The BEST Turkey Burgers!

Looking for the BEST healthy turkey burger recipe? Look no further — this recipe is easy, fast, and is FULL of flavor!

UPDATE: This tasty post has had a facelift…but the recipe hasn’t changed and remains delicious as always!

With Memorial Day this weekend, I know you have plans for some fun in the sun! ☀︎ Whether it’s a cookout with friends, relaxing on the beach, or hitting up a few parties, I’m sure you will be out enjoying the sunshine.

And no summer holiday is complete without some burgers!

This easy turkey burger recipe is to die for!! They are the perfect base for literally ANY kind of burger you want!

How to Make Turkey Burger Patties:

These healthy and juicy turkey burgers are incredibly easy to make. I used 94% fat-free ground turkey and spices and that’s it. No need for breadcrumbs or eggs or any of that — they are drool-worthy without all that added stuff.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Then you’ll want to make sure you have any ingredients you’ll need for topping or serving. 

Equipment + Tools

Depending on how you choose to cook your turkey burgers, you don’t need much equipment at all.

For prepping you will need:

• A large mixing bowl
• and a measuring spoon set
• a large plate or cooking sheet

For cooking:

• an instant read thermometer
• for the grill: jut a grill spatula
• for the stovetop: a large sauté pan
• for the oven: a baking sheet
• for the air fryer: all you need is your air fryer!

If you will be freezing:

• parchment paper 
• air-tight ziplock bags

Cooking Tips

Cooking on the Grill

Preheat grill to high (or about 400°F) and clean your grill grates. To grease the grill, lightly drizzle a paper towel with avocado oil (it has a high smoke point at 520°F, learn more about healthy cooking oils), and using tongs carefully rub over the grates until coated with oil. Place the turkey burgers in the grill and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Flip the patties, cover and cook and additional 4-5 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Cooking on the Stove

Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat and preheat oven to 350°F. Drizzle avocado oil to the pan and allow to heat for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the burgers and don’t move them until the bottom side of each is browned and crusted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook 3 more minutes, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook in the oven for another 7-9 minutes, or until internal temperature reached 165°F.

Cooking in the Oven

Yes, you can cook burgers in the oven. First preheat the oven to 375°F, and drizzle a baking sheet with avocado oil. Place your burgers on the prepared baking sheet and pop it in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. **You can optionally, sear the burgers for 1-2 minutes per side in a medium-high heated skillet to quickly brown each side.

Cooking in the Air Fryer

Yes, you totally can cook turkey burgers in the air fryer and it is amazing! Preheat your air fryer to 360°F for about 3 minutes. Place your burgers in the air fryer basket, making sure they don’t overlap or touch. Cook for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How to Meal Prep Turkey Burgers

Make ahead and storage

Turkey burgers are great for meal prepping because they are perfectly portioned protein, and can be used in countless ways. 

This recipe makes four 4-ounce burgers, and depending on how many you are cooking for you can double or even triple this recipe very easily without any extra work.

There are two ways to meal prep turkey burgers.

First you can mix all you ingredients together and form you patties, then store the raw patties in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. This is best to save time if you know the night before that you need to throw dinner together quickly the next day.

Or you can completely cook the burgers and store them cooked in the fridge. It’s best not to add any toppings or assemble your burger, just store them as burgers. To store after cooking, just allow the burgers to cool completely to room temperature and store in an airtight container.

To reheat, just microwave for one to one and half minutes or until heated all the way through. Assemble as you normally would, or use as desired.

How to Freeze Turkey Burgers

If you like meal prepping and filling your freezer, turkey burgers are a great option to have stocked up for hectic days.

To freeze turkey burgers simply make your burgers up to the point of when you would cook them. Then transfer the burgers to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and flash freeze for one hour. 

Once frozen, transfer the patties to an air-tight ziplock or container, separated by pieces of parchment paper. Once you are ready to eat them, you can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then cook as desired, OR you can even cook them from frozen.

You can cook frozen just as you would normally, you may just need a little longer cooking time, and ALWAYS check the internal temperature of you burger after cooking to ensure it is at 165°F.

Ideas for Using Leftover Turkey Burgers

You can of course have leftover turkey burgers as regular burgers on a bun. But you can also enjoy them in many other ways as well.

They taste amazing on a bed of greens as protein for a salad. Just top a burger on your favorite salad and drizzle with some homemade dressing.

You can also crumble up half a burger and sprinkle it in an omelette.

You can even make a Balance Bowl (or macro bowl) with some quinoa and veggies, add in a healthy fat or dressing and enjoy a completely balanced meal.

What Toppings should You Put on Your Turkey Burger?

You can use any toppings that you normally would for a beef burger. Lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise, avocado, maybe some bbq sauce…It all tastes amazing!

Only want cheese? No problem. Want to get a little creative? Top it with some grilled pineapple, or maybe a slice of nitrate-free bacon. Or, if you want a little mexican flair…top it with some guac and salsa! YUM!

Whether you’re a Plain Jane or you want a fully-loaded burger, THIS is the healthy burger for you!

Personally, I’m a Plain Jane — I usually use one of my favorite healthy ingredient swaps and serve mine with an Ezekiel bun to lower the glycemic index. I also use sharp cheddar or Provolone as a healthier cheese than regular American cheese (which by the way if you ever look at the ingredients..it’s not even really cheese…yuck!). 

You can also serve your burger on some lettuce leaves instead of a hamburger bun for a lower carb option, or top it on a salad. 

But get creative — the sky is the limit!

Tasty Turkey Burger Variations to Try:

There are so many ways that you can adapt these burgers to almost any flavor you’re craving. These are a few variations you may enjoy!

• Make it Spicy: Finely chop a jalapeño (with or without seeds) and mix it in with the remaining ingredients.
• Buffalo Burger: Add in a tablespoon (or your desired amount) of hot sauce to the ingredients. Top with bleu cheese dip or ranch dip.
• Bleu Turkey Burger: Mix in 1/4 cup of bleu cheese crumbles in with the ground turkey ingredients.  
• Veggie Turkey Burger: Add in a cup or two of spinach while mixing all of your ingredients together for a little additional veggies.
• Asian Burger: Add in 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce and 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger to the ingredients.

What to Serve with Turkey Burgers

We love having our turkey burgers with these crispy sweet potato fries, or some delicious healthier potato salad (made with greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise). 

For BBQ’s you can always serve with a simple garden salad or a bean salad like this Freekeh Cowgirl Salad.

It would also be amazing with a curried couscous or some simple roasted vegetables in the oven or caramelized on the grill.

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What healthy topping are you going to put on your turkey burger?