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.
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
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 12 patties 1x
- Cuisine: Whole30, Egg-free, Dairy-free

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.
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
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe {2 patties}
- Calories: 105
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 14 g
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Andi says
Got this recipe emailed to me right on time! With my husband being sick, and me working two jobs, there was no time to go grocery shopping. And this recipe allowed me to utilize the stuff we already had at home to make an all-thumbs-up breakfast for, not only my ailing husband, but my roller-derby-bound daughter! Both were astounded at how successful “my” creativity turned out, especially with our limited ingredient supply! I did substitute pears for the apples (again, no time to shop), and all our ground turkey is blended with lean ground beef. Still turned out DELICIOUS though! After devouring the sausage and eggs, my husband said he felt better than he had been in the prior days, and I felt really good knowing my daughter had an excellent breakfast in time to serve up the hits on the derby track!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear and nice use of substitutions! We’re all about using what we have on hand. No sense making a special trip to the grocery store and it’s a great way to try new combinations and create new recipes! Thanks for sharing 🙂
betty says
I made these this morning and they are great!!! I didn’t have sage, so I used italian seasoning and followed directions. I used ground turkey breast 97% fat free. I will double or triple recipe next time!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Great to hear that you loved them, Betty! Italian seasoning is a great substitute for the sage. And yes to doubling or tripling the recipe – they go fast!
Shosh Ornstein says
This looks like it could become my favourite go-to recipe; but with no eggs or flour, what binds the mixture and keeps the patties from falling apart???
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Shosh!
Great question. Surprisingly, you don’t need a binder. I make these almost weekly for my family and since I a have an egg allergy and avoid grains – I’ve developed the recipe to be free of both.
Hope that helps!
Catherine says
Would baking instead of frying totally dry them out?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Catherine,
Baking would actually make them pale and ‘sweaty’. Frying them caramelizes the surface and improves their taste. So although they’d cook through just fine, they won’t be as flavorful.
Mallory says
I’ve made my menu for the week with 4 of your recipes 🙂 LOVE it! In order to freeze extra of these, do I freeze prior to cooking, or freeze after cooking? And do I simply just place in a freezer ziploc bag? Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Mallory!
Thanks for including our recipes in your weekly meal plan! You can actually do it both ways – freeze them uncooked and then cook them from the frozen state or freeze then after cooking and simply reheat from the frozen. I always freeze them after cooking but laying the cooled patties on a baking sheet then freezing them until solid. After that, I transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. Hope that helps – enjoy!
Sandra says
I made these tonight to eat for the week. I made one batch with Italian seasoning and the other with sage. I LOVED them both. They are so good!
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Sandra – so happy to hear you enjoyed these Turkey Apple Sausage Patties with both the sage and Italian seasoning. Always nice to be able to change the flavor just a little for some variety! Thanks for sharing your feedback – we appreciate it
Dawn says
I have a problem with both coconut and avocado, would olive oil be alright to use?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Dawn! Yes, you can also use olive oil. Enjoy!
Nova @ Happily Ever Hauser says
Hi Stacie! I’m currently on my first Whole 30 journey and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I’ve featured your recipe on my latest blog post:
15 Quick & Easy Whole30 Breakfast Ideas
http://www.happilyeverhauser.com/2017/03/13/15-quick-easy-whole30-breakfasts/
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Nova!
Thanks for including us in your latest recipe round up!
Cameron says
Found this recipe in the midst of a frustrating stop in front of the breakfast sausage section of the grocery store, and it was exactly what I needed! Simple and delicious. I knew I didn’t have fennel or onion or garlic powder at home, but I decided real garlic could work – totally did! The sausage patties turned out great, and I definitely recommend using sage. Thanks!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear you stumbled upon our Turkey Apple Sausage Patties recipe and that you liked them! Now you can make sausage from scratch instead of getting flustered at the grocery store 😉 Here’s another sausage recipe for you to try if you’d like: https://therealfoodrds.com/blackberry-sage-breakfast-sausage/
Keith says
I loved the flavor of the sausage, however it turned out a bit dry for my taste. Perhaps I just overcooked it, but perhaps adding some fat or an egg to the mix would help with this?
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Keith,
Ground turkey (especially really lean ground turkey) can dry out a bit because of the lack of fat. I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg but if you’re not opposed to adding more fat (which adding an egg will do) then try using ground dark meat turkey instead of breast.
Or try the egg and let us know how it turns out.
Thanks!
Maria says
Hello! What type of apples to you recommend?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Maria,
I usually buy honey crisp or pink lady since that’s what my family likes best. However, these are also really good with Granny Smiths too.
Missy says
Should I peel the apples?
Stacie Hassing says
You certainly could but it’s not necessary. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Valerie Glassman says
I had a pound of ground turkey in the fridge about to go bad so I was thrilled to find this recipe with ingredients I already had! I have enough for breakfast for a few days and it went great with my butternut squash soup tonight. We keep kosher so most “sausage” is not okay in our house. Made it with lean ground turkey. I might add an egg for more fat next time but it’s really good already! Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Valerie,
I love hearing this – thanks for sharing!
