Juicy Turkey Burgers

This is our favorite homemade turkey burgers recipe! After years of trying boring and dry turkey burger recipes, we’ve finally nailed juicy turkey burgers consistently with this flavorful turkey burger recipe! So the next time you’re wanting to make a better-for-you burger, give these turkey burger patties a try on high quality burger buns with all of your favorite toppings. 

Especially in the summertime, I definitely find myself craving a good burger. And while I love traditional beef burgers as much as the next guy, I generally try to eat leaner proteins like chicken and turkey (or if you know me well, lean towards plant-based proteins from vegetarian meals since I spent a decade eating only veg). Enter this wonderfully juicy turkey burger recipe.

This is also a great recipe to whip up on busy weeknights too! We love serving these on a bun topped with a slice of cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard and a side of quick-pickled old-fashioned cucumber salad, some chips, and baked beans! This would also be fantastic with our Mediterranean Pasta Salad or Tortellini Pasta Salad for a summer BBQ. If you’re looking for a low-carb option, you can easily turn these into a yummy lettuce wrap turkey burger too!

Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Burgers

• Ground Turkey. For the most delicious turkey burgers you need a little fat. So instead of picking the ultra lean ground turkey, I recommend using a 93% lean, 7% fat variety so you have just enough fat to get a nice and juicy burger.
• Large Eggs. Eggs act as a binder in burgers, helping your patties stay together. They also add rich flavor too!
• Panko Bread Crumbs. Especially with leaner meats (like turkey), adding bread crumbs in addition to eggs really help hold the burger patties together.
• Salt, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Minced Garlic, and Fresh Basil. A simple seasoning blend flavor our burgers plus a bonus secret ingredient: fresh basil!

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Stove Top Turkey Burgers

Step 1: Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Gently mix together until a uniform meat mixture is created. We generally use our hands to do this, however, you can use utensils of your choice if desired.

Step 3: Divide the mixture in 6 equal portions (we eyeball it, but you can also use a scale to do this if preferred), and roll each into a ball.

Step 4: Flatten each ball into a turkey burger patty. As shown, we like to line a cutting board with parchment paper, place the turkey patties on top (usually in two rounds), add another layer of parchment and then gently press each turkey patty with another cutting board to create an even patty.

Step 5: Cook your turkey burger patties in a skillet or on a griddle on the stove over medium heat. Be sure to pre-heat your pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray before your start for best results. Burgers are ready when the middle of the patty reaches 165°F and the edges are golden brown. Each side will be cooked about 5 minutes per side.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy!

Turkey Burgers Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Replace the onion powder with fresh, finely diced onions. If you love adding onions to your burgers, you can definitely do this for this recipe too! Omit the onion powder and add finely diced yellow or white onion to your burger mix.

Switch your cooking method to make grilled turkey burgers!

We spent the summer testing and verifying that this recipe works well on the grill, and it does! Over medium to medium-high heat, you’ll cook your turkey burger patties about 6-7 minutes on each side (but be sure you temp them to confirm they’ve reached 165°F).

For best gilling results be sure to:

• Chill your burger patties for about 20 minutes for easier handling.
• Ensure your grill grates are cleaned (you can do this by scraping the grates with a wire brush after preheating your grill) .
• Grease or oil the grill grates before placing the turkey burger patties onto the grill to prevent sticking. You can do this by dipping a wadded-up piece of paper towel into an oil with a high smoke point (we like avocado oil or grapeseed oil best, canola oil can also be used), and gently wipe the oil across the hot grates with a long grilling tongs.
• Flip your burgers with a grill spatula in one swift movement. Since you’ve oiled the grates, you should be able to slide the spatula right under your burger patties.
• Don’t press down on your patties as they cook. This is especially important as turkey burgers get a bad rap for being dry… if you push down on the patties as they cook you’ll squeeze out all the juices, guaranteeing that they’ll end up dryer.

How to Store and Reheat Homemade Turkey Burgers

Cooked turkey burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. According to the USDA, burgers should be refrigerated promptly (within two hours at room temperature; or one hour if surrounding temperature is above 90 °F for those enjoying a summer outdoor meal). When reheating fully cooked patties, the internal temperature recommended to reach is a least 165 °F or until the point that it is hot and steaming. We generally microwave our leftovers, but you can also reheat in the over or on the stove if preferred.