This turkey sausage is a delicious, homemade breakfast meat that is perfectly juicy and takes 6 minutes to cook! Made with just six ingredients, it’s healthy, flavorful, and perfect.

We love cooking with ground turkey.
We’ve used it in turkey meatballs, burgers, and meatloaf. Our favorite way to use it is to make homemade turkey sausage.
What is turkey sausage?
Turkey sausage can come as patties or links and is made up of ground turkey, spices, and some form of fat. It’s lower in calories than other sausages and has a milder and less meaty flavor.
While you can buy pre-packaged turkey sausage at supermarkets, making it at home is SO easy and tastes ten times better. It’s also fabulous to toss through a crustless quiche.
We make it ourselves because it’s:
- Healthy and low calorie. Turkey sausage is high in protein and low in fat and perfect to include as part of a weight loss or low-carb diet.
- Cost-effective. It’s much more affordable to make your own than spend over twice as much for the pre-made kind. You can also be confident that it has wholesome and good-for-you ingredients.
- Ready in 6 minutes. Set your timer when the sausage hits the pan. Three minutes on each side, and you are done!
- Tastier than other kinds of sausage. Compared to pork sausage, it doesn’t have the overpowering meaty flavors than can overwhelm a dish!
I love using these turkey sausage patties for making breakfast sandwiches or part of a breakfast plate. Pair it with eggs (Turkish style, over-easy, over-medium, or over-hard!) for a satisfying breakfast.
Ingredients needed
This recipe calls for just six simple ingredients that are mostly pantry staples. Here is what you’ll need:
- Ground turkey– Lean ground turkey or white ground turkey. I prefer the leaner cuts, as it keeps the calories down.
- Olive oil– Adding oil ensures the patties are juicy and moist in the middle, even when using lean meat.
- Salt and pepper– To taste.
- Dried sage– A key spice to enhance the peppery flavors.
- Garlic powder– Adds a subtle garlic flavor without needing fresh garlic.
- Brown sugar OR substitute– I like adding a touch of keto brown sugar to add a hint of sweetness- Perfect for breakfast sausage.
How to make turkey sausage
Step 1- make the mixture
Start by adding all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix together until completely combined.

Step 2- shape into patties
Next, using your hands, shape the mixture into six patties.

Step 3- fry the turkey sausage
Add oil to a non-stick skillet or pan and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the breakfast sausage patties and fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve the sausage immediately with your favorite sides.

How to cook turkey sausage in the oven
If you’d like to bake the turkey sausage instead of frying it, prepare it as instructed. Place them on a greased and lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Flavor variations
The beauty of this recipe is just how easy it is to customize. Here are some ideas:
- Spicy– Add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Smoky– Add 1/2 a teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
- Maple breakfast sausage– My favorite variation. Omit the brown sugar (or substitute) and add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before frying, so the maple flavor disperses.
- Cheddar sausage– Fold through half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover breakfast sausage can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled sausage in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to two months.
Reheating: Microwave the sausage for 30-40 seconds until hot or in a non-stick pan.

More recipes using turkey to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Compared to beef or pork sausages, turkey sausage is a healthier option. It’s lower in calories and fat, and does not have a meaty flavor.
Grocery stores and butchers all stock ground turkey, which can be used to make turkey sausage.
If you make your own turkey sausage or breakfast sausage, it is not considered processed meat, as there are no fillers, thickeners, or preservatives added.

Homemade Turkey Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar substitute
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Using your hands, form 6 patties.
- Add oil to a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add 3 patties to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Repeat the process until all the patties are cooked.
Notes
Nutrition
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Are you supposed to mix the tablespoon of oil into the ground turkey and spices or is the oil only for heating in the pan and cooking the patties
Yes mix it in- it helps make it super juicy 🙂
I was wondering if the amount of spices were going to work and they really did …the garlic powder I wasn’t sure about and it was fine. I used 2 tablespoons of Maple syrup and that was really good. I would consider using even a little more. Olive oil great idea.. great recipe!
What should the oven temperature be for baking the patties?
180C/350F.
havent made it but the recipe looks like a winner
Hi. 1tsp of salt to 1lb of turkey. Does 1patty really have 426grams of sodium, how is that possible?
Hi- That is overall sodium content, not for just one patty 🙂
This sausage was the best sausage I have tasted! Followed the basic recipe and then added the cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp as I was a wimp, and the smoked paprika and the maple syrup instead of sugar from your add-in suggestions. Basically a flavor bomb!!! So good that I had to give friends to taste. Thank you for this!
Thanks so much, Anya!