Turkey Breakfast Sausage

There's something about the sizzle of homemade sausage patties hitting a hot skillet that makes a morning feel intentional. I discovered these turkey sausages by accident one weekend when I wanted something heartier than plain scrambled eggs but didn't want the heaviness of pork. A friend mentioned she'd been making her own to control the salt, and that single conversation changed how I approached breakfast. Now I can't imagine going back to store-bought.

I made these for my sister's family one holiday morning, and her teenage son—who eats like he's got a separate stomach just for breakfast—had three patties and asked for the recipe. That moment of someone wanting to recreate something you made is when cooking stops being a chore and becomes something worth doing.

Ingredients

• Ground turkey (500 g / 1 lb, preferably 93% lean): The backbone of this—leaner cuts mean fewer calories and less grease pooling in the pan, but don't go too lean or they'll taste like gym food.
• Garlic clove (1 small, finely minced): Just one, because turkey is delicate and too much aromatics will overpower it; the size of your mince matters.
• Fresh parsley (2 tbsp finely chopped): Adds brightness and a whisper of herbaceous flavor that makes people ask what you did differently.
• Kosher salt (1 tsp): Don't skip the kosher part—the crystals are bigger and distribute more evenly than table salt.
• Ground black pepper (½ tsp): Freshly ground makes all the difference in a recipe this simple.
• Dried sage (1 tsp): The signature spice here; it's what makes breakfast sausage taste like breakfast sausage.
• Dried thyme (½ tsp): Works with sage to build depth without heaviness.
• Smoked paprika (½ tsp): Adds a whisper of smoke and a touch of color that makes them look more appealing than they'd be without it.
• Crushed red pepper flakes (¼ tsp, optional): For people who wake up and want a little fire—it's optional but transforms these from mild-mannered to memorable.
• Olive oil (1 tbsp plus extra for cooking): Keeps them tender; the little bit mixed in prevents them from drying during cooking.
• Maple syrup or brown sugar (½ tsp, optional): A touch of sweetness balances the herbs and salt in a way that doesn't taste sugary.

Instructions

Combine everything in one bowl:

Add the turkey, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and maple syrup to a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands—this is important—until just barely combined, which takes about a minute; overmixing toughens them the way it does with ground beef burgers.

Shape into patties:

Divide the mixture into 8 portions and press each into a flat patty about 2.5 inches wide and about a half-inch thick. Your hands work better than utensils here; wet your hands slightly so the mixture doesn't stick.

Heat the skillet:

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a light coating of olive oil; you'll know it's ready when it shimmers and a tiny piece of parsley sizzles immediately on contact.

Cook the patties:

Place patties in the hot skillet without crowding (work in two batches if your pan is small), and listen for that satisfying sizzle. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 4 to 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) and there's no pink inside.

Rest and serve:

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, which keeps them from being greasy but still lets them stay warm. Serve immediately while they're at their best.

Épingler

The morning I realized I'd made enough to freeze three batches, my kitchen smelled like sage and thyme instead of coffee and eggs. That smell, somehow both comforting and energizing, made me understand why people talk about homemade food the way they do.

Storage and Make-Ahead Magic

These patties are built for the realistic life where you don't always have time to cook breakfast from scratch. Cooked patties keep in the refrigerator for four days in an airtight container, and reheating in a skillet for a minute on each side brings them right back to that fresh-cooked texture. For freezing, lay raw patties on a sheet pan, freeze for two hours until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to three months—you can cook them straight from frozen, just add an extra minute per side. This strategy turned my Sunday prep into weekday confidence.

Customizing for Your Taste

These patties are forgiving enough to bend toward your preferences without losing their character. Some mornings I'll add a small pinch of fennel seeds for something closer to Italian sausage, other times a tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce for deeper umami. The sweetness of the maple syrup is subtle—if you like breakfast sausage on the sweeter side, bump it to 1 teaspoon, but remember that more isn't always better; there's elegance in restraint.

Breakfast Ideas Beyond the Plate

These patties are more versatile than their simple appearance suggests. I've crumbled them into scrambled eggs with a handful of sharp cheddar, layered them into breakfast sandwiches with avocado and everything bagel seasoning, and even chopped them up to scatter over Greek yogurt with berries when I wanted something that felt more substantial than granola. They're the kind of component that makes breakfast feel like you're treating yourself rather than just fueling up.

• Pair them with roasted root vegetables and a fried egg for a breakfast bowl that actually holds you until lunch.
• Crumble them while warm and toss into scrambled eggs or omelets for instant protein.
• Make ahead and reheat gently in a low oven to serve at a brunch without sweating through your shirt.

Épingler

Making breakfast sausage at home feels like a small luxury until you realize it's simpler than most recipes you'll ever make. After that, it becomes a staple that pays back your effort many times over.

Questions fréquentes sur la recette

→ Quels épices sont utilisées pour assaisonner ces galettes ?

Le mélange comprend de la sauge séchée, du thym, du paprika fumé, du poivre noir et une touche de piment rouge pour un léger piquant optionnel.

→ Peut-on préparer les galettes à l'avance ?

Oui, elles peuvent être préparées la veille et conservées au réfrigérateur ou congelées jusqu'à 3 mois pour une utilisation ultérieure.

→ Quel est le temps total de cuisson ?

Chaque galette cuit environ 4 à 5 minutes par côté, avec un temps total d'environ 12 minutes pour l'ensemble.

→ Ces galettes conviennent-elles à un régime sans gluten ?

Oui, elles sont naturellement sans gluten, adaptées aux régimes sensibles.

→ Avec quoi peut-on accompagner ces galettes ?

Elles sont délicieuses servies avec des œufs, des toasts ou intégrées dans des sandwichs pour un petit-déjeuner complet.