15 Creative Ways to Add Freeze-dried Sausage Crumbles to Your Food Storage Pantry

The first time I tried freeze-dried sausage crumbles, it was on a homemade pizza. I rehydrated a handful in warm water, drained them, squeezed out the excess moisture, and scattered them over the top. My family couldn’t tell the difference between these and sausage I’d cooked fresh on the stovetop.

Since then, I’ve stocked up on several cans of Sausage Crumbles and gave a can as a gift to my prepper-minded nephew one year!

Why I Keep Sausage Crumbles on Hand

Convenience

The sausage is already cooked, leaving one less greasy stovetop and skillet to deal with. More than once, when I didn’t have much of a dinner planned, I opened a can of Sausage Crumbles and was halfway to dinnertime — just rehydrate a cup or so and add to scrambled eggs for simple breakfast tacos, without any pre-cooking.

Shelf life and preparedness

Unopened, crumbles have a shelf-life of 25 years, making them a valuable addition when building your food storage pantry. They’re also lightweight, taking up minimal space in your pantry or emergency kit, while providing a protein source for long-term situations. They’re also not taking up valuable space in your freezer.

Versatility

They have a flavor between breakfast sausage and Italian sausage, which makes them suitable for dozens and dozens of dishes. They add a savory kick to classic Italian dishes to hearty breakfast scrambles and soups. Elevate your pasta sauces, soups, and casseroles, or use them as a flavorful base for breakfast burritos and omelets.

Snacking

And it turns out they are good to eat right out of the can if you want something satisfyingly crunchy and salty! Perfect for curbing hunger pangs on the go or adding a savory taste to trail mix. Plus, in an emergency where conserving your water storage is of prime importance, this is a protein source that can be eaten without rehydrating.

Sausage Crumbles Recipe Ideas

Here are just a few ways you can put these to work in your kitchen. Be sure to rehydrate first, unless otherwise noted.

1. Add to bread or cornbread stuffing.
2. Combine with white gravy for a biscuits & gravy meal. It can be homemade, from-scratch gravy or a packet of mix.
3. Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of rehydrated Crumbles to meatloaf or meatball mixture for something more flavorful.
4. Throw a handful into any soup. The Crumbles don’t need rehydration first as long as the soup contains enough liquid. Try making a soup without a recipe following these guidelines.
5. Use as a pizza topping.
6. Add to any pasta meal — baked ziti, for example.
7. Include in a potato dish, such as potatoes au gratin or hash browns.
8. Use as a filling for omelets, mix in with scrambled eggs, or combine with eggs and cheese for a yummy breakfast burrito filling.
9. Add to corn chowder.
10. Include some Crumbles in the meat mixture filling for tacos or burritos. Here are lot of ideas for using freeze-dried food in your favorite Mexican recipes.
11. Eat right out of the can for a savory snack.
12. Add to a quiche recipe.
13. Combine with beef flavored TVP for super-low budget meat added to any and all of the previous dishes.
14. Take a Pantry Can of Sausage Crumbles on your next camping, hunting, or backpack trip for a very lightweight, ready-to-eat protein source.
15. Add a unique texture to your trail mix.

Rehydration Guide: Water Ratio and Timing by Use

Freeze-dried sausage crumbles rehydrate differently depending on what you’re making. Here’s what works for me, after using them for several years:

Use	Water Ratio	Time
Standalone (gravy, scrambles, tacos)	1 cup crumbles to 1 cup warm water	5 minutes, then drain
Soups, stews, chili	No pre-rehydration needed	Add dry; rehydrates in the cooking liquid as it simmers
Baked dishes (casseroles, quiche)	1 cup crumbles to ¾ cup warm water	5 minutes, drain and pat dry with a paper towel before mixing in
Pan-frying for extra flavor	1 cup crumbles to 1 cup warm water	5 minutes, drain well, then brown in a hot pan with a little oil

In general, baked dishes and pan-frying want the crumbles drier going in, since you’re not adding much liquid elsewhere. That’s why draining and patting dry matters more there than it does for a soup that’s swimming in broth anyway.

