This Turkey Burger is super moist, incredibly flavorful, and guaranteed to be become a summer barbecue staple! They’re also incredibly easy to make using simple ingredients.. and delicious enough to even make the beef-eaters happy!
Why We Love This Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients for Turkey Burgers:
- Ground Turkey– Go for a higher fat content than you might usually buy when making turkey burgers. This will help keep your burgers nice and juicy. Look for an 80-90% lean ground turkey.
- Bread Crumbs– We used panko breadcrumbs.
- Cheddar Cheese– We used freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese. You could also use another cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Gouda, or
- Egg– An egg will help to bind the mixture and keep your patties from falling apart.
- Minced Garlic– We used fresh minced garlic, but you could also use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if you prefer.
- Onion Powder– Adds nice flavor to your turkey burgers.
- Salt & Pepper– Taste to season.
How to Make the Best Turkey Burgers:
- Combine the turkey mixture. Add all of the turkey ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Stir well to thoroughly combine. I like to use my hands!
- Shape into patties. Divide your mixture into six equal portions, or more if making sliders. Gently pat into patties, large enough to fit your buns. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet. With your thumb, press a small divot into the middle of each patty; this will prevent the patty from shrinking on the grill.
- Chill. This step isn’t necessary, but it will help your patties to hold their shape better on the grill. If you can, allow them to chill for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- Grill. Place your turkey patties on a 450 degree preheated grill. Cook for 4-6 minutes before flipping. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Avoid pressing the patties flat with your spatula, or flipping multiple times.
- Serve. Remove the patties from the grill onto a clean plate. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles if desired.
- Enjoy!
Turkey or Beef?
While we get this question a lot, it’s sometimes a tough one to answer. Food science is forever evolving and what we decided was unhealthy years ago, may not be as bad as we once thought. With that said, comparing ground beef to ground turkey really isn’t a fair comparison. Depending on where the meat was obtained from the animal, the nutrition content can vary. You can have lean ground beef and full fat ground turkey and the ground beef would be considered healthier. The nutrition profile also changes depending on what the animal is fed. Free range cows, able to graze on grass has healthier meat than an animal under stress that is only fed corn.
With that said, it’s a personal choice whether your family will consume ground beef or ground turkey. For our family, I like to have both. The bigger variety of foods in our diet, the less likely the kids are going to be picky. I like to be able to give them a variety of tastes, flavors, and textures of food to expand their palate.
Tips & Suggestions
How do you keep turkey burgers from falling apart?
Turkey burgers have a tendency to fall apart, due to their higher moisture content. We added bread crumbs to the mixture to help absorb the moisture. The egg also acts as a binder. Additionally, allowing the shaped patties to chill before cooking will help them hold their shape.
What makes these turkey burgers moist and flavorful?
There are a few things you can do to prevent dry, flavorless turkey burgers! First, avoid buying an extra lean ground turkey. The extra fat content will help give you a juicier burger, so shoot for 80-90% lean ground turkey. Second, we added shredded cheese to our burger mix. This not only helps add additional moisture to your burgers, but flavor too! You can experiment with different cheeses for a different flavor profile.
What toppings should I put on my turkey burgers?
You can stick to the classic burger toppings, like we did here. Or- try something new! Here are just a few suggestions of tasty turkey burger toppings:
- Sliced Avocado and Pepper Jack Cheese
- Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Grilled Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese
- Caramelized Onions and Bacon
- Cranberry Sauce, Sliced Gouda and Romaine
- BBQ Sauce and Cheddar Cheese
- Cabbage Slaw
- Mozzarella and Pizza Sauce
- Roasted Red Peppers, Arugula & Tzatziki Sauce
More Delicious Turkey Recipes to Try:
Turkey Burgers
This Turkey Burger is super moist, incredibly flavorful, and guaranteed to be become a summer barbecue staple! They’re also incredibly easy to make using simple ingredients.. and delicious enough to even make the beef-eaters happy!
Servings: 6 burgers
Calories: 201kcal
Burgers
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs or panko
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Serving Suggestions
- 6 fresh hamburger buns
- sliced tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, thinly sliced onion, jalapeno rings, sliced cheddar cheese, mustard, ketchup
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Heat your grill to medium-high heat. (450℉) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, add all of the burger ingredients. Mix together with clean hands (or wear gloves) until well combined.
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Divide the turkey mixture into six equal portions and form them into patties. Make them about the size needed to fit on your buns your are serving them with. Place the patties onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. With your thumb, press a small divot into the middle of each patty; this will prevent the patty from shrinking on the grill.
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If you have time, you can let the patties chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to help prevent them from falling apart on the grill.
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Grill the turkey burgers for 4 to 6 minutes on one side, then gently flip them and cook for another 4-5 minutes. At this point, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. They should have an internal temperature of 165º F at the thickest part of the burger. If the temp isn’t there yet, flip the burgers once more and cook for another minute or two.
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When the burgers are done, remove from the grill onto a clean plate or baking sheet, cover with foil, and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
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Serve burgers on buns topped with your favorite burger toppings.
Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 373mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I’m a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.