Turkey Burgers

204 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Jump to RecipeJump to Video

This turkey burger recipe is absolute perfection! The turkey patties are healthy, super easy to make, perfectly juicy and moist, and packed with flavor from simple ingredients. Now all you have to decide is what ingredients to layer into your burgers. I’ve got delicious servings ideas below!

A plate of turkey burgers
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Are Turkey Burgers Healthy?

Every once in a while, I crave a meaty and juicy burger. But when I try to cut down on red meat and choose leaner options, ground turkey is always my go-to. It’s like switching from beef meatballs to my favorite turkey meatballs recipe.

So to answer the question – “Are turkey burgers actually healthy?” The answer is an affirmative yes! Ground turkey has less saturated fat than ground beef and is even leaner than ground chicken.

The only “downside” is that turkey tends to be a lot drier than beef. But I’ve got a few tips on how to make the perfect turkey burger patty that’s not dry and bland, plus they’re completely gluten-free! This is my go-to turkey burger recipe in my house, and I’m confident you’ll come back to it over and over again as well!

Ingredients for turkey burger on a table

Turkey Burger Ingredients

  • Ground Turkey: The key to juicier turkey burgers is choosing the right lean-to-fat ratio. Packaged ground turkey is often a mix of light and dark meat, but you’ll want to choose one that’s 93% lean and 7% fat. This makes for a moist and succulent texture. And if purchasing ground turkey from the butcher, ask them to provide the same mix suitable for a burger patty.
  • Mayonnaise: Just a little bit of mayo helps to add moisture and acts as a binder for the patties. You can use your favorite brand or make my easy homemade mayonnaise which tastes 10x better and has no funky ingredients!
  • Dijon Mustard & Worcestershire sauce: While turkey is really a blank canvas for flavor, I often find most turkey burger recipes to be bland and boring in flavor. But the simple combo of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce adds a savory, umami flavor – and it’ll have everyone going back for seconds! Side note: if you’re gluten-free like me, scroll down to the recipe card where I’ve linked the gluten-free Worcestershire sauce I use (as not all brands are gluten-free).
  • Seasonings: All you need are fresh garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper to complete the flavor profile. But if you want to switch up some of the flavors, I’ve got a few options listed below.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

Turkey burger ingredients in a bowl

How To Make Turkey burger patties

Make the patties. Mix the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper with your hands. Then, divide the mixture evenly to form 4 large patties. To avoid uncooked patties, flatten them out a bit so they’re not super tall and dense. Plus, they do shrink quite a bit when cooking!

Turkey burger patties on a sheet pan

Cook the patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the patties for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Unlike beef patties, turkey burgers need to be completely cooked through. If you’d like, you can use an instant-read thermometer to check and see if they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

Cooking turkey burgers in a pan

Turkey Burger Filling options

The classic options you can never go wrong with are sliced tomatoes, red onions, cheddar cheese, pickles, and a layer of mayonnaise and ketchup on top. But you can also switch it up and add bacon, avocado slices, and caramelized onions.

Serving Ideas

  • Serve up a classic turkey burger. Grab your favorite store-bought buns (you could even toast them if you’d like) and layer on your favorite burger ingredients.
  • Make a lettuce wrap turkey burger: For those of us who are gluten-free or just looking for a healthier option, lettuce wrap turkey burgers are honestly just as delicious. Plus, it’s a naturally low-carb meal! To make the lettuce “buns” — core a head of lettuce and slice it into quarters. Use a few pieces of lettuce as both the base and top, essentially wrapping around the burger.
  • Make a turkey burger bowl: Enjoy the patties as a protein source for a veggie-heavy salad or bowl! Layer leafy greens with avocado slices, pickled red onions, and cherry tomatoes (or other vegetables you like). You could even add tzatziki or chipotle sauce on top!
Turkey burger lettuce wrap

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Don’t have access to Worcestershire sauce? You can add a splash of tamari soy sauce (about half the amount).
  • Add more yumminess to the patty with finely diced onions or shallots. You can also switch up the seasonings and herbs with onion powder, dried thyme, rosemary, or any other seasonings you like really!

