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I can’t wait for you to try these homemade turkey sausage patties with apple! They’re so easy to make and have so much flavor. The grated apple helps keep the turkey juicy while adding just a hint of sweetness, and the sage, fennel, thyme, garlic, and onion give them that classic sausage flavor.
I love serving these with cottage cheese scrambled eggs, muffin pan egg bites, or sheet pan protein pancakes for an easy, high-protein breakfast. They’re also delicious tucked into a breakfast sandwich or served alongside air-fried diced potatoes when I want something a little more filling.
These turkey apple sausage patties are fantastic for meal prep, too! You can easily double the recipe and freeze some for later, so you always have a homemade breakfast ready to go during the week. It’s one of those simple recipes I love having on hand!
Quick Look: Turkey Sausage Patties with Apple
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🍽 Calories: ~75 kcal per serving
- 👥 Servings: 8 patties
- 💙 WW: 0 points per serving
- 🥣 Key Ingredients: Ground turkey, apple, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sage, fennel seeds
- 👩🍳 Cook Method: Skillet
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Lighter: These homemade turkey sausage patties are a lighter alternative to store-bought breakfast sausage and are made with simple ingredients.
- Apple Flavor: The grated apple adds delicious flavor and helps keep the turkey sausage patties juicy.
- Protein-Packed Breakfast: They are perfect for a protein-packed breakfast and pair well with eggs or breakfast potatoes.
- Great for Meal Prep: You can make a batch ahead of time and store them in the fridge or freezer for later.
- Quick and Easy: These turkey sausage patties are super easy to make and ready in about 20 minutes!
Key Ingredients
- Ground Turkey: I’ve made these patties many times using both ground turkey breast and lean ground turkey. I personally prefer ground turkey breast because I love the leaner texture, but either works well in this recipe. Use whichever you prefer or have on hand.
- Apple: Freshly grated apple adds flavor and keeps the patties juicy.
- Seasonings & Herbs: Garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried sage, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper give these patties that delicious classic sausage flavor.
Find the measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Apple to Use: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples work especially well because they add both sweetness and a little tartness. Fuji or Gala would also work.
- Ground Chicken: You can swap the ground turkey for lean ground chicken or ground chicken breast if desired.
- Fennel: I recommend not skipping the fennel because it gives these patties that classic sausage flavor. Lightly crushing the fennel seeds helps distribute the flavor throughout the patties. If you don’t have fennel seeds, you can use ¼ teaspoon ground fennel instead. If you don’t have fennel, you can use ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. It won’t be the same, but it will give them a good flavor
- Spice Level: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- Maple Flavor: Add a small drizzle of maple syrup for a touch of sweetness that pairs nicely with the apple and sage.
- Fresh Herbs: You can use fresh sage and thyme in place of dried.
How to Make Turkey Sausage Patties with Apple
- Peel the apple and finely grate it. If you prefer smaller pieces of apple throughout the sausage patties, give the grated apple a quick rough chop.
- Add the ground turkey, grated apple, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sage, lightly crushed fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to a large bowl. Gently mix until everything is combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can make the patties dense.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a sheet pan to gently press down to form the patties. This makes it easy to get evenly-sized patties!
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly spray it with olive oil. Add the patties in a single layer and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve them warm with your favorite breakfast sides or let them cool completely before storing for meal prep.
Expert Tips
- Make Even Patties: Try to make the turkey sausage patties about the same size and thickness so they cook evenly.
- Don’t Over-mix: Mix the ingredients until just combined. Over-mixing can make the patties dense.
- Finely Grate the Apple: Use a fine grater for the apple, then roughly chop it if needed so the pieces are small and evenly distributed throughout the turkey mixture. This helps add moisture and flavor to every patty.
Serving Suggestions
These turkey sausage patties are delicious served alongside scrambled eggs with cottage cheese, cottage cheese egg bites, cottage cheese quiche, green chile egg casserole, healthy breakfast tacos, or sheet pan apple cinnamon pancakes for a protein-packed breakfast.
You can also enjoy them in a breakfast sandwich with a cottage cheese bagel or add them to a breakfast burrito bowl. They also pair well with a green protein smoothie, cottage cheese toast, a cottage cheese bowl with fruit, or air-fried red potatoes. They’re also great for meal prep, so you can make a batch ahead of time and enjoy them throughout the week!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover homemade turkey sausage patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Let the patties cool completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or bag.
More Breakfast Recipes to Try!
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating, ★★★★★, letting us know how it turns out for you.
Turkey Sausage Patties with Apple
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey breast or lean ground turkey
- 1 medium Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apple, peeled and finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Grate the Apple: Peel the apple and finely grate it. If you prefer smaller pieces of apple throughout the sausage patties, give the grated apple a quick rough chop.
- Mix the Ingredients: Add the ground turkey, grated apple, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sage, lightly crushed fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to a large bowl. Gently mix until everything is combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can make the patties dense.
- Form the Patties: Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a sheet pan to gently press down to form the patties. This makes it easy to get evenly-sized patties!
- Cook: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly spray it with olive oil. Add the patties in a single layer and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve: Serve them warm with your favorite breakfast sides or let them cool completely before storing for meal prep.
Video
Notes
- Apple: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples work especially well because they add a nice balance of sweetness and tartness. Fuji or Gala apples also work well.
- Ground Chicken: You can substitute lean ground chicken or ground chicken breast instead of the ground turkey.
- Fennel: I recommend keeping the fennel because it gives these patties their classic sausage flavor. Lightly crush the fennel seeds before adding them to help distribute the flavor. If you don’t have fennel seeds, you can use ¼ teaspoon ground fennel or ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning instead.
- Fresh Herbs: You can substitute dried sage and thyme for fresh herbs.
- Maple Flavor: Add a small drizzle of maple syrup for a touch of sweetness that pairs nicely with the apple and sage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these turkey sausage patties for an effortless, high-protein breakfast! They’re so flavorful, and I love pairing them with eggs or our cottage cheese egg bites for a delicious, protein-packed breakfast!