The Best Turkey Burger
37
Published May 20, 2024
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This turkey burger recipe comes together in 20 minutes with simple ingredients, making it perfect for a quick and easy dinner. The patties are moist, juicy and packed with tons of flavor!
I already have a spinach and feta turkey burger recipe (which you should definitely try btw!), but I wanted to share a good ol’ fashioned turkey burger recipe for those who might not be into spinach and/or feta.
And not to toot my own horn, but these turkey burgers are definitely the best I’ve ever had.
They’re loaded with flavor and ridiculously easy to make. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients, form the patties and toss them on the grill or cast-iron skillet. While the burgers are cooking whip up these baked sweet potato fries, air fryer french fries or sautéed vegetables to serve as a side for a full meal.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Turkey Burgers
- They’re made with simple ingredients to enhance the flavor of the turkey.
- They’ll satisfy your burger craving in a healthier way.
- They’re quick and easy to put together and they grill up just as fast!
Ingredients Needed
- ground turkey – I like using ground turkey instead of ground beef for burgers because it’s lower in saturated fat. I typically use 93% lean ground turkey, but you can use 99% lean ground turkey if you prefer.
- egg – this helps moisten and bind the burgers together so they don’t fall apart on the grill!
- Italian seasoning – Italian seasoning pairs well with turkey, the combination of herbs complements the flavor without overpowering it. If you don’t have an Italian seasoning blend you can use a blend of other dried spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano and/or basil instead.
- Worcestershire sauce – a great flavor enhancer. If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand, soy sauce or tamari will work as a substitute.
- garlic powder and onion powder – these classic burger seasonings are a must.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Turkey Burgers
I prefer to grill these turkey burgers, but they cook up deliciously in a cast-iron skillet over the stove as well. Either way you make them, they’re super easy to put together!
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl.
Step 2: Mix well until combined either using a mixing spoon or your hands.
Step 3: Shape the turkey mixture into 5 turkey burger patties.
Step 4: Cook turkey burgers. To cook on the grill: Place burgers on a preheated grill or grill pan and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through. To cook on the stovetop: Preheat and oil a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey burgers and cook until no longer pink in the center, 4-5 min each side.
How to Serve Turkey Burgers
If you want to serve these burgers up like a traditional burger, simply add the cooked burger on a bun and top with your favorite burger toppings like mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and/or pickles.
For an even healthier alternative, use lettuce leaves as a bun or serve over greens for a turkey burger salad. Trust me, you won’t miss the bun!
I love pairing traditional sides with these turkey burgers. Here’s what I would serve with these burgers:
- You can’t go wrong with burgers and fries! Some suggestions: my baked zucchini fries, air fryer sweet potato fries or these tasty jicama fries.
- A tasty side salad like my no mayo potato salad, corn and black bean salad or my classic broccoli salad.
- Another option is pasta-based dishes like my vegan mac and cheese, mayo-free pasta salad or this ranch pasta salad.
How to Store Leftovers
These turkey burgers store really well, which make them great for meal prep! After allowing the burgers to cool, store in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them for 1-2 months.
To freeze: Place cooked and cooled burgers to a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes or until firm. Then wrap each turkey burger in plastic wrap or cover with parchment paper and add burgers to a freezer-safe bag like a Stasher bag.
To reheat: Let burgers thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat up on the grill or over the stovetop until warm throughout. You can also reheat the burgers in the oven. Just preheat your oven to 400°F and place thawed burgers on a baking pan in the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This really depends on the fat percentage of the meat. If a turkey burger is made with 99% lean ground turkey, the turkey burger will have less calories and fat than a burger made with ground beef. But if you’re comparing 93% ground turkey with 93% ground beef, the calories and fat are relatively the same. The one thing that makes ground turkey a bit healthier is that it contains less saturated fat than ground beef.
I prefer to use 93% ground turkey for my turkey burgers because it offers more flavor, but if you want the leanest burger possible I recommend using 99% lean ground turkey breast, however know that your burgers may turn out a bit dry and not as tasty.
Nutritionally, ground chicken and turkey are pretty similar, however ground turkey is generally a little leaner than ground chicken. Turkey has fewer calories, less sodium, more iron and a bit more protein.
We’re using an egg to help bind the ingredients together, which prevents the turkey burgers from falling apart while cooking.
More Burger Recipes to Try
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Burgers
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Burgers
- Teriyaki Salmon Burgers
- Easy Black Bean Burgers
- Curried Pumpkin Black Bean Burgers
- Salmon Burgers
Be sure to check out all of the dinner recipes and all of the ground turkey recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Turkey Burger
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey, I used 93% lean
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or tamari
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 5 hamburger buns
- Toppings of choice: lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion, ketchup, mustard
Instructions
- Mix together turkey, egg, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
- Using your hands, form mixture into 5 patties.
Grill
- Cook on preheated grill or grill pan until no longer pink in the center, about 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Serve immediately on bun with toppings of choice.
Cast Iron
- Add oil to cast iron skillet and warm to medium heat over stovetop.
- Cook burger patties on preheated cast iron until no longer pink in the center, 4-5 min each side.
- Serve immediately on bun with toppings of choice.
Notes
- Worcestershire sauce: If you don’t have worcestershire sauce on hand you can use soy sauce or tamari.
- Low carb option: Serve the burger on lettuce leaves instead of a bun or serve the burger over a salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these. Simple, delicious. My favorite use of ground turkey I have found.
WOO! This is amazing, Katie. I am so glad you are loving this turkey burger recipe and it is a hit for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
This was so flavoful and easy to make. My husband never likes turkey burgers and he loved these!
WOO! This is so great to hear, Toni. I am so glad you both loved these turkey burgers and they turned out amazing for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
What kind of bun did you use? I am looking for something healthy.
I have been loving the Dave’s Killer Bread Organic 21 Whole Grain and Seeds Hamburger buns. Hope that helps!
The flavor was great! unfortunately they were too runny and slid thru the grill grates. Only one was spared. Suggestions? Add some breadcrumbs?
Hi Lindsay! I am so sorry to hear these were a bit runny, I haven’t had that happen before. What type of ground turkey did you use (% of fat to meat)?
Delicious and so much faster than my usual turkey loaf. Definitely making again!
Amazing! This is so great to hear, Jan. I am glad you found this recipe and are loving it. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
We really enjoyed the turkey burgers. They were so flavorful. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
Amazing! I am so glad you loved these burgers and they turned out amazing for you. Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
This recipe was awful. i wish I had read comments first. wasted so much meat. Not one person in my family could get past the taste. WAY too much Italian seasoning… and I had even reduced it. Do not follow this recipe!
Hi Nadine – I am so sorry this recipe did not turn out how you had hoped. Can I ask what type of Italian Seasoning you used? I haven’t had an issue of this being overpowering, so I am wondering if it might be the brand.
Hey Nadine – I’m so sorry again about the issue you had with the Italian seasoning. After seeing your comment I realized that there was an error in this recipe and it indeed had too much Italian seasoning. I just tested these burgers again and have updated the recipe to reflect the new seasoning amount of 1 teaspoon. I hope you’ll give this recipe another chance. Sorry again and thanks again for your comment!
Way too much Italian seasoning! Absolutely ruined it. I do not recommend 2 tablespoons way too much! Anyone who likes that much is sick in the head, and needs to get checked. Even 2 tsp is a little much!
Hi Chris – I am so sorry you found the Italian Seasoning to be a bit overpowering and you felt it ruined the dish. Feel free to adjust the seasonings based on your preference. I appreciate your feedback.