COMMON QUESTIONS

How do I keep turkey burgers from falling apart?

I’ve made this recipe heaps of times and have never had the patties fall apart when using 93% lean ground turkey. But, if you find that your patties are crumbling, you can try adding an egg and some almond flour to the mixture next time.

Can you grill these turkey burgers?

Absolutely! This is a great summertime burger recipe to toss on the grill. Just be a bit careful when placing them on the grill and flipping them as they tend to be softer than other burger patties.

Can I use ground chicken instead of ground turkey?

You sure can! I have a separate recipe for chicken burgers (with a Mediterranean flavor profile), but you can certainly swap the meat in this recipe as well.

Turkey burger lettuce wraps in a casserole dish

Storage Tips

  • To store in the fridge: These patties will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container.
  • Freeze the patties for later: I love to make a double batch of this recipe and save leftovers for the future! To do so, freeze the cooked patties on a baking sheet first. Then, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container with parchment paper in between. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Make-Ahead Tips: If you want to pre-make the raw turkey burgers, you can do so a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Just add parchment paper in between each patty and layer them on top of one another before placing them in an airtight container.

More Healthy Turkey Recipes

  • Turkey Cobb Salad: Give this classic Cobb salad a fresh, fall twist with turkey and other fall ingredients!
  • Turkey Chili: Another staple ground turkey recipe to keep in your rotation is this delicious turkey chili.
  • Lighter Turkey Casserole: Casseroles don’t always have to be heavy. Give this light and tasty version a try when you’re craving comfort food!
  • Classic Roast Turkey: While most people think of turkey as a Thanksgiving or Christmas recipe, it can be made and enjoyed any time of year.

I hope you enjoy these turkey burgers as much as I do! Give them a try and let me know how they turned out in the comment box below.

A white plate of turkey burger patties

Best Turkey Burger Recipe

4.77 from 107 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This turkey burger recipe is the best of the best! The turkey patties are healthy, easy to make, perfectly juicy and moist, and packed with flavor from simple ingredients. Watch the video below to see how quickly the recipe comes together (and how I lettuce wrap them)!

Video

Ingredients  

For the turkey burgers

Optional items for serving

  • cheddar cheese slices
  • sliced tomato
  • sliced onion
  • caramelized onion
  • pickles
  • lettuce
  • ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise

Instructions 

  • Make the patties. In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together. Divide the mixture evenly and form 4 large patties.
    Making turkey burger patties
  • Cook the patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Cook the patties for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
    Cooking turkey burger patties
  • Assemble the turkey burger. Enjoy the patties plain or assemble them into turkey burgers with your favorite toppings and condiments!
    Turkey burger wrapped in lettuce.

Lisa’s Tips

  • I typically don’t use non-stick pans, but for this recipe, I did because the temperature doesn’t go above medium to cook the patties and it makes it easier to flip them. You can find my favorite non-stick pans in this post featuring my favorite cookware!

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 743mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Turkey Burger, Turkey Burger Recipe, Turkey Patty
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

You May Also Like

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.77 from 107 votes (25 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before appearing on the site. Thank you for sharing your feedback!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




204 Comments

  1. Thank you Lisa! I am never disappointed in what you share with your audiance. I loved these turkey burgers.5 stars

  2. Loved this recipe, worked out the first time perfectly and was juicy. Turkey is not a meat I usually eat, but will from now on as it was so light and tasty. I had it in the lettuce wrap and have leftovers for tomorrow. I added a little leftover avocado and topped with some mayonnaise that I had added a touch of wasabi into. Superb! I love the hints with the meat thermometer on these meals, that was so helpful!5 stars

  3. Very flavorful and moist pattys! We are salt lovers but found 1 tsp to be too much and will cut it back to 1/2 tsp. Added a single shake of Frank’s Red Hot as I find a small amount always enhances flavor of meats without adding heat. Great addition to our household recipes, many thanks!4 stars

    1. Hi Cathy – You can freeze these uncooked, just make sure to freeze each patty in plastic wrap first before storing them away in a bag or container.