Synthea says
Just made turkey apple sausage for family breakfast super easy to prepare and very delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Stacie Hassing says
It’s our pleasure! So great to hear your family enjoyed them!
Gwen says
Could you heat the frozen patties up in the microwave instead of in the pan? (I know some folks are against microwaves).
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, you could also reheat in the microwave.
Roberta D'Achille says
Between these turkey apple sausage patties and the your (plural) breakfast meatballs
https://therealfoodrds.com/apricot-basil-breakfast-meatballs/
I prepped about 4.4 pounds of meat today. I love both of the recipes and am very happy that I will have them on hand for a few weeks now.
Thanks for the great recipes.
Carolyn says
NOTE: If you don’t like reviews by people who don’t follow recipes exactly, move on.
I made these with some significant changes. First, I added carmelized red onions and chopped, steamed kale along with the apples. I doubled the spices, using both sage and Italian seasoning, but omitting the fennel. I also added half an egg. (I was baking apple oatmeal bread at the same time and had leftover egg wash, which I threw in with the sausage. Guess who went apple picking!) Lastly, I roasted a tray of these under the broiler, which solved the baking wan color problem discussed in a prior review, and allowed me to cook a whole batch at once. My broiler was set at 550, and I flipped them when they started to brown.
These were phenomenal. The family reactions were “WOW!” And “It tastes like Fall on a plate!” I will definitely make these again. Next time I may try adding a bit of Dijon mustard to the mix instead of the Italian seasoning.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Carolyn,
Actually…. I LOVE reviews from people who don’t follow the recipe exactly yet have a fabulous result and a bunch of great ideas to go along with it. Thanks so much for taking the time to share how you made them. I’m sure someone will find your review incredibly helpful!
Jesse says
Your nutrition information is incorrect. Apples have sugar, therefore, your recipe has sugar.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jesse,
You are correct in that apples contain fructose, which is sugar. However, the recipe is labeled as sugar-free meaning it has no added sugar. The same reasoning would apply to vegetables – no sugar added but they do contain carbohydrates from naturally occurring sugars. I hope that clarifies things.
Rhonda Lee Johnson says
What would the cholesterol nutrition info be for this recipe?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Rhonda,
We do not have that information top of mind but you can plug the recipe into a free online calculator such as MyFitness Pal to quickly obtain the cholesterol information.
Elle says
I had to remove the garlic due to allergies, but they came out great. I’ve just made them for the second time they have become a fast favourite in our house. I even doubled up the recipe to freeze extras.
★★★★★
Lydia Withers says
Thanks for the recipe
Katie says
This is one of my favorite go-to AIP (seasonings adjusted) breakfast sausages. Love love love these!
★★★★★
Amy Gawarecki says
Was just wondering if you peel the apples. Also do you use just one apple to get half a cup? Thanks.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Amy,
I do not peel the apples before adding them to the sausage but you can if you’d like to. To get 1/2 cup chopped apples you’ll need one medium apple with the core removed.
Carrol Lindsay says
I made this receipe for breakfast and they are absolutely yummy with pumpkin pancakes & spinach omelet.
★★★★★
Stephanie Weber says
These are really delicious! I’ve made this recipe several times now. I use a whole apple chopped up.
Tracy says
These patties are seriously amazing! I have to say the day I made them they were a little wet for my liking, but still good. Days 2 & 3 had them knocking my socks off. They now have a permanent place in my breakfast repertoire. Thank you!
★★★★★
Jen says
Can you use fresh fennel finely chopped and lessen the apple to not make too chunky?
Stacie Hassing says
You sure could! I look forward to hearing how they turn out for you!
newatthis says
this recipe has totally yummy ingredients . . . i used dried sage and dried italian seasoning [total yum] . . . used a small metal strainer on my apple so that there wouldn’t be chunks [it was like apple sauce and disappeared into the mixture. . . family member is picky about cooked fruits so i had to hide the apple] . . .i did use 1 egg in the recipe . . . i added homemade fresh sage infused evoo just drizzled over the turkey [turkey was 93%lean] . . . mixed all together . . . made into meatballs [approx 30] . . . .into a shallow pan and stuck in the oven uncovered at 400dgF for 1 hour [oven is old and electric]. . . . watched an episode of the 1960’s The Saint / did a few knit & purl rows . . .returned to check. . . meatballs were browned and fabulously yum all the way through . . . outstanding . . . thank you for this recipe . . . still learning how to use fresh sage. . . will pocket this one for the journey . . . thanx
Ande says
These are fantastic! My husband and very selective 8 year old love them. Thank you!
★★★★★
Levy Worrell says
My daughter loves it, I am cooking for my daughter who had her baby last Saturday.
It’s tasty without any sauce. Thank you.
Dee Handa says
I have some ground turkey already cooked, so I think I am going to make this deconstructed in the pan with potatoes (not sure if I will add apples) and then fry eggs over for dinner.
Stacie Hassing says
Sounds good! Kind of like our Butternut Squash Hash – https://therealfoodrds.com/butternut-squash-and-apple-hash-with-sausage/
You’ll have to let us know how it turns out.
Maggie Levy says
These are really good and very easy to make!
★★★★★