This is the juiciest, most flavorful Turkey Burger you will ever have, which means it’s the one you’ll keep on making.
Let’s talk turkey. Ground turkey, that is. Lean ground turkey can be a good replacement for ground beef if you’re trying to be healthier because ground turkey has less saturated fat (the bad kind) and more polyunsaturated fat (the good kind). Unfortunately, it can be a bad replacement if we’re talking burgers… until now, that is: our recipe for turkey burgers is a game changer.
If you have any experience with turkey burgers, you know they can be really bland and awfully dry. These are the standard turkey burger complaints and they are legit. Because the meat is so lean, it has less flavor than ground beef burgers and dries out pretty quickly when exposed to high heat. Few things are as disappointing as biting into what you think is going to be a moist, juicy, flavorful burger only to find it dull and dry. But if you want to sub ground turkey for beef for health reasons or because you don’t eat red meat, you are going to fall in love with our turkey burger.
It’s all in the mix-ins. We add moisture by combining lean ground turkey with mayo, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire Sauce, which solves all of the old turkey burger problems: this trio gets deep into the meat, not only giving it bold, delicious flavor but also ensuring that each patty is tender and succulent. We recommend buying lean ground turkey, which can be made from both white and dark meat but is usually made with only white meat. Even if you buy extra-lean or ground turkey breast, this recipe will still result in savory and juicy burgers every time.
If you’re topping your turkey burgers with the traditional suspects—lettuce, tomato, cheese, and onions—as we suggest, then you should probably serve them with their most traditional side—French Fries! My family loves to dip their fries in Ranch Dressing, so I always make sure I have a batch made up on turkey burger night!
Tips for Perfect Turkey Burgers
There is an art to making sure your turkey burgers come out moist, juicy, flavorful, and in one piece (sometimes turkey burgers can fall apart during cooking). So, let’s get to it!
The first tip is to make sure that the mayo and Dijon mustard that you’ll be adding to the ground turkey is cold. Next, once all the ingredients are in the bowl, mix very, very gently and stop as soon as everything is incorporated: over-working this mix can lead to dry burgers. Once you’ve formed your patties, you can set them on a baking sheet and stick them in the fridge for half an hour if you have time: this isn’t mandatory, but it does help keep the patties intact once they hit the heat. Another way to keep the patties from crumbling during cooking is to make an indentation with your thumb in the center of each one. Be sure to preheat your pan or grill. And remove your turkey burgers from the heat as soon as their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees: it has to reach that temperature in order to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked, but you don’t want to overcook these burgers, either. Cooking the perfect turkey burger is an art, but just follow this simple recipe, and you’ll be a turkey burger master in no time!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices of cheddar cheese
- Sliced tomato
- Sliced red onion
- Lettuce leaves
How to Make Turkey Burgers
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients gently with your hands until well combined.
Step 3: Divide the turkey mixture into four equal portions and form each into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
Step 4: Preheat a grill or skillet over medium heat and lightly oil the surface.
Step 5: Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the patties are golden brown.
Step 6: Serve the patties on buns with a slice of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store
To prepare turkey burgers ahead of time, follow Steps 1 to 3 and store the uncooked patties in an airtight container with parchment paper in between them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Cooked and cooled turkey burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can Ground Chicken be Used in This Recipe Instead of Ground Turkey?
It certainly can. Chicken and turkey are similar, but they have different flavor profiles. That said, the ingredients we use in our turkey burger recipe go really well with ground chicken.
Can Turkey Burgers be Served Medium-Rare, Like Beef Burgers?
No, they really can’t. Turkey burgers need to be cooked all the way through to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure all of the potentially harmful bacteria are killed.
Serving Suggestions
While I am a lettuce-tomato-cheese-onion girl for sure (and usually add some Bread and Butter Pickle slices), sometimes I like to shake up my burger toppings (just to keep things interesting!). I love a turkey burger topped with cheddar cheese, sliced tomato, a Sunny-Side-Up Egg, some crispy Bacon, and this creamy, smoky Chipotle Sauce. Sometimes, I crave a crazy flavor combo and some crunch: this is when my turkey burger is joined in a bun (that has one half spread with Tomato Chutney and the other with homemade Boursin Cheese) by these crispy Onion Rings. So delicious. I’ve also been known to top turkey burgers with Pesto, Roasted Peppers, and Marinated Mozzarella.
I have two close friends who have sworn off bread so when I have them over, I cook up these delicious turkey burgers and serve them on top of salads. One friend loves turkey burgers on top of Kansas Chopped Salad with Peppercorn Ranch (I eat her portion of the delicious croutons that are part of this recipe), but the other one always asks me to make Lentil Salad because she likes the way the Dijon mustard in the dressing matches the Dijon in the turkey burger.
Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices of cheddar cheese
- Sliced tomato
- Sliced red onion
- Lettuce leaves
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix the ingredients gently with your hands until well combined.
- Divide the turkey mixture into four equal portions and form each into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
- Preheat a grill or skillet over medium heat and lightly oil the surface.
- Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the patties are golden brown.
- Serve the patties on buns with a slice of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
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