Homemade Turkey Burgers
Meet your newest, juiciest, healthy bff - the turkey burger. Turkey burgers are awesome alternatives to your standard beef burger. Packed with flavor, loaded with lean protein, and quickly cooked stove top, it’s a no brainer!
This is the Best Turkey Burger Recipe!
These turkey burgers are a go-to in our house. They are great for meal-prep, quick lunch, or a Friday night date night! Enjoy them “naked” on top of crunchy lettuce, on top of a salad, inside a burger bowl with fresh ingredients, or just sandwiched between your favorite bun.
I like to use semi-lean ground turkey (85% fat). The trick is to add in your own healthy fats to take the juicy factor up a notch. Think rich olive oil, or smooth avocado oil, or some macadamia nut oil if you’re feeling fancy. The spices are also key here. I love adding nutritional yeast* into my savory recipes if you haven’t noticed. Throw in some fresh black pepper, paprika, and a little sea salt and you’ve got yourself a SUPER easy, flavorful burger ladies and gents!
Healthy Turkey Burger Recipe Ingredients
- Ground turkey - I prefer 85% lean which will ensure a juicy flavorful burger.
- Olive oil - this provides some natural fat to keep the burger juicy. You can also use avocado oil or another neutral oil.
- Onion - adds some savory flavor and a little crunch.
- Egg - this helps bind the ingredients together.
- Coconut aminos - adds a pop of flavor. Swap with worcestershire sauce if needed.
- Almond flour - just a little is used to help bind the ingredients together and also add a little more fat to the patties.
Turkey Burger Seasoning
A little garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper are the perfect seasoning blend for turkey burgers.
How to Make Healthy Turkey Burgers
Step 1 - Add all the burger ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Make sure to break up any large chunks of meat.
Step 2 - Use a large cookie scoop or spoon to scoop the patties into balls. Use your hands to shape the patties into hockey pucks. Set aside on a plate.
Step 3 - When ready to cook, grease the grill or a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium.
Step 4 - Place the patties on the heat and allow them to cook for 3 - 4 minutes before filling them over to cook for another 2 - 3 minutes until they are cooked all the way through.
Step 5 - Serve the turkey burgers warm on top of a burger bun with toppings and enjoy!
How long to Cook Turkey Burgers
Depending on the heat of your grill or pan, a turkey burger can take 5 - 8 minutes. It’s best to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the patties to confirm they’re cooked all the way through. See below for internal temperatures.
Internal temp for Turkey Burgers
Like most poultry, you want to make sure your turkey burgers are cooked all the way through. I recommend pulling them off the grill or pan at 160 F as they will rise another 5 degrees on the plate.
Tips for making Ground Turkey Burgers
- Use a ground turkey that has some fat to it (I wouldn’t go leaner than 95%). Turkey is already a very lean meat and you need some fat to help make the burger juicy and not tough.
- Mix the ingredients well. You don’t want a giant clump of almond flour in one burger and none in another.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to make sure the burgers are the same size. You can also use a food scale to measure them out accordingly.
- High a high heat so the outter edges of the burger get crispy while cooking.
- A meat thermometer is a must to ensure the burgers are cooked all the way through (165 F). If you don’t have one, cut open one of the burgers to make sure it’s white all the way through.
Homemade Turkey Burgers recipe variations
There are so many ways to make these burgers your own!
- Add ½ feta to the burger mixture. This is one of my favorite ways to change up a burger (it’s very popular in my chicken burgers).
- For an extra pop of heat, add some finely died jalapeños to the burger mixture.
- You can also change up the toppings and do something off-the-beaten-path like hummus or tzatziki spreads.
Turkey Burgers Recipe FAQs
This depends on your definition of healthy. Turkey is a leaner meat compared to beef so many people find turkey burgers to be a lower fat and lower calorie choice.
An egg and almond flour are used in this recipe to help bind everything together.
I prefer to cook turkey burgers fresh which ensures optimal flavor and juiciness.
Recipe
Healthy Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
For the burger
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos - or worcheshire sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup white onion - diced
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Toppings (optional)
- Whole wheat buns
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Tomato
- Lettuce
Instructions
- Add all the burger ingredients in a bowl and mix well to incorporate the ingredients into the ground turkey. It’s best to mix with a large spoon or use your hands if you don’t mind getting messy.1 lb ground chicken, 1 teaspoon coconut aminos, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup white onion, ¼ cup almond flour, ½ teaspoon italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Use a large ice cream scoop to form the turkey mixture into a large ball. Use your hands to pat it down into a patty shape about the size of your palm. Set the uncooked patties in a baking pan or on a plate.
- When ready to cook preheat the grill to medium-heat (about 350 F). Cook the burgers for 3 - 4 minutes per side until the internal temperature has reached 165 F.
- Assemble the burgers on buns with spreads and toppings of your choice and enjoy!Whole wheat buns, Ketchup, Mustard, Tomato, Lettuce
