Delicious and Healthy Turkey Sausage Recipes

Turkey sausage offers a leaner alternative to traditional pork sausage, making it a versatile ingredient for creating healthy and flavorful meals. Whether you're looking for a hearty breakfast, a quick weeknight dinner, or a protein-packed addition to your favorite dishes, turkey sausage can be easily incorporated into a variety of recipes.

Turkey Sausage Egg Casserole

This Turkey Sausage Egg Casserole recipe features layers of ground turkey sausage, fresh veggies, cheese, and eggs. It’s loaded with savory flavor and plenty of cheese, and it’s super kid-friendly. Prepare a big batch in advance, reheat individual portions in the microwave, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces ground turkey sausage (feel free to use chicken sausage or pork sausage)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-5 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Half and Half
• Garlic powder
• Mustard powder
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the ground turkey, and cook until browned or about 5 minutes. Pour the browned sausage into the greased 9 x 13 pan.
3. In the same sauté pan over medium heat, add the onion and sauté until softened or about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and wilt down for 1-2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the ground sausage.
4. Top with the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle the shredded Parmesan cheese over the tomatoes.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and vegetable layers in the baking dish.
7. Bake until the center is puffed up and the edges are browned.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve this turkey sausage and egg casserole on its own, or add sides like fresh fruit, bacon, hash browns, dairy-free protein pancakes, or cinnamon & sugar protein donuts.

Frittata vs. Egg Casserole

The primary difference is that frittatas cook in a cast-iron pan on the stove and then are briefly baked in the oven. On the other hand, egg casseroles feature sautéed ingredients that are layered in a dish and baked for a longer period.

Storage and Freezing:

Leftover breakfast casserole with turkey sausage will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days when stored in an airtight container. This turkey sausage egg casserole makes for a fabulous freezer meal. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.

Healthy Turkey Sausage Breakfast Skillet

This healthy breakfast skillet pairs homemade turkey sausage crumbles with sautéed baby gold potatoes and bell peppers to make a high-volume breakfast that’s packed with flavor and perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey
• Breakfast sausage seasoning
• Baby gold potatoes
• Bell peppers
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Water

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil.
2. Brown the ground turkey on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, before mincing and fully cooking.
3. Use water to deglaze the skillet before adding the seasoning. Stir well and transfer the turkey sausage to a plate.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet before adding the potatoes and kosher salt. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften and brown.
5. Stir well and add the bell peppers, using a few tablespoons of water to deglaze the skillet if necessary. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the peppers have softened.
6. Use any remaining water to deglaze the skillet if there are any crispy bits remaining. Reduce to a low heat before adding the turkey sausage back to the skillet.
7. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with fried eggs, if desired.

Tips and Variations:

• If you wanted a low-carb breakfast skillet, you could cut the potatoes in half and replace with more peppers.
• If you’re using larger baby gold potatoes or russet potatoes, you’ll want to cut them even smaller than quarters for even cooking.
• You have plenty of room for fried eggs and/or shredded cheese.
• You could transfer the veggies to the bowl with the turkey and cook liquid egg whites in the pan before adding everything and chopped corn tortillas.

Sheet Pan Turkey Sausage and Vegetables

This easy sheet pan sheet pan turkey sausage and vegetables recipe that’s ready in under an hour. This turkey sausage dinner recipe takes advantage of lean, protein-packed Butterball Everyday Smoked Turkey Dinner Sausage. The sausage is already cooked and getting this meal on the table is as easy as slicing the sausage, chopping the vegetables, and throwing it all on a sheet pan.

Ingredients:

• Butterball Everyday Smoked Turkey Dinner Sausage
• Sweet potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Zucchini
• Broccoli
• Olive oil
• Onion flakes
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup, and add the sausage, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli, and evenly drizzle with olive oil.
3. Evenly sprinkle with the onion flakes, parsley, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, and toss with your hands to evenly coat and distribute seasonings.
4. Scatter vegetables in a flat layer and not piled on top of each other; it’s okay if your baking sheet is very crowded because the vegetables do shrink as they cook.
5. Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and have as much color as desired; toss halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
6. Don’t forget the cheese!

