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[Display omitted] • Near-spherical ZnO/N-rGO nanocomposite was prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. • Systematic study of electrochemical sensing property of ns-ZnO/N-rGO for nitrite. • Sensor was used for detection of nitrite in ham sausage, pickle and tap water. • The electrochemical sensing mechanism of ns-ZnO/N-rGO for nitrite was explored. A hierarchical near-spherical ZnO (ns-ZnO)/Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) nanocomposite was synthesized via a facile hydro/solvo-thermal route. Then, a non-enzymatic nitrite electrochemical sensor (ns-ZnO/N-rGO/GCE) was obtained by modifying glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with the prepared nanocomposite. More adsorption sites and electro-catalytic active sites were provided at the electrode interface thanks to the formation of hierarchical structure, making the fabricated GCE possess a remarkable amperometric sensing property for nitrite. The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.08 μM, and the detection range was as broad as 0.037 μM–5.9 mM. Furthermore, this sensor showed satisfactory recovery for nitrite in genuine samples including ham sausage, pickle and tap water, suggesting the potential practical application performance of ns-ZnO/N-rGO/GCE in the fields of food analysis and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]