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Italian turkey sausage is one of the easiest proteins to cook. This version uses ground turkey and pantry spices like dried oregano and fennel. It cooks in a skillet in 10 minutes and is easy to customize!
Use this in healthy spaghetti, healthy lasagna, or dairy-free egg bites for an easy and delicious protein boost.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s as easy as possible. If you’re new here, you should probably know that I’m a lazy cook. If I can cut a step out without sacrificing flavor, I’ll do it. Hence, no casings required.
- It’s allergy-friendly. This turkey sausage is gluten-free and dairy-free.
- It’s fast. You can start cooking the ground turkey right away, then measure the seasonings while it browns. It only requires pantry spices, so it’s ready to use in about 10 minutes.
- It’s well-tested. I’ve become somewhat of a sausage expert since making turkey sausage patties and chicken breakfast sausage, but I wanted this one to truly taste like classic Italian sausage, so I tested it for months on my family before sharing it here.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground Turkey. I used 93% lean turkey when testing this, so I recommend using the same. (Leaner turkey might turn out drier.)
- Basic Pantry Spices. You probably have these already, like garlic powder, dried basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Plus a little cayenne pepper for a hint of spice.
- Fennel Seeds. This is key to classic Italian sausage, but it tastes like black licorice, so it’s not everyone’s favorite. If you’re nervous about this one, start with half the amount called for.
How to Make Italian Turkey Sausage (Step by Step)
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the pan is hot, add 1 pound ground turkey and break it up with a sturdy spatula. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- While the turkey browns, add 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds to a cutting board and mince or crush them with a knife. This helps distribute the flavor.
- Once the turkey is almost cooked, add 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil, plus 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and black pepper. Add the minced fennel and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Continue stirring and cooking until the turkey is fully browned and the spices smell fragrant. Season with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then it’s ready to use.
How to Use Ground Turkey Sausage
- Serve it with your favorite sauce and pasta for a fast dinner. I think it pairs especially well with pumpkin pasta sauce for a Fall dinner idea.
- Use it as a meat crumble for healthy lasagna.
- Add it to dairy-free egg bites for extra flavor and protein.
- Use it as a topping for a pizza salad or Italian salad.
- Add it to an onion gorgonzola pizza.
Basically, you can use it anywhere you’d use sausage!
Italian Turkey Sausage Recipe FAQs
What spices are used in Italian turkey sausage?
The key flavor in Italian sausage is fennel seeds, but it usually also contains oregano, basil, and garlic. For more of a Thanksgiving vibe, you can replace the fennel seeds with an equal amount of ground sage. (Sage is usually in breakfast sausage.)
Is turkey sausage healthier than regular sausage?
This homemade Italian turkey sausage has no preservatives or added sugar, and turkey is usually leaner than beef and pork, so I prefer this option. You can also control the sodium simply by using less salt.
How long can you store cooked turkey?
After cooking, you can store turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Use this Turkey Sausage In…
If you try this Italian turkey sausage recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐ star rating below to let me know how you like it. Thanks for visiting!
Italian Turkey Sausage (in 10 minutes!)
Have you ever wished you could add sausage to a recipe without added preservatives or mystery ingredients? That's why I've spent the past 6 months testing this Italian turkey sausage recipe. It's made with ground turkey and pantry spices, cooks in just 10 minutes, and packs 21 grams of protein per serving.
prep1 min cook9 mins total10 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (93% lean)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the surface is hot, add the ground turkey and season with ¾ teaspoon of salt. Use a sturdy spatula to start breaking up the meat into smaller pieces, stirring often.
- While you wait for the turkey to cook, mince the fennel seeds with a sharp knife. The smaller you chop them, the more evenly distributed the flavor will be.
- When the turkey is almost browned, you can start adding the spices. Add the minced fennel, dried oregano, basil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir well, until the turkey is no longer pink and the spices smell fragrant.
- Once the turkey is fully cooked, season with additional salt to taste. (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon, but you may prefer more or less.) It's ready to use right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition information is for 1/4 of the batch, or approximately 4 ounces of ground turkey. This is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee.
Seasoning Notes: For a smoky flavor, add up to 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. If you’re not a big fan of black licorice, you can use only 1/4 teaspoon of fennel seeds for a milder flavor. I’ve also tested this with ground sage, and it’s delicious with that, too! Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 515mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
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