This turkey burger is so juicy and tasty that you may not want to go back to beef! Featuring freshly chopped veggies and herbs, this turkey burger packs a nutritious AND delicious punch.
Whether you're trying to eat less red meat or you just like to mix things up from the usual hamburger routine, this turkey burger recipe will not disappoint! Its minced red pepper, onions and garlic along with fresh scallions and herbs give this easy recipe a restaurant quality flavor but with minimal effort required.
I you need some side dish ideas for your burgers, I love this Asian sautéed Swiss chard, this red potato salad with dill, this jicama coleslaw or jicama fries, or this Caprese chopped salad. Or, top your burgers off with some homemade garlic aioli or mango salsa.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Takes less than 30 minutes to make
- Great way to sneak veggies into your burgers
- No grill necessary; stove top and oven baked instructions included
- Delicious burger alternative if you're trying to cut down on red meat
- Kid-tested and highly approved
🌿 Ingredients
I wanted to keep things as fresh as possible in this burger recipe, with chopped veggies and herbs to make the flavors really pop. All of these ingredients should be available at any large grocery store. Use dark ground turkey to make your burger even juicier.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
First, wash and dice the red pepper and onion, mince the garlic, thinly slice the white and light green parts of the scallions, and chop a few sprigs of parsley.
Then, place your ground turkey and some olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, and then mix everything so that it's well combined.
Pro tip: I like to start mixing with a spoon and then switch to my hands to mix, to ensure that everything incorporates really well.
Next, divide the turkey mixture into four even sections forming each into a burger. Keep in mind that turkey burgers will shrink a bit as they cook, so it's perfectly normal to start with what seem like oversized burgers.
For stove top turkey burgers
To cook turkey patties on the stove, add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet and warm to medium-high heat.Cook your burgers for 4-5 minutes on the first side or until the bottom sides brown nicely.
Finally, flip the burgers and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The other side should be nice and brown now as well, and the middle of the burger should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Making turkey burgers in the oven
If you'd prefer to make oven baked turkey burgers, no problem! First grease a baking dish with olive oil. Then, bake your patties at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Plate your burgers with your favorite buns, lettuce, red onion and any other toppings you'd like.
📋 Substitutions
These turkey burgers are naturally gluten free, dairy free and egg free. Feel free to make any of the following substitutions as necessary:
- Red pepper - use orange, yellow or green pepper, or just leave out and use a little extra onion
- Red onion - use yellow or white onion
- Garlic - use a little garlic powder if you don't have any fresh garlic on hand
- Scallions - use chives, leeks or just leave out and use a little extra onion
- Parsley - use some dried parsley if you don't have fresh on hand
- Ground turkey - use ground chicken or ground beef (you can also make turkey and beef burgers by using half of each)
- Olive oil - use avocado or canola oil
- Apple cider vinegar - use white vinegar
- Brown sugar - use coconut sugar or white sugar
- Dried oregano - use dried basil, parsley or Italian seasoning
📖 Variations
To mix things up a little, feel free to try any of these delicious turkey burger variations:
- Spicy - add some red chili pepper flakes or a little cayenne powder
- Deluxe - add guacamole, bacon, sliced cheese or sautéed mushrooms to top your burger
- Kid friendly - top with ketchup and pickles and serve with French fries or tater tots
🔪 Equipment
Here is the equipment you'll need to make homemade turkey burgers:
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- metal spatula
- large skillet (for pan fried burgers)
- 2-quart baking dish (for oven baked burgers)
🍱 Storage
Turkey burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
🎉 Top tip
My #1 tip for this recipe would be to use dark ground turkey meat rather than ground turkey breast. Your burgers will be so much juicier and hold together perfectly just like a hamburger.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
You can top turkey burgers with anything you'd normally top beef hamburgers with such as cheese, mushrooms, sliced avocado or BBQ sauce.
Good turkey patty seasonings include minced onions, garlic or scallions as well as fresh or dried herbs such as parsley, basil and oregano. You can also add chopped spinach and crumbled feta cheese for a Mediterranean or Greek turkey burger.
Yes. To make oven baked turkey burgers, grease a baking dish with olive oil and bake your patties at a temperature of 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the burgers reaches 165°F (74°C).
Use dark turkey meat to make your burgers juicier and moist, and make sure not to overcook your burgers.
🍳 Recipe
Best Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Wash and dice the red pepper and onion, mince the garlic, thinly slice the white and light green parts of the scallions, and chop the parsley.
- Combine: Place the turkey and half the olive oil in a large mixing bowl and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine using a spoon, spatula or your hands.
- Cook: Add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet and warm on the stove over medium-high heat. While the oil warms, divide the turkey mixture into four even sections and form each section into a burger. Keep in mind that burgers will shrink a bit as they cook, so it's okay for them to look too large for the buns when you form them. Once the oil shimmers, add the burgers and cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side until the bottom side browns nicely. Flip the burgers and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the other side browns and the middle of the burger is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). See notes for oven baked option.
- Enjoy: Plate your burgers with your favorite buns, lettuce, red onion and anything else you'd like.
Nutrition
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
I'd absolutely love for you to leave a review!🌡️ Food safety
- Cook turkey to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74°C)
- Don't wash raw turkey to avoid spreading germs
- Use separate kitchen tools and utensils for prepping raw meat
- Wash hands in warm soapy water after handling raw meat
- Never leave food unattended on a hot stove
- Refrigerate leftover turkey within 2 hours
See more guidelines at foodsafety.gov.
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