How To Make The Best Turkey Burgers

It’s time to shut down those old rumors and let everyone know that making a delicious burger out of ground turkey is possible. No more dried-up, flavorless burger patties. Trust me; these will be the best turkey burgers you have ever tasted! 

turkey burgers on a plate in the front and 3 on a platter in back

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I don’t mean to brag or anything, but I can make some mean turkey burgers! I first started my weight-loss journey back in 2010, and one of the first things I did to begin lowering my fat and calories was swapping out ground beef for ground turkey.

In the beginning, I wasn’t always as successful with making that swap. Often, I was left with dried-out meat, no flavor, and nobody in my household that would eat it.

However, I have learned many tips and tricks for getting the juiciest, most flavorful ground turkey burger over the years. Actually, I’ve become quite the expert in ground turkey recipes! 

Today, I’m going to show you how to make the best turkey burger recipe. If you have a turkey burger skeptic on your hands, then definitely make this recipe, and I bet you can change their mind! 

Once you have this recipe in your repertoire, here are some other turkey burger recipes to put on the summer grill menu – Greek Turkey Burgers, Buffalo Turkey Burgers, Italian Turkey Burger or Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Turkey Burgers.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Low carb, low fat, and high protein. Turkey burgers fill me up and keep me full. And, they taste great on their own without any bread. So, they are great options for a low-carb or keto diet.
  • Gluten-free. There are no breadcrumbs in this recipe.
  • Versatile. Turkey burgers are literally a blank canvas. You can add just about any flavor or ingredient to ground turkey and have endless recipe creations. It’s a great way to use up leftover sauces or other ingredients in the refrigerator and pantry.
  • Easy to meal prep. Turkey burgers only take about 5 minutes to mix up. You can make the patties ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill or freeze to have prepared for a future dinner. One of my favorite ways to meal prep turkey burgers is to make them entirely ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick heat and eat dinner. I’ll give more meal prep tips below.

Ingredients

The ingredients for ground turkey burger Pattis. Ground turkey, seasonings, cream, and Worcestershire sauce

Lean ground turkey – Before we get into any cooking techniques or seasonings, let’s start with the type of ground turkey that works best for making the juiciest turkey burger recipes.

When I choose ground turkey, I always look for the ground turkey with higher fat content – 90% lean and 10% fat. 

The higher the fat ratio, the juicier and more flavorful the turkey burgers will be. The leaner the meat, the less fat it has, which means the drier the burger will be.

When you’re making a turkey burger, you want more fat because you have to cook it thoroughly. You can’t cook turkey burgers medium or medium-rare, so it’s essential to have higher fat content or add fat into the ground turkey to make sure that it stays moist.

The next thing is you want to choose a ground turkey that has a coarse grind, not a finer one.

A coarser grind makes the burgers easier to handle when putting the mixture together and forming the patties. Ground turkey that has a finer grind tends to have more liquid and is a lot mushier. 

Not saying you can’t use this type of ground turkey for burgers, but the mixture will be harder to handle, so you might need to add a binder like eggs or breadcrumbs to form the patties. Also, if there is extra liquid in the turkey burger package, then make sure to drain that entirely before making the patties.

I prefer keeping the turkey burgers gluten-free, so I don’t like using a breadcrumb binder when making burgers. For this reason, I tend to purchase a coarser ground turkey.

I also purchase organic ground turkey when I can.

Organic ground turkey has fantastic flavor, great texture, and all the organic brands I’ve purchased come in a larger grind.

My favorite brands to purchase are Nature’s Rancher that I get from Whole Foods, Wegman’s organic turkey breast, and Butcher Box Online Meat Delivery. Butcher Box now has ground turkey, so I add at least four packages in every order.

Milk or heavy cream. This is my secret ingredient to moist, juicy turkey burgers. One tablespoon of milk or cream will add just enough fat to keep the ground turkey from drying out. I use this tip even when I’m making a healthy beef burger recipe. 

Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Ground turkey is super bland, so it needs spices to perk the flavor up. This is the seasoning blend I use to create a flavorful turkey burger.

Worcestershire sauce. This is another secret ingredient I use to add flavor to turkey burgers – it gives a meaty flavor that resembles a beef burger that everyone loves. 

FAQs

Is a turkey burger healthier than a hamburger?

Yes, a turkey burger has less saturated fat and calories than a beef burger, making it better for heart health and weight loss.

Is a turkey burger good for weight loss?

Absolutely! A turkey burger is low in fat and calories but high in protein. This means it will fill you up and keep you full without breaking the calorie bank. 

Of course, it’s essential to keep the toppings under control and use a low-carb option for the roll.

