6 Grocery Store Turkey Sausages, Ranked

Whether you choose not to eat pork or you're just looking for something lighter and less greasy, turkey sausage can be a great alternative to pork-based varieties. Turkey sausage tends to be a lot leaner, making it an ideal choice for those who are watching their fat intake, and because sausage tends to be so seasoned, there's often not a huge difference in flavor. Unfortunately, though, not all turkey sausages are the same — some taste a lot better than others, which is why I've sampled six different grocery store turkey sausage brands and ranked them from worst to best.

The highest-ranking sausages on this list offer a bold, complex flavor and are moist and juicy. Meanwhile, those who rank lower are drier and more bland on the flavor front. If you're in the market for turkey sausage, take a closer look at all of these options. You might just find that you like some of these even better than any store-bought pork sausage out there.

Generally, I'm a fan of Applegate Naturals' products. For example, we consider it the brand that makes the very best turkey bacon at the grocery store. I've also had many of their sausage products before, which I've generally enjoyed. However, this brand doesn't quite deliver when it comes to its turkey breakfast sausage. Flavor-wise, these sausages taste pretty bland. The flavor isn't bad, per se, but there's just not much going on. I wouldn't actively avoid these sausages if they were put in front of me, but there's not much that would make me want to take a second serving.

The real issue here, though, is the lack of moisture. Even when making sure not to overcook this sausage, it ended up coming out wildly dry. Of course, I'd expect a little less juiciness from turkey sausage versus a pork variety, but this brand is definitely the driest I tasted of the bunch.

Jimmy Dean is a big name when it comes to prepared breakfast foods, so I wasn't surprised to see that the brand sells turkey sausage links. Admittedly, this sausage isn't bad. Still, I found it to be a lot less appealing than most of the other sausages on this list. The problem here isn't a lack of juiciness — although these sausages are slightly dry, they still pack enough moisture to be at least somewhat appetizing. Rather, I was mostly put off by the taste and texture.

On the texture front, these sausages feel more like fake plant-based meat than the real stuff. Overall, the product feels incredibly processed. This is what turned me off as soon as I took my first bite. As I continued to chew, though, I also noticed that these sausages don't really have much of a pronounced flavor at all. They're salty, sure, but I didn't taste much else going on here beyond the flavor of the turkey itself. Although they're not the worst option on this list, I probably wouldn't purchase this product again.

If you're craving kielbasa but don't want to eat pork for whatever reason, you might be out of luck. Most kielbasa you'll find is made with either only pork or a blend of pork and beef. But if you head to your local Whole Foods, you might be able to snag yourself some Wellshire Farms Smoked Fresh Turkey Kielbasa. This is an unusual product, so I was excited to see it on the shelf. It offers a much different flavor than the other sausages on this list, as it's less of a breakfast sausage and more of a main course meat.

The smoked flavor of this stuff is excellent. You're really not going to be missing out on any of the richness you'd expect from a more traditional kielbasa. It's also salty and deeply savory, and you can taste a complex blend of spices that makes every bite more interesting. However, unsurprisingly, this kielbasa is quite lean — so lean, in fact, that it tastes kind of dry. I suspect that it would be very easy to overcook in a lot of recipes, so that's something to keep in mind if you plan on keeping it over heat for a long time. The good news? It's pre-cooked, so you really just have to heat it before adding it to your favorite kielbasa recipes.

The main issue I have with Jones Dairy Farm's Turkey Sausage is the fact that the links are so, so tiny. It feels like you're getting more of a nub than an actual sausage link, which is disappointing if you're looking for a normal serving size. That being said, though, this turkey breakfast sausage is actually quite tasty. It has the juiciness I'm looking for in a sausage, and the flavor is solid as well, with a umami note I didn't get from most of the other options on this list.

After trying Jones Dairy Farm's other sausage products, I can confidently say that the turkey selection isn't the best — the brand's pork offerings are definitely a lot more flavorful. But considering that turkey can be kind of bland in any form, I think this stuff is still pretty solid. It falls in the middle of the pack in this ranking, but I'd still buy these sausage links again.

Part of the reason why Boar's Head's Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties land near the top of this list is that it's a product that's offering something different. All of the other sausages I found for this ranking are links. But sometimes, a sausage patty hits the spot a little differently. Plus, they're a must if your goal is to make a homemade breakfast sandwich. But this product doesn't land in second place just because it's a different shape than the other sausages covered here — rather, it's ahead of most of the rest of the pack when it comes to juiciness and flavor.

I honestly couldn't tell that these sausage patties were made with turkey instead of pork — that's how close they tasted to fattier sausage. They're nice and juicy and didn't even dry out after I put them in the microwave for slightly too long. Admittedly, the sausages are pretty salty, which may not appeal to everyone, but in my book, that overly savory flavor is still a win, and I'd much rather have too much salt than too little.

Finally, we arrive at the best of the best turkey sausage. It's Johnsonville's Turkey Breakfast Sausage, and it might just be one of my new favorite items to pick up at the grocery store. These sausages are really quite moist. So moist, in fact, that it was the first thing I noticed when I took a bite. I didn't really expect that level of juiciness from a turkey sausage, so I was pleasantly surprised that they have the same ultra-moist, almost drippy quality I'd expect from pork sausage links.

There's also a lightness to these sausages that's really appealing. If you're buying turkey sausage, there's a good chance that you want a bite that's lighter than pork. That's what you get here, without sacrificing boldness of flavor or moistness. That lightness is complemented by a blend of seasonings that's savory without being overpowering. Now that I've given these delicious sausages a try, they'll be a new staple in my weekend breakfast spreads.

I chose these specific turkey sausage brands and varieties based on availability at local grocery stores in my area. Since all of these sausages were pre-cooked, I simply heated them up in the microwave before tasting them. The criteria for this ranking is overall flavor, with a preference for bolder, saltier notes, along with juiciness, with drier, less moist varieties falling to the bottom of the ranking.

I tried all of the sausages at the same time while they were still hot, and I ate them alone, without any condiments or any additional ingredients, to get a more accurate picture of what they taste like on their own.