crisp up nicely, offering a lovely textural contrast that instantly makes these sausages more appealing.

Flavor-wise, they're also a win. Do they taste just like a meat-based sausage? No. But they're so well-seasoned, you might not even miss that meaty flavor anyway. Think fennel, garlic, and onion flavoring, all coming together in the ideal textural package. I think these are worth trying for a lighter breakfast, even if you're not vegan or vegetarian.

I'll be honest: I didn't really want to like Jimmy Dean's Original Pork Sausage Links. The "caramel color added" disclosure on the front of the package already had me feeling suspicious when I opened the package. However, I have to admit that, artificial colors aside, these sausage links are actually pretty delicious. They're incredibly juicy — so juicy, in fact, that you'll definitely want to have a napkin on hand in case you experience as much dripping as I did in my first bite. Those juices are deeply flavorful, both with a succulent saltiness to them as well as a peppery complexity I didn't experience in any of the other frozen sausage brands on this list.

These sausages shine on the texture front as well. They have a distinct, bouncy texture that offers the subtlest snap when you bite into a link. They're relatively soft, but they also have a chewiness that keeps things interesting. If you're not going to buy fresh sausages and cook them yourself from scratch, this might be your best pork-based option.

Now, we're finally getting to the really good stuff. Sure, frozen sausages might be a good option when you're busy and you need to get breakfast in your stomach fast, but they don't hit quite the same way as freshly cooked sausage does. If you're more of a patty person, then it may be worth trying Bob Evans Original Pork Sausage Patties. These are not fussy sausages — rather, they offer a standard (but delicious) flavor profile that you can use in a wide range of recipes, whether you're cooking up some sausage patties to enjoy on their own or you plan on incorporating them into a specific dish. Keep them as patties, or break them down for more of a mixable sausage situation.

These sausages rank above so many of the others on this list because they simply taste fresher than the frozen versions. You can taste a bold, peppery flavor here, along with a rich meatiness that feels substantial when you take a bite. Plus, the thick cut of this sausage yields a pleasant texture that's crisp on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. What's not to love?

When you're planning an especially indulgent breakfast, perhaps on a weekend or a holiday, you want to make sure you're getting high-quality sausage that offers both the ideal flavor and texture. That's what you're going to get when you choose Johnsonville's Vermont Maple Syrup Breakfast Sausage links. First of all, the meat quality in these sausages is solid. It tastes like real, juicy, fatty pork, with a complex, caramelized touch that comes from that maple syrup flavoring. The sweetness isn't overpowering, but it's strong enough that it can compete with the intense saltiness in the sausages.

Texture, though, is where this sausage truly shines. The exterior crisps up nicely and offers that irresistible snap you can only get from fresh sausage. The inside of the link, though, stays juicy, with that slight bounciness you'd expect from sausage that came from an actual butcher. For those who love that salty-sweet note in their first meal of the day, these sausages should absolutely be your go-to.

I chose these breakfast sausage brands and varieties based on availability at two local grocery stores in my area. I microwaved all of the frozen sausages and pan-fried the two fresh versions for relative consistency. The criteria I considered for this ranking include flavor (fresher, richer, and more flavorful sausages won), texture (where bounciness and a crisp exterior reigned), and juiciness (in which juicier varieties were prized). The highest-ranked sausages had interesting, layered textures, bold, fresh flavors, and enough juiciness to prevent dryness.