These turkey burgers are one of our go-to easy dinner ideas! They’re juicy, flavorful and perfect for cooking on the grill, on the stove, in the oven or in the air fryer.
Forget store-bought turkey burger patties, these are so much tastier! Serve them on brioche buns or in lettuce wraps with your favorite burger toppings.
I can always count on this turkey burger recipe to be a major dinner win in my house! They’re a kid-approved dinner recipe that Brad and I love as well. Plus, they’re so easy! We prep a quick Green Salad or make a batch of Baked Sweet Potato Fries to serve on the side and dinner is done.
Try my Greek Turkey Burgers or Air Fryer Turkey Burgers next!
Why You’ll Love this Turkey Burger Recipe
- Year-round favorite. In the summer, we love to grill these turkey burgers on our outdoor grill and enjoy them with a refreshing glass of Lemonade and a crisp Greek Salad. In the winter, these turkey burgers still find their way onto our menu. They cook up perfectly on the stove or in the oven or air fryer.
- Lighter than a classic beef burger. This turkey burger recipe is one of our favorite ground turkey recipes because it calls for just a few simple ingredients. My turkey burger seasoning is made with a few pantry spices and brings mouthwatering flavor to these healthier burgers.
- They’re juicy and flavorful. Turkey burgers have a reputation for being dry, but a few simple ingredients in this turkey burger recipe ensure that these cook up perfectly juicy and full of flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients for this turkey burger recipe, along with substitution options.
- Ground Turkey: I like to use 93% lean ground turkey. Any leaner and you are pretty much guaranteed that your burgers will turn out dry. I’ve found that some brands of ground turkey are more moist and sticky than others, so I recommend testing different brands until you find one that isn’t too wet, especially if you plan to cook your burgers on the grill. (But I do have some grilling success tips for you below!)
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped parsley adds fresh flavor to the turkey burgers. You can omit it if you don’t have parsley on hand, or try another herb, such as fresh dill.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This is optional, but it adds a delicious depth of flavor. If you need your turkey burgers to be gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and serve the burgers in lettuce wraps or on gluten-free buns.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper add flavor.
- Egg: With turkey burger recipes it can be tricky to make a burger that is moist and juicy because ground turkey tends to be dryer than beef. The egg adds moisture for juicy burgers and also helps to bind the ground turkey mixture together.
What can I use instead of an egg?
If you’re looking for an egg alternative, you can use one of these to add moisture to turkey burgers:
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini (squeezed of excess moisture)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (use vegan mayo for egg-free burgers)
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Make Turkey Burgers
Plus, my best tips for making this easy recipe!
Make turkey mixture. First mix together the egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Then add the ground turkey and mix until just combined. If the mixture seems too moist and sticky, you can add a few tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs to soak up the excess moisture.
Shape patties. Divide the turkey mixture into 4 equal parts. Shape each part first into a round ball, then flatten into patties that are about 1/2-inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make a slight indentation. This helps to prevent the burgers from puffing up in the center as they cook.
Cook burgers. You’ll find full cooking instructions for the grill, stove, oven and air fryer in the recipe card below.
Grilling Tip:
To keep turkey burgers from falling apart on the grill, you can freeze the patties for 30 minutes before grilling to firm them up. Place them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper, then freeze. As an alternative, cook delicate burger patties in the oven or in a skillet.
Serve, on hamburger buns or wrapped in lettuce leaves with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, red onion, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce or mayo – or whichever toppings you like best!
How to Freeze Turkey Burgers
I love to meal prep a big batch of turkey burger patties and freeze them (before cooking) for quick meals on busy days. I partially thaw the burgers for a few hours in the refrigerator before cooking them. This way, the burgers cook evenly and hold their shape on the grill.
The easiest way to get the burger patties to freeze flat is to first flash freeze the burgers on burger-sized squares of parchment paper in a single layer on a baking sheet or baking dish. Once the patties are frozen through, stack them, with the parchment squares in between, and place them in a zip-top bag or other airtight storage container. You can store frozen turkey burger patties in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Turkey Burgers
Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to go with turkey burgers:
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Best Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey
- olive oil or other vegetable oil, for cooking
For Serving:
- burger buns, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado or guacamole, ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, etc., as desired
Instructions
- Place egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with a fork to combine.
- Add the ground turkey to the bowl and mix gently with the fork until just combined, being careful to not overwork the meat.
- Divide the turkey mixture into 4 equal parts and shape into patties that are about 1/2-inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make a slight indentation. This helps to prevent the burgers from puffing up in the center as they cook.
To Cook Turkey Burgers on the Grill:
- Freeze turkey burger patties in a single layer in a baking dish lined with parchment paper for 30 minutes to help them hold together on the grill.
- Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill with clean grill grates to medium-high heat. Oil the grill grates well to keep the burgers from sticking.
- Cook burgers about 5-6 minutes per side until cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. Do not flip the burgers too early when cooking on the first side or they may fall apart.
To Cook Turkey Burgers on the Stove:
- Heat a grill pan or skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and spread it around.
- When the pan is hot, place the turkey burger patties in the pan. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. The burgers should release fairly easily from the pan when they are ready to flip to the second side.
To Cook Turkey Burgers in the Oven:
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place turkey burger patties on the pan.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes. Turkey burgers are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165° F.
To Cook in the Air Fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380° F for 5 minutes. Place burgers in a single layer in the air fryer basket (cook in batches if needed). Cook at 380° F for 6 minutes. Then flip them over and cook for 5-7 more minutes, until they are cooked through. Burgers should be cooked to 165° F in the center.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh onion and garlic for the onion powder and garlic powder. Chop/mince them finely and use 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic.
- To Freeze: Place uncooked patties on burger-sized squares of parchment paper in a single layer on a baking sheet or baking dish and freeze. Once the patties are frozen through, stack them, with the parchment squares in between, and place them in a zip-top bag or other airtight storage container. You can store frozen turkey burger patties in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, partially thaw burgers for a few hours in the fridge before cooking them. This helps them to cook evenly.
I originally shared this recipe in June 2019. Post updated July 2021 and July 2025 with new photos and more helpful tips.
I look forward to trying this recipe for turkey burgers. Usually, I make them with some chopped green onions & blue cheese mixed in to the burger. And I prefer it without a bun. This recipe sounds like juicy deliciousness. Yum!
Thank you, Teresa! Blue cheese and green onions sound delicious!
I don’t have any ground turkey on hand, but I do have some ground pork. Do you think the flavors would turn out similar to the original recipe if I made the switch?
I haven’t tried this recipe with ground pork. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
How many pounds does the recipe match?
This recipe uses 1 pound of ground turkey to make 4 burgers.
Great recipe! As is, the mixture seemed really wet at first so I added some breadcrumbs and it turned out really well. Will definitely make again.
Turned out great. Because I didn’t have fresh parsley, dried onion or wocestershire sauce I substituted cilantro, chopped onion and vegetable broth