This turkey sausage recipe uses just 6 ingredients and cooks in less than 10 minutes. It’s juicy, healthy, and flavorful and works well as a breakfast sausage.
We love cooking with turkey. It’s lean, packed with protein, and contains barely any saturated fat.
One of my favorite ways to use it is to make turkey breakfast sausage. Table of Contents
Turkey sausage is a tasty, versatile meat that can be used in everything from breakfast tacos to hearty pasta sauces. But like any sausage, it needs the right blend of seasonings to truly shine. Under-seasoned turkey sausage tastes bland, while overdoing the spices can make it too hot or overwhelming. With the proper seasoning technique, you can bring out the best in turkey sausage and make it a star player in your dishes.
After reviewing popular turkey sausage recipes from top food blogs like Southern Home Express and Emily Bites, I’ve broken down the process into an easy, foolproof method. Follow these tips on how to season turkey sausage, and you’ll have delicious results every time.
Start with Quality Turkey Sausage
The flavor of any sausage starts with the meat itself. Look for high quality fresh ground turkey meat without a lot of excess fat or connective tissue. Both white and dark turkey meat can work well so choose whatever fits your recipe or preference. Organic, free range, or heritage birds offer more natural flavor.
Check the ingredients list and select turkey sausage without a lot of fillers, artificial flavors or MSG The shorter the list, the purer the taste will be Italian-style seasoned or plain unseasoned varieties provide the best blank canvas to layer on your own spices.
Choose Complementary Seasonings
Turkey sausage takes well to both sweet and savory seasonings. Build layers of flavor with ingredients like:
- Aromatics: Onion powder, garlic powder, fresh onions, shallots, chives
- Herbs and spices: Oregano, basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, fennel seed, red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper: For background flavor
- Sweetness: Brown sugar, maple syrup, honey
- Savoriness: Chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce
Think about how these seasonings will complement the recipe you want to use the sausage in. Italian-inspired flavors like oregano and fennel pair well with tomato sauces and pizza. Breakfast dishes love sweet and savory mixes of brown sugar, sage and pepper.
Tailor the intensity to your taste – start with smaller amounts and increase spices until the flavors pop. Avoid going overboard with salty seasonings like garlic and onion powder, which can overpower the other flavors.
Evenly Distribute Seasonings
To get consistent flavor in every bite, the seasonings need even contact and penetration into the meat.
For bulk sausage, combine loose ground turkey and spices in a large bowl. Use clean hands to thoroughly mix and incorporate seasonings into the meat.
For sausage links and patties, mix seasonings into the meat before forming and cooking. Or sprinkle seasonings directly onto formed raw sausage to allow flavors to seep in while cooking.
Marinading turkey sausage in liquid seasoned with herbs, salt and acid can also infuse flavor.
Allow Time for Flavors to Develop
Patience yields the most flavor payoff when seasoning turkey sausage.
Give bulk seasoned meat or formed raw patties/links at least 30 minutes at room temperature for spices to absorb before cooking. Overnight in the fridge is even better.
For marinades, soak sausage for 2 to 24 hours for the deepest flavor penetration.
If cooking sausage from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight so seasonings have time to blend in during the thawing process.
Cook and Finish Properly
To get the ideal texture and maximize flavor:
- Cook turkey sausage to an internal temperature of 165°F to ensure it’s fully cooked through.
- Pan fry in a bit of oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides.
- Grill or broil turning frequently to prevent burning.
- Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan at 375°F until cooked through.
Let sausage rest 5 minutes after cooking before serving. Finish with extra fresh herbs, a drizzle of oil or sauce to incorporate those last flavor layers.
Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cooked seasoned turkey sausage keeps well for 3 to 4 days refrigerated and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container.
To reheat, place in a skillet with a bit of oil or liquid over medium-low. Cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes for patties or links.
Microwaving is convenient but can result in drier, rubbery texture. Cover with a damp paper towel and use short bursts of 30 to 60 seconds at half power.
Creative Flavor Combinations
Now that you know how to season turkey sausage properly, it’s time for the fun part – picking those flavors!
Here are some of my favorite seasoning blends to inspire your cooking:
Italian Style
Basil, oregano, garlic, fennel seed, red pepper flakes, parsley
Breakfast Sausage
Sage, thyme, salt, brown sugar, cayenne
French Style
Thyme, shallots, Dijon mustard, brandy
Mexican Chorizo
Cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic, onion
Thai Curry
Green curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro
Greek
Lemon zest, oregano, parsley, mint
The possibilities are endless when you learn how to maximize turkey sausage’s potential. With quality meat, balanced spices and proper cooking, you can make this versatile ingredient shine. Use these seasoning secrets to add hearty, flavorful sausage to your breakfast, lunch, dinner or appetizer spread.
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 (usually olive oil). Like chicken sausage, 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. Here are some reasons why I LOVE this recipe:
- Healthy and low calorie. Turkey sausage is high in protein and low in fat and perfect to include as part of an everyday diet. I like to make my family homemade sausage McMuffins with them!
- Cost-effective. It’s much more affordable to make your own than to spend over twice as much for the pre-made kind. You also skip out on all the additives and thickeners the store-bought brands use.
- 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 that 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.
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 extra lean ground turkey. I don’t recommend the higher-fat cuts because the sausage ends up being soggy and greasy.
- Olive oil– Adding oil ensures the patties are juicy and moist in the middle, even when using lean meat.
- Kosher salt and black pepper– To taste.
- Dried sage– A key spice to enhance the peppery flavors. It’s also the secret ingredient used in McDonald’s sausage!
- Garlic powder– Adds a subtle garlic flavor without needing fresh garlic.
- Brown sugar OR maple syrup– Adding a touch of either of these sweeteners balances out the savory and salty flavors. Trust me, it makes all the difference.
How to make turkey sausage
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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 large 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 Make Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage
FAQ
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