Turkey Sausage

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

• Air fryer turkey breast
• Turkey bacon
• Zucchini boats
• Crustless pizza

Frequently Asked Questions