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Ever since I figured out how to make turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs, I’ve been dreaming of a way to modify them into breakfast sausage. It took several attempts to get the seasoning right, but boy, are these delicious. They pack 18 grams of protein and about 100 calories into 3 patties, making them the healthiest sausages I’ve ever had.
If you love maple breakfast sausage, this recipe delivers a similar flavor without added sugar. The secret ingredient is adding some baked sweet potato! While it might sound strange, this simple addition improves the flavor and texture.
While my family almost never wants baked sweet potatoes as a side dish, I often prepare one or two for the week ahead (solely to add to recipes like this one). It keeps the lean ground turkey from drying out, so the sausage has an amazing texture, with minimal fat. They are quickly becoming a weekly staple!
Healthy Turkey Sausage Ingredients
- Lean Ground Turkey. I used 93% lean turkey when testing this recipe. You can likely use a leaner variety if you prefer, but this works well without the sausage drying out as it cooks.
- Sweet Potato. This recipe assumes you are starting with a baked sweet potato, so make sure you have one in the fridge to speed things up. I usually bake one the night before I plan on making these, so it’s ready to go!
- Pantry Spices. Ground sage is the key flavor in breakfast sausage, and it’s rounded out with plenty of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I like adding a dash of cayenne pepper for a hint of spice, but you can omit it if needed. (This sausage is not particularly spicy as written.)
That’s it! The recipe is simple, yet amazingly flavorful.
How to Make Turkey Sausage Patties
Step 1:
If you plan on baking the sausage patties, preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet or two with parchment paper. I can usually fit 12 sausage patties on a half-sheet pan (18×13-inch size), so you might want to prepare a second pan if you want to cook 18 patties at once.
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, sweet potato, ground sage, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Use a fork or spatula to mix well until the spices and sweet potato are evenly distributed.
Note: To measure the sweet potato, mash the center with a fork until it’s relatively smooth. Then scoop it into your measuring cup and tightly pack it in. (This recipe is not intended for leftover mashed sweet potatoes with other seasonings, though that might work, too.)
Step 2:
To bake turkey sausage, scoop a 2-tablespoon portion onto the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining mixture, leaving about 2 inches of space between each mound. You can fit 12 mounds on an 18-by-13-inch pan, so use two pans if you want to bake all 18 sausage patties at once.
Get your hands wet and flatten each sausage mound as much as possible to form patties. Using wet hands will prevent the mixture from sticking to you!
Bake at 400ºF for 10 to 12 minutes. The sausage won’t turn golden brown with this baking method, but it will reach 165ºF in the center of each patty, as long as you’ve flattened it well. Use an instant-read thermometer to be sure.
Step 3:
If you prefer to pan-fry the sausage, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray it with oil or cooking spray.
Use the same 2-tablespoon portion for each sausage patty and flatten it between your hands. (Get them wet to help prevent sticking.) Place the sausage on the hot skillet and let it cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Usually, by the time you’ve shaped all of the patties that will fit into the pan, the first one you added will be ready to flip.
Cook until the center of the sausage reaches 165ºF. (About 5 minutes total, with flipping halfway through the cook time.) Since this recipe makes about 16 patties, you may need to cook 3 batches of 6 patties each, depending on how many will fit on your skillet.
Serving & Storage Tips
Once you’ve cooked all of the sausage patties, they are ready to serve warm. You can enjoy them on a classic breakfast plate or use them as a sandwich filling.
Leftover sausage can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Healthy Turkey Breakfast Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- ¾ cup baked sweet potato (tightly packed)
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- If you want to bake this sausage, preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can skip this step if you'd rather cook these patties in a skillet.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, sweet potato, salt, sage, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir well, until the spices and sweet potato look evenly distributed.
- Bake the Sausage: Scoop the mixture into 2-tablespoon portions onto the prepared pan, leaving about 2 inches between each ball. (I can fit 12 balls per half-sheet pan, so you can use two pans if you want to bake these all at once.) Wet your hands to prevent sticking, then flatten each ball. The sausage will shrink as it cooks, so flatten it as much as possible. Bake at 400ºF for 10-12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 165ºF in the center of each sausage. Baked sausage won't get caramelized/brown edges, but I find this method easiest and fastest.
- Pan-Fry the Sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray it with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking. Once the surface is hot, scoop a 2-tablespoon portion into your hands (get them wet to prevent sticking) and flatten them into a patty. Place the patty on the skillet, and repeat making patties and adding them to the skillet. I can fit about 6 patties at a time, so you'll need to work in 3 batches. Flip the sausage after 2-3 minutes and cook the other side until the center reaches 165ºF. (About 5 minutes total.) Repeat until you've cooked all of the sausage patties.
- Once the sausage is cooked, it's ready to serve warm right away. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this turkey sausage recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
