Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties made with ground turkey (or ground meat of your choice), spices, and herbs, like sage, thyme, and fennel, a high protein breakfast that’s great for meal prep.
Healthy Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Making savory breakfast sausage patties from scratch is easy, and bonus: no processed ingredients! I made these for breakfast with cottage cheese scrambled eggs but they’d also be delicious with any breakfast For more homemade sausage recipes, try my Italian Turkey Sausage and Ground Turkey Chorizo.
Why This Works
I love these healthy homemade breakfast sausage patties. They’re perfect to make ahead and a great source of protein. Plus, making them from scratch means you know what’s in them!
If you make this recipe for breakfast sausage, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
Breakfast Sausage Ingredients
I use a variety of spices for sausage to give it a complex flavor that tastes even better than anything you’d find at the supermarket. The recipe card below contains the exact measurements.
- Aromatics: Minced onion and garlic
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper
- Paprika: I use sweet, but you could use smoked paprika for a smokier flavor.
- Nutmeg for a warm, slightly nutty note
- Cayenne Pepper for a subtle kick of heat
- Herbs: Fennel seeds, thyme, and sage give breakfast sausage its distinct taste.
- Meat: You can use any ground meat, like lean ground turkey, chicken, bison, or pork.
- Red Wine Vinegar adds acidity and complexity.
- Sugar: A pinch of raw sugar provides a little sweetness.
How to Make Breakfast Sausage
I soften the onion and garlic and then toast the fennel seeds to add a depth of flavor you wouldn’t get by keeping them raw. This quick extra step is definitely worth it. Scroll to the bottom for the printable instructions.
- Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium- low heat.
- Toast the Fennel Seeds: After 5 minutes, add the fennel and cook for a minute.
- Mix Everything Together: Combine the ground turkey, vinegar, thyme, sage, paprika, sugar, and nutmeg in a large bowl with the onion mixture. Form the mixture into patties and place on parchment paper.
- Cook the Breakfast Sausage in a skillet on medium-low heat for 3 minutes on each side. Once they have a brown crust, reduce the heat to low and cover, continuing to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Variations
- Onions: Replace the onion with shallots.
- Herbs: Swap the thyme or sage with another herb, like chives, rosemary, or oregano.
- Fennel Seeds have a licorice flavor that not everyone enjoys. If you’re not a fan, omit them or substitute caraway seeds.
- Vinegar: Use white wine or apple cider vinegar.
- Sugar: For keto, substitute monk fruit, and for paleo, use maple syrup or honey. You can also skip it altogether.
- Cheese: Add shredded cheddar or mozzarella.
- Vegetables: Mix in diced, roasted red peppers.
What to Serve with Breakfast Sausage
- High-Protein Breakfast: Add the meat to an omelet or serve alongside scrambled eggs for a protein-packed start to your day.
- Breakfast Classics: I love to pair pancakes, waffles, and muffins with breakfast sausage for extra protein.
- Sausage Biscuit: Slice a biscuit like these cheddar biscuits (or English muffin) in half and top with a sausage patty and egg.
- Breakfast Casserole: Instead of shaping the meat into patties, brown it in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks, and add it to any egg casserole that calls for sausage.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Meal Prep: Form the patties and refrigerate overnight before cooking them.
- Fridge: Once cooked, refrigerate in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
- Freezer: To freeze cooked sausage, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, transfer to the refrigerator overnight, then warm in the microwave or air fryer. Or microwave them frozen for a little longer.
More High-Protein Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 patties
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 large garlic clove, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey, our ground pork, bison, chicken
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, or smoked paprika for a smokier flavor
- pinch sugar
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for spice
- olive oil spray
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Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium low heat and add the oil, onions, 1/8 teaspoon salt and garlic and stir frequently, about 4-5 minutes, until onion is translucent. Lower heat, if needed, to avoid browning too quickly.
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Once onion is softened, add fennel and toss quickly until fragrant and toasted, about 1 minute. Remove mixture to a medium bowl to cool slightly.
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In a large bowl add the ground turkey or ground meat of your choice, red wine vinegar, thyme, sage, remaining salt, paprika, sugar and nutmeg to a large bowl with cooked onions, garlic and fennel and mix together with a fork until all ingredients are well-distributed.
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Form mixture into 8 even patties and lay on parchment or wax paper while working. If you want to make these for another day, they can be refrigerated or frozen.
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Spray a non-stick skillet with oil and set over medium-low heat. Once hot, brown turkey patties, in two batches, 3 minutes on each side.
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Once you have achieved a nice browned crust on each side, reduce heat to low and cover. Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 165F.
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Remove from heat and repeat with second batch.
Last Step:
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Serving: 2 patties, Calories: 198 kcal, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 84 mg, Sodium: 290.5 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g
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