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These super flavorful and juicy patties make for the best turkey burger recipe EVER. They’re weeknight friendly and can be frozen for future dinners! You’ll love having these on your summer menu, and you’ll love impressing your family and friends with just how tasty turkey burgers can be.
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The most important part of a good burger is the patty, hands down. And despite the fact that turkey burgers get a bad rap because they’re leaner than beef and have the possibility of drying out, this burger defies all odds! It’s juicy, tasty, and thanks to a few dashes of liquid smoke, it gives you that smoky chargrilled flavor everyone loves with a good burger.
Once you give this burger a shot, you’ll want to check out my tasty chicken burger and my easy salmon burger recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Burger
- The patties are juicy—These patties are incredibly moist and flavorful, so there’s no regret over choosing ground turkey over ground beef.
- They won’t fall apart—You can cook these patties on a grill, in a pan, in the oven, or in an air fryer without them falling apart.
- They’re a healthier option—Is ground turkey healthy? Heck yes. A lot of people are looking to eat less red meat these days and ground turkey is a great option.
Turkey Burger Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground turkey—The best ground turkey blend for a good turkey burger is 93% lean. It’s got more fat than 99% fat free while keeping things on the lighter side. I have made them with 99% fat free ground turkey though, and they were still really good!
- Seasoning—My rule of thumb for salting ground meat is 1 teaspoon per pound of ground meat. I also like to add onion powder and my homemade Italian seasoning to enhance the flavors in the patties.
- Liquid smoke—This is the ticket, friends! This is what makes