Turkey Burgers
This quick and easy Turkey Burgers recipe always yields the most tender and juicy results! There’s the perfect mix of ingredients to make the burgers flavorful and juicy. These patties are a leaner alternative to beef that don’t sacrifice any flavor!
Sink your teeth into more of my favorite burger recipes like Classic Burgers and Chicken Burgers.
Table of Contents
Turkey is a pretty lean meat, which means most turkey patties turn out fairly dry. Not my turkey burgers though! I’ve had too many turkey burgers in my life where you have to pile sauce mile high just to be able to chew it. Dry burgers are not pleasant and that’s why I’ve tested out several little tricks to make it juicy and tender.
These easy to make turkey burgers are perfect for both weeknight dinners and summertime backyard barbecues alike! You only need about 10 minutes of prep time and another 20 minutes to cook them, so it’s a great recipe for when you need something quick.
You can also top off these burgers with all of your favorite fixings, just like you would a beef patty. Brioche or pretzel buns are my usual go-to buns depending on what toppings I’m craving. Brioche is a light and slightly sweet bun and goes great with a simple lettuce, tomato, and onion toppings. For a richer, more filling option, I use a pretzel bun and add cheese, mushrooms, onions, and bacon.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Turkey – Don’t choose turkey meat that is too lean. There is extra lean ground turkey on the market – do not get those for burgers! Fat is what adds juiciness to the meat, so select ground turkey that is no leaner than 93%-7% lean to fat ratio.
Bread Soaked in Milk – I use wet bread slices in my turkey burgers as well as meatballs because it gives the best results. Breadcrumbs also work, but don’t provide the same moisture.
Parmesan Cheese – Grated parmesan cheese is great for enhancing the flavor and making these burgers juicier. Parmesan is not really noticeable in the burger because it doesn’t take over the flavor, but it’s just subtle enough to really take the patty to the next level.
Fresh Herbs – Just a little bit of dill weed and parsley adds a nice herbaceous note to the burgers without overpowering the overall flavor.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Turkey Burgers
Soak the bread. Before you combine the ingredients, place the slices of bread into a wide, shallow bowl and pour milk over it. Let the bread soak up the milk.
Squeeze and crumble the bread. Combine all of the ingredients except for the bread in a large bowl. Squeeze most of the milk out of bread slices, then crumble the bread as finely as you can, then add it to the bowl with the other ingredients (1).
Create the patties. Mix all ingredients together until combined (2). Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, then shape the burger patties and place them there (3).
You can make them on your stove top. Preheat a large pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook the turkey patties for about 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the burgers (4).
Or, you can grill them. Spray the patties with oil on both sides, not the grill! Set the coals far away from the grill gate, then cook the burgers for about 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through.
PRO TIP: Since turkey burgers are much softer than beef hamburgers, use a vegetable grilling basket with finer grate to cook the turkey burgers on the grill.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! To make gluten-free turkey burgers, use gluten-free bread in the patty mixture. My favorite gluten-free bread is Schar artisan white because it seems to resemble regular bread the closest. Give it a few extra minutes to soak because gluten-free bread is usually on the denser side.
Store your leftover turkey burgers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days. Reheat them easily in a microwave. Just make sure to cover the plate with a microwave lid or another plate. You can also reheat your leftovers in a pan over medium-low heat. Cover the pan with a lid while reheating.
The term “healthy” is subjective since everyone has different dietary needs. With that being said, I do consider turkey to be a healthier protein than most others like ground beef because it’s leaner and has less saturated fat.
If ground turkey works well with your diet too, try out my favorite Avocado Turkey Tacos!
How to Freeze Turkey Burgers
To freeze turkey burgers, mix the ingredients together and shape the burger patties. Place those patties on a rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment paper and pop it in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Stack the patties in twos with sheets of parchment paper in between and place them inside a freezer bag. You can freeze all of the burgers at the same time or portion them in several smaller freezer bags. Get the air out of the bags, seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw burgers, simply place the frozen patties on a plate, cover it, and slow-thaw it in the refrigerator.
More Burger Recipes to Try
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Turkey Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground turkey 93% – 7% lean
- 2 eggs
- 2 slices of bread
- 1/2 cup whole milk (can use alternatives if needed)
- 1 Vidalia onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- fresh cracked black pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Before combining the ingredients together, place slices of bread into a wide, shallow bowl and pour milk over it. Let bread soak up the milk.
- Combine all ingredients except the bread in a large mixing bowl. Squeeze out most of the milk out of bread slices and crumble the bread as finely as you can. Crumbling it will ensure that bread is spread evenly throughout. (Discard squeezed out milk.)
- Mix all ingredients together until combined.
- Cover a baking sheet or a large cutting board with parchment paper and shape the burger patties.
Cooking on stove-top:
- Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook turkey burgers for 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the burgers.
Grilling turkey burgers:
- Since turkey burgers are much softer than beef hamburgers, use a vegetable grilling basket with finer grate to cook the turkey burgers on the grill.
- Make sure to spray the burger patties with oil on booth sides, not the grill. Set the coals the furthest away from the grill grate so the burgers don’t cook too fast on the outside.
- Cook turkey burgers on the grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the patties.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free: To make gluten-free turkey burgers, use gluten-free bread in the patty mixture. My favorite gluten-free bread is Schar artisan white because it seems to resemble regular bread the closest but you can use why one you like. Give it a few extra minutes to soak because gluten-free bread is usually on the denser side.
- Storing: Store your leftover turkey burgers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days. Reheat them easily in a microwave. Just make sure to cover the plate with a microwave lid or another plate. You can also reheat your leftovers in a pan over medium-low heat. Cover the pan with a lid while reheating.
- Freezing – there are detailed instructions on how to freeze turkey burgers within the post! Please see the post.
Nutrition
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Hi! Can I cook these in the oven? Do you have instructions? Thanks 🙂
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made these! My go to recipe and everyone, including all the grandkids, loves them. I make the whole recipe, divide on a wax paper layered cookie sheet and freeze solid then wrap and transfer to a ziplock and put in the freezer. Makes 14 patties, so 7 ready meals for the two of us. They are delicious and healthy. I have herbs in my garden but my dill bolted so I sub basil and still fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the turkey burgers! I’m delighted to hear that they’ve become a go-to recipe for you and your family, especially the grandkids. Freezing the patties for easy meals is such a smart idea, and I love how you’ve adapted the recipe with basil from your garden—sounds delicious! Thanks again for your lovely comment!
Hi Perl,
You could use dairy-free cheese there is a brand called Follow Your Heart that has dry parmesan cheese that I like but you could use whatever brand is your favorite. You can also use your favorite dairy-free milk as well. If you go up to the recipe card to the notes I go over how to make it with gluten-free. I hope this helps!
Absolutely the BEST turkey burger recipe I’ve made. The burgers are so juicy and full of flavor. I make them at least twice a month. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow! Thank you so much, Bev!
Hi,
This looks great. Do u have recommendations for making it dairy free (no cheese or milk)?
And can you recommend a substitute for bread that is gluten free ?
Thanks