Homemade Mediterranean Turkey (or Chicken) Sausage Recipe

Name: Homemade Mediterranean Turkey (or Chicken) Sausage Recipe
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 500g turkey or chicken breast, very finely minced or ground; 50g cold extra virgin olive oil (keeps sausages juicy and adds healthy fats); 2 cloves garlic, finely grated; 1.5 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt; 0.5 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika; 0.5–1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for mild heat); 0.25 tsp MSG (monosodium glutamate, optional for umami); 1g (approx ¼ tsp) pink salt (sodium nitrite—Prague Powder #1/saltpetre) for curing; Optional: Zest of half a lemon, 1 tbsp white wine, or 1 tbsp finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes for Mediterranean flavor

7 steps

Updated at: Sat, 02 Aug 2025 03:32:31 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories148.4 kcal (7%)

Total Fat10.7 g (15%)

Carbs0.6 g (0%)

Sugars0 g (0%)

Protein12.9 g (26%)

Sodium469.3 mg (23%)

Fiber0.2 g (1%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

8 servings

500gturkey breast

or chicken, very finely minced or ground

50gextra virgin olive oil

cold, keeps sausages juicy and adds healthy fats

2cloves garlic

finely grated

1 ½ tspfine sea salt

or kosher salt

½ tspground black pepper

1 tspfennel seeds

lightly crushed

½ tspsmoked paprika

or sweet paprika

½ tspdried oregano

1 Tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley

finely chopped

½ tspred pepper flakes

optional, for mild heat

¼ tspMSG

monosodium glutamate, optional for umami

1gpink salt

sodium nitrite—Prague Powder 1/saltpetre, for curing

0.5lemon

Optional, Zest of

1 Tbspwhite wine

Instructions

Step 1

Prep the Meat: Ensure the turkey or chicken is very cold. If using whole breast, chop finely or grind.

Step 2

Combine Ingredients: In a cold bowl, mix the minced meat with all seasonings, olive oil, and optional flavorings. Mix thoroughly to achieve a tacky texture—this helps protein bind for a classic sausage bite.

Step 3

Cure and Rest: Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, so the cure penetrates and flavors meld.

Step 4

Shape: For casing-free sausages: Form into patties, logs, or meatballs. For classic sausages: stuff into pre-soaked natural or synthetic sausage casings using a funnel, piping bag, or sausage stuffer.

Step 5

Air-Dry: Rest uncooked sausages uncovered in the fridge for 1–2 hours, which helps casing adherence and sausage formation.

Step 6

Cook: Grill, bake, or pan-sear. For patties/logs, sear in a hot nonstick pan with a touch of olive oil for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

Step 7

Bake for Casseroles: If using in a baked dish (like Anellini al Forno), slice or crumble raw sausage into the sauce base as you’d do with store-bought sausage.