Why are my turkey burgers dry?

Dry turkey burgers are often the result of overcooking. The internal temperature needs to reach 165 degrees to be safe to eat. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure that you don’t overcook the turkey burgers.

As I said, adding milk or cream is a great way to prevent dry turkey burgers. 

How long to cook turkey burgers?

When a turkey burgers internal temperature reaches 165 degrees its done cooking and safe to eat. Cooking time can range depending on the temperature of the grill but, generally speaking, it takes about 5 minutes on each side to reach 165 degrees.

the best turkey burger recipe. A turkey burger on a whole wheat roll with sweet potato fries in the back.

Cooking Tips

Never push down on the burgers. This will squeeze all the juices out of the burger, and you’ll end up with a dry turkey burger.

Try only to flip the burgers once. Again, you don’t want to overcook the turkey burgers.

Let the burgers rest for a minute or so. This helps lock in all of the juices.

Use a meat thermometer. I highly recommend grabbing a meat thermometer to help get to the right temperature without overcooking. Turkey burgers need to have an internal temp of 165 to be safe to eat.

Don’t skip out on the Worcestershire sauce. This is hands down my secret ingredient to flavorful turkey burgers. I’ve been using this for YEARS, and it’s the best way to get a meaty, rich flavor.

Swap oil for cream. If you don’t have milk or cream or want to keep the burgers dairy-free, add a tablespoon of olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil.

Get creative with spices and flavor. A turkey burger is a blank canvas. You can spice it up with crushed red pepper or chipotle peppers or add some shredded cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce. Or give it a greek flair with feta and spinach. The ideas are endless!

How to Make Turkey Burgers

step by step collage showing exactly how to make a turkey burger recipe
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the lean ground turkey, spices, cream, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Divide the turkey meat into four sections and then form them into patties.
  • Heat the grill to medium-high heat and let it heat up for 5 minutes.
  • Place the turkey patties on the grill and cook for 5 minutes per side. 
  • Let the turkey burgers sit for 1-2 minutes, and then enjoy!

You can make the turkey burgers using an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. My favorite way to cook turkey burgers is indoors with my Lodge Cast Iron grill pan. I live in Buffalo, NY, so I don’t grill outside year-round, so having a grill pan is essential. I’ve used this grill pan for a long time, and it makes it very easy to cook turkey burgers and recipes like wraps, quesadillas, vegetables, and even steaks.

How to meal prep turkey burgers

I always love to have a couple of turkey burger patties meal prepped for a quick and easy dinner.

The meal prep I do most often is to make them entirely ahead of time and then store them in the refrigerator using a glass container. Then, I just heat the burgers throughout the week.

You can also make the patties ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator for 1-3 days, and then just cook them when ready to eat. I recommend putting parchment paper between the patties to stick together and are easier to handle.

Last, you can freeze burger patties raw. Simply make the patties and then place them between parchment paper and flash freeze on a baking sheet or pan. Then, put the patties into a freezer bag and freeze. My advice is to thaw the patties entirely before cooking on the grill so they cook evenly.

How to make the best turkey burgers

How to Make The Best Turkey Burgers

It’s time to shut down those old rumors and let everyone know that making a delicious burger out of ground turkey is possible. No more dried-up, flavorless burger patties. Trust me; these will be the best turkey burgers you have ever tasted! 

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner, dinner recipe

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best turkey burger recipe, how to make turkey burgers, turkey burger recipe, turkey burgers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

resting time: 3 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 193kcal

Author: Organize Yourself Skinny

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey 85% or 90% lean
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Instructions

  • In a large bowl mix together the ground turkey, seasonings, and milk.

  • Divide into 4 sections and then form into patties.

  • Heat grill to medium-high heat and let it heat up for 5 minutes.

  • Place the patties on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees when cooked completely.

  • Let the turkey burgers sit for 1-2 minutes and then enjoy.

Notes

How to meal prep turkey burgers

I always love to have a couple of turkey burger patties meal prepped for a quick and easy dinner. The meal prep I do most often is to make them entirely ahead of time and then store them in the refrigerator using a glass container. Then, I just heat the burgers throughout the week. You can also make the patties ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator for 1-3 days, and then just cook them when ready to eat. I recommend putting parchment paper between the patties to stick together and are easier to handle. Last, you can freeze turkey burger patties raw. Simply make the patties and then place them between parchment paper and flash freeze on a baking sheet or pan. Then, put the patties into a freezer bag and freeze. My advice is to thaw the patties entirely before cooking on the grill so they cook evenly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 401mg

Have you tried the Best Turkey Burger Recipe? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it!

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