  4. Made these tonight and they are so moist and flavorful! Cooked them in a cast iron skillet and topped with tomato, feta and avocado. Tried it bunless with some lettuce and it was delicious. Definitely keeping this recipe on the rotation. Going to try it on the grill next!5 stars

  5. Trialed this recipe because we had all the ingredients and was curious to see how it went without any egg or bread/gf breadcrumbs – delicious! Super juicy and great to use what we already have in the cupboard!

  6. These are delicious. I’ve been trying to eat less red meat. I made these last night exactly as directed and froze three for later. Moist and nicely seasoned. Better than beef IMO! Just had a frozen one for lunch and it was just as tasty as the one I had last night. Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  7. I doubled the recipe, and the only adjustment was the I swapped what would have been 1 tsp pepper for McCormack Steak Seasoning (1TBSP for 2lb’s turkey). I opted to grill instead of pan fry. They turned out great. Moist and flavorful. Topped with provolone cheese on a pretzel roll.5 stars

  8. I have a question please. I will be taking the mince out of the freezer to defrost then make the burgers, after I make and cook them is it ok to then freeze the cooked ones once they go cold. Thank you in advance

  9. I love this recipe. I like burgers but want to be healthier and save money. This is great. 500g of turkey mince makes 4 burgers and our ground meat/mince usually comes in 500g packs in the UK. I use less mustard and Worcestershire sauce and omit the garlic for my own preference.
    Then I have burgers and buns in the freezer for an easy lunch whenever I fancy a burger. It’s easy, convenient, inexpensive and delicious. Thanks Lisa. x5 stars

  10. O my!! The best burgers I’ve ever eaten! Plus they’re healthy ❤️ I sub coconut aminos for the Worcestershire. My toddlers enjoyed it very much.5 stars

  11. Can I make this recipe with ground Chicken instead of Turkey. What fat percentage would I buy for the chicken?5 stars

    1. Hi Annette – yes, you can! If you’d like a similarly moist texture, opt for ground dark meat chicken. But ground chicken breast works as well!

  12. Good but maybe a little salty for me. I’d cut back salt to 1/2 tsp. because the Mayo, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce all gave salt.

  13. I made these for dinner last night. These are the most flavorful turkey burgers I have ever had. My family loved them! These will definitely be in my dinner rotation.5 stars

  14. These turkey burgers were sooo flavorful and delicious. I think they may be the best I’ve ever had. I also appreciated the video showing me how to make lettuce “buns” at home. Will definitely make these again.5 stars

  15. I do mine very similar to this, however sometimes I just want to be bad so I made it with cheese. Feta is my choice with turkey so I purchase the 99% to help with the calories and use a whipped feta dip I keep on hand for the household. I still add the spices, Mayo and mustard. The feta cheese gives it just the right zing. When feeling particularly spicy, I put in a jalapeño or whenever pepper I have on hand. Your Tzatziki sauce would be excellent on it!5 stars

    1. Ooh, loving the addition of feta and jalapeno. I’m going to have to do that myself next time. Thanks for sharing those tips, Jenifer!

  16. These legitimately are the best turkey burgers! I cooked these on the bbq, they had so much flavour. I’ve made them three times now and each time they were perfect. Thank you for such a delish recipe.5 stars

    1. Yay, so happy you loved them Sarah. And smart move to freeze those extras for the future! Your future-you will be happy, haha.

  17. I like the limited ingredients in this recipe. The flavor is decent and the burgers are fairly juicy.

    I had used the ground turkey from Costco and found the cooking time needed to be much longer than 6 minutes for my turkey patties. I chalked that up to each package being just slightly heavier than 1 LB, though, making my patties bigger.

    I will probably try this recipe again and add in the egg suggested as my pattie’s looked a little lop-sided/layered.3 stars

  18. Tonight’s dinner. Added the diced onion, topped with mozzarella cheese, and your mayo on toasted Ezekiel flaxseed bread. Patties were a little slimy at first but stayed together and turned out perfectly. Thanks!5 stars

    1. Yeah, the patties are definitely soft at first when you form them, but they fry up well and hold together! Glad you loved the recipe.