Important Tip:

Dice your sweet potatoes quite small, no more than 1/2-inch in size, so they cook through in the time it takes the rest of the vegetables to cook through.

Healthy Pasta Dinner with Turkey Sausage

This recipe uses lean ground turkey for the sausage in this healthy pasta dinner.

Ingredients:

• Lean ground turkey
• Fennel seeds
• Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• Onion
• Garlic
• DeLallo’s San Marzano tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Half and half
• Frozen peas
• DeLallo Foods pasta (orecchiette, linguine, tagliatelle to penne)
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions, less 2 minutes cooking time so the pasta ideal dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey meat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until cooked through and browned.
3. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 3-4 minuets. Add the tomatoes and basil then season with the kosher salt and black pepper.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes then stir in the half and half and frozen peas, then cook for 5 minutes.

Tips:

• Stay away from the ultra-lean turkey-it has zero flavor and has a squeaky bite when cooked. Regular lean ground turkey is best.
• Making lower-fat ground turkey taste like savory pork sausage is as simple as adding a few signature herbs and spices.
• Once the sauce has cooked down, we loosen it with a bit of half and half to cook down and lighten the tomato flavor.
• I’m generous with the fresh basil, as one should be.

Homemade Turkey Sausage Patties

These turkey sausage patties are a delicious, healthy, low carb, high protein recipe that make for the perfect protein option for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey (make sure to use ground turkey with a regular fat content, not a 99% fat free one)
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Fennel seeds
• Rubbed sage
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Salt
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Put the ground turkey into a large bowl.
2. Cover the ground turkey in all the seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seeds, rubbed sage, black pepper, paprika, parsley, thyme, and salt.
3. Mix well.
4. Make small patties out of the ground turkey mixture, in between ¼ to ½ cups worth of meat. ( There should be about 12-13 patties total).
5. Then put 1 Tablespoon of olive oil into a large frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
6. Cook the turkey patties for 4-5 minutes a side.

Tips:

• Do not overcook the turkey patties or they will dry out. Use turkey meat with some fat in it.
• Make sure to use the fennel seeds.

Storage:

In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Variations:

Yes you can use beef or sausage meat if you prefer.

Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage

My homemade turkey sausage recipe uses just 6 ingredients and cooks in less than 10 minutes. It’s juicy, healthy, and flavorful and works well as a breakfast sausage.

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Dried sage
• Garlic powder
• Brown sugar OR maple syrup

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, olive oil, salt, pepper, dried sage, garlic powder, and brown sugar, and mix well.
2. Using your hands, form 6 patties.
3. Add oil to a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat.
4. Once hot, add the breakfast sausage patties and fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through.
5. Use a meat thermometer. Because we are using lean meat, you don’t want to overcook the turkey sausage. To prevent this from happening, I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Ready-to-eat turkey should reach 165F.

Tips and Variations:

• Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for some spice, or amp up the smokiness by adding smoked paprika and a dash of liquid smoke.
• You can never go wrong with cheese, so fold through 1/4 cup of your favorite shredded cheese into the mixture. I personally love mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese.
• If you’d like to bake the turkey sausage instead of frying it, prepare it as instructed.

Baking the sausage:

If you’d like to bake the turkey sausage instead of frying it, prepare it as instructed.

Benefits of Turkey Sausage

• Healthy and low calorie: Turkey sausage is high in protein and low in fat and perfect to include as part of an everyday diet.
• Cost-effective: It’s much more affordable to make your own than to spend over twice as much for the pre-made kind. You also skip out on all the additives and thickeners the store-bought brands use.
• Ready in minutes: Set your timer when the sausage hits the pan.

Turkey Sausage vs. Pork Sausage

Turkey sausage is naturally lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol compared to pork sausage. It’s a fantastic source of lean protein, so it’s perfect for a healthier diet.

Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution

Is turkey sausage considered processed meat?

If you make your own turkey sausage or breakfast sausage, it is not considered processed meat, as no fillers, thickeners, or preservatives are added.

tags: #healthy #recipes #turkey #sausage