Breakfast Sausage Patties

Skip the supermarket sausage and make your own in 25 minutes. Lean ground turkey gets seasoned with the classic breakfast sausage trio of sage, thyme, and rosemary, then shaped into thin patties and pan-seared until golden.

Using turkey instead of pork cuts the fat dramatically while keeping the herb-forward, savory flavor that makes breakfast sausage taste like breakfast sausage. The dried sage is the leading note here, that distinctive earthy, slightly piney flavor most people associate with the classic.

Keeping the patties at ¼ inch thick is the secret to even cooking. Thicker patties dry out before the center cooks through, and ground turkey is unforgiving when overcooked. Quarter-inch thickness gives you a clean 5 minutes per side and juicy results.

Pro Tips

• Mix the seasonings into the meat with a fork, not your hands. Overworking the meat compacts it and makes tough, dense patties.
• Make patties with slightly indented centers, they puff up as they cook and end up flat instead of domed.
• A nonstick skillet is best, lean turkey has very little fat to prevent sticking on stainless steel.
• Cook to 165°F (74°C) internal, ground poultry must reach this temperature for food safety.
• Make a big batch, cook, and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a skillet for 5 minutes for instant breakfast.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne for spicy breakfast sausage.
• Stir in a teaspoon of maple syrup for a sweeter, more traditional New England flavor.
• Use ground chicken in place of turkey, or do a half-and-half mix with ground pork for richer flavor.