Expert Tips for Using Freeze-dried Sausage Crumbles

• Boost Flavor: Want a deeper sausage taste in the recipes with sausage crumbles? Briefly brown the rehydrated crumbles in a pan with a little oil before adding them to your dish. This caramelizes the edges and intensifies the savory notes. It’s an extra step but can really be worth it depending on the dish.
• Add Spice: Don’t be afraid to add a pinch of red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, or your favorite Italian seasoning to the crumbles after rehydrating for an extra flavor kick.
• Storage: Once opened, store your freeze-dried sausage crumbles in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. For extended storage, consider transferring them to a Mylar bag with an oxygen absorber to minimize spoilage. However, if you’ll use them quickly, just use them out of the container they came in. You may want to think about whether to buy them in a #10 or #2.5 food storage can size.

Breakfast Ideas Beyond Gravy

Sausage crumbles are a natural addition to breakfasts than almost any other meal. Beyond the Sausage Gravy Mix recipe below, try:

• Stirred into scrambled eggs alongside rehydrated dried onion and cheese
• Layered into a breakfast casserole with hash browns and eggs. Assemble the night before and bake in the morning
• Folded into pancake or waffle batter for a savory-sweet combination (sounds unusual, works well)
• Mixed into breakfast burrito filling with rehydrated dried peppers and cheese

Recipe: Sausage Gravy Mix

How Does Freeze-Dried Sausage Compare Nutritionally to Fresh?

Freeze-drying doesn’t change the nutrition of the sausage itself in any significant way. It’s the same cooked meat with the water removed, not a reformulated product. Per typical serving (about ¼ cup dry, roughly equivalent to 1 oz cooked):

• Calories: Comparable to fresh cooked breakfast sausage, generally in the 70-90 calorie range per serving depending on brand and fat content
• Fat: Similar per-ounce fat content to fresh, since freeze-drying removes water, not fat
• Sodium: Often runs a bit higher than home-cooked fresh sausage, since most freeze-dried products are seasoned and salted before drying for shelf stability. If you’re watching your sodium intake, check the label on your specific brand.
• Protein: Comparable per-ounce protein to fresh cooked sausage, since freeze-drying preserves protein content well

Freeze-dried sausage crumbles aren’t a “healthier” or “lighter” alternative to fresh. They’re the exact same food in a shelf-stable form. If sodium is a concern, check your specific brand’s label, since seasoning blends can vary quite a bit between Thrivalist, Mountain House, and other suppliers.

How to Tell If Freeze-Dried Sausage Has Gone Bad

I want to address this because when it comes to freeze-dried food, the assumption is that it will last forever. And it does, kind of. The 25-year shelf life of sausage crumbles assumes the package stays sealed and the oxygen absorber inside stays effective. Once it’s opened, or if a can gets punctured or the seal fails early, the clock changes. Here’s what to watch for:

• Smell: Fresh freeze-dried sausage smells faintly meaty and slightly smoky, depending on seasoning. A sour, rancid, or “off” smell means the fat has started to oxidize. Don’t use it.
• Texture: It should be crisp and dry, almost brittle. If pieces feel soft, chewy, or slightly damp, moisture has gotten in and it’s no longer shelf-stable. Use it soon or throw it out. Where there’s moisture, there might be mold, so don’t go by smell alone if the texture is also off.
• Color: Watch for any dark spots or discoloration beyond the product’s normal color, which can signal oxidation or moisture damage.
• The can itself: For #10 cans, a lid that’s bulging or no longer sits flat is a sign the seal failed and air (and potentially bacteria) got in — when in doubt, don’t taste-test it to find out.

Once opened, plan to use crumbles within several months for best quality unless you’ve repackaged them in Mylar with a fresh oxygen absorber, which can extend that window significantly.

FAQ

Related Freeze-Dried Food Content

• 8 Tips for Placing Your First Freeze-Dried Food Order
• Freeze-dried Cheese: How to Use It (Recipes & Video Demonstration)
• 22 Frugal Ways to Use Freeze-Dried Ground Beef
• The Food Storage Companies I Recommend and Why

Get your FREE freeze-dried food primer now!

Final Thoughts

Freeze-dried sausage crumbles are a game-changer for preppers and busy families alike, and a super versatile and tasty product that I recommend. They’re a shelf-stable, protein-packed ingredient that can be used in countless recipes. Learning how to use them is simple and you might be surprised at how often you reach for them. I know I was!