  19. I love these! I made my first batch today and enjoyed with a side salad. Best turkey burgers that I have ever tasted! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you!!5 stars

  20. again, your recipes don’t disappoint us! Was easy to make , was going to grill, decided to do it in a cast iron pan, Delicious. ! mayo and dijon hit the spot… that’s the difference this recipe!
    I added cut up fresh spinach for extra greens and iron! so so delicious… ;o)5 stars

  21. I was not sure about this recipe but WOW! My husband loved it and since I always make extra for meal later in the week, he had several more. Thank you for another amazing tested recipe Lisa!5 stars

  22. I did it! And on a cast iron. It turns out perfect and I have no issue as to flipping the patties. Now I want to have burgers everyday. Lol.5 stars

  23. These were juicy and delicious 😋 so full of flavor. I served them with mashed potatoes on the side and turkey gravy poured over both. I have made turkey burgers before, but they were very bland. These did not disappoint and will be on repeat.5 stars

  24. Hi Lisa,
    I think that you have some wonderful cooking ideas. I have used some of your recipes and they are delicious! I’ve also tried as well your meal prep suggestions. It makes things more convenient.
    I would like to know at what temperature would you recommend cooking turkey burgers in the over and for how long. I enjoy your viewing your website.
    Thanks
    Sheila

  25. These burgers were delicious! So easy to prepare too. These will definitely be a part of our summer meal routine. Thank you so much.5 stars

      1. You likely didn’t do anything wrong, the meat is quite soft, that’s normal. But as soon as you fry them up they hold together and stay extra juicy. Make sure to watch my video!

  26. This was the perfect recipe for a Friday night after a busy week. They are so yummy I might eat them every night, luckily there were leftovers 😋. The mayo makes for moist burgers and the dijon and worchestershire add just the right flavor.5 stars

  27. These turkey burgers were absolutely delicious and so simple to make!!! They were very moist and full of flavour and I love that it is made with common ingredients that I have on hand. I hate searching for ingredients I have never heard of before in the far reaches of the grocery store. These were perfect and I will be making them again and again. Thank you for another great recipe!!5 stars

    1. I’m so thrilled you loved them, Karen! And yes, you’ve gotta love that they’re made with simple ingredients. That’s how I roll! Haha. Enjoy!

  28. Lisa…can we air fry these turkey burgers? I would love to see more references to air frying appropriate recipes. Chris

    1. Yes, you can! Air fry them at 375F for about 12 to 15 min, flipping halfway. And I’ll keep that in mind for future recipes, thanks Chris!

      1. These were so yummy. Whole family loved them. I am going to make them again and double the batch to freeze. How do you recommend reheating them? My son is starting 2 a days football practice and love the idea of having these in the fridge to reheat for a snack after practice. Do you recommend microwave or skillet?5 stars

  29. Made this for dinner last night! My husband and I loved it! Truly the best turkey burgers we’ve had!

    Btw I also randomly pat burgers with the spatula after flipping them haha

    1. Wonderful, I’m so happy to hear that! And too funny on the patting. It’s those habits we don’t know we have until we see ourselves on video – ha!

  30. This was a perfect turkey burger recipe for the whole family. Even the pickiest eater should enjoy these burgers. I made the recipe with 99% lean ground turkey and the burgers were very moist. Served them over a salad. Will make again and again.5 stars

  31. Great recipe Lisa. Thanks I will do this recipe this coming Saturday!!!!! I have your book and I love your recipes.

  32. I love this recipe!!! My lettuce bun burgers were so juicy and full of flavor, just perfect! The best part is ground turkey is BOGO at Publix🤗5 stars

      1. WOW! These burgers are SO good!
        You are definitely my number one go-to when I’m looking for a delicious no-fail recipe!5 stars

  33. Omg!!! These look and sound amazing! Thanks for all your hard work! You have made gluten free so easy and every recipe I try my family loves!!