Move over premade sausage patties, these Turkey Sausage Patties with Apple deliver big taste with ingredients you can actually pronounce. They’re made without any added fillers, preservatives, sugar, or junk. And they’re kid-friendly, mom-approved, and budget-friendly, too. We even give you tips for freezing them and reheating from frozen so you can cook once and eat several times.
This post was originally published on August 8th, 2018. Updated on November 17th, 2020
Always read the ingredients!
Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients in store-bought breakfast meats, such as sausage patties?
If not, let’s take a look at some of the ingredients you might find in a popular store-bought brand. Ingredients include pork, water, potassium lactate, salt, spice, sugar, sodium phosphates, dextrose, monosodium glutamate, sodium diacetate, and caramel color. When really, the label SHOULD read: pork, spices, salt. Or in this case, turkey. But you get the idea.
This is a good reminder to always skip the label claims on the front of the package and go straight to the ingredients on packaged food items. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient or it looks as if it belongs in a chemistry class, it’s best to stay on the shelf where it belongs.
Better yet, stick to homemade foods like this sweet and savory turkey sausage recipe, made with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand. You’ll not only avoid those additives, but you’ll also get more bang for your grocery buck as premade sausages are considered a convenience and thus comes with a higher price tag than plain ground meat.
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Ingredients for Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties
- Ground Turkey – Ground turkey that’s a mix of both white and dark meat works best (or all dark meat). Look for packages marked 90-93% lean or add a few pounds of ground turkey to your next ButcherBox order
- Apples – Any variety will work so use what you like best or what you have on hand. You can peel them if you want to but since you’ll be dicing them pretty small it’s okay to leave the peel on and save yourself the trouble of peeling it
- Garlic powder
- Dried Italian seasoning or dried sage – You can pretty much use any seasoning here so use what you like best or what you have on hand. Don’t like fennel? Leave it out. Need a nightshade-free or AIP-friendly option? Leave out the paprika. Don’t have dried sage? Substitute dried thyme. Want it spicy? Try using hot smoked paprika or a pinch of ground white pepper or red pepper flakes
- Paprika
- Dried fennel – Fennel’s licorice-like flavor gives sausage that distinctive sausage taste but it’s optional and can be replaced with dried thyme if you’d like
- Salt and Pepper
- Cooking fat of choice – Olive oil and avocado oil are both good choices. Coconut oil will also work.
Confused about poultry labeling? Check this post out to learn all about how to choose the best chicken and turkey in the grocery store.
How to make Apple and Turkey Sausage Patties
First step: Combine ground turkey, diced apple, and spices in a medium mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly, using a wooden spoon or your hands.
Second step: Form the meat mixture into 12 small, flat patties. They will shrink up and fatten as they cook!
Third step: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add cooking oil of choice, and add patties to the pan. Be careful not to overcrowd — if your skillet gets full, it’s best to do it in two batches so you get even browning of the patties!
Fourth step: Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the middle, or about 4-5 minutes per side.
Fifth step: Remove patties to a plate lined with a paper towel, and enjoy!
Can I double the recipe and freeze these turkey sausage patties for later?
Yes, you absolutely can! We recommend freezing this breakfast sausage recipe after the patties have been cooked and cooled. That way, all you have to do is reheat and eat!
To freeze, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. When the patties are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and transfer to a zip-top bag or another freezer-safe container for storage. Sausage patties can be frozen for up to 2 months.
How to reheat turkey breakfast sausage
Microwave – Place frozen turkey patty/patties on a plate. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 60-90 seconds (time will vary depending on your microwave’s wattage) or until heated through and steaming.
Stovetop – Place a skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add 2 Tbsp. water and the frozen turkey breakfast sausage patties with apple to the skillet. Cover and cook until the water has evaporated and the patties are heated through.
Toaster Oven – Preheat toaster oven to 350℉. Place frozen turkey patty/patties on a baking sheet or tray. Add 2 Tbsp. water and cover pan tightly with foil. Place in the toaster oven and cook until heated through about 10-12 minutes.
Turkey breakfast sausage patties can also be thawed overnight in the fridge and reheated using the same methods above. They’ll take about half the time to reheat.
Looking for guidance with meal planning? Check out Real Plans, a highly customizable online meal planning service that includes over 300 of our very own recipes.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love:
- Blackberry Sage Breakfast Sausage
- Tex Mex Sweet Potato Hash
- Healthy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Sausage-Hash Brown Egg Muffins
- Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
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Turkey Sausage Patties with Apple
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 90-93% lean ground turkey (may substitute ground chicken)
- ½ cup finely minced apples (any variety will work)
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning or dried sage
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. crushed fennel (optional; crush lightly using a mortar and pestle)
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1–2 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice (such as olive oil or avocado oil)
Instructions
- Combine turkey (or chicken), diced apple, spices, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with a large spoon or your hands.
- Using wet hands, form meat mixture into 12 small patties (Thin is good because they will shrink and fatten up in the pan a bit).
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add oil/fat (about ½ Tbsp. per batch of patties, depending on the size of your pan and whether or not it’s non-stick).
- Add the patties to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them or it’s difficult to flip them and they won’t brown as well. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side until browned and no longer pink in the center.
- Remove patties to a plate lined with a paper towel and repeat with remaining oil and turkey mixture.
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days – may be frozen for longer storage.
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Notes
To Freeze: Place cooked and cooled patties in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer. When frozen, transfer to a zip-top bag or another freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
To cook from frozen, add to a small pan with few drops of water. Heat over medium-low heat covered with a lid for 5-8 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe {2 patties}
- Calories: 105
- Fat: 5 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Carbohydrate: 2 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g)
- Protein: 14 g
Dietary
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Would this be ok for a 10 month old to eat?
Hi Ashley, we hesitate to make that decision for you, as only you know what your child is ready for. But it is generally safe for a 10- to 12-month-old to start eating very small bites of soft foods like these turkey sausage patties when they are sitting on their own. We suggest that you shred the apple instead of dice it finely, to ensure those are more easily digested. In terms of allergens, this food does not contain anything you’d need a healthy 10-month-old to avoid. Personally, I fed foods like this (broken up into small bites) to my son at around the 10-month mark.
These are so much better than the premade turkey sausage. I don’t remember the fat percent of the ground turkey I used, but next time I may add one egg for a little more fat.
Thanks so much for the 5-star review, Chris!
We enjoyed this easy recipe! The seasonings were just right for us. I used 93/7% ground chicken that I had on hand.
Thank you so much, Kim! We appreciate the feedback and 5-star review!
I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe. I wasn’t sure I was going to like the apple in the sausage, but I was wrong. These are very tasty and too sweet. The blend of flavors is well done and can easily be adjusted to taste.
Great Azchele! Thanks for the 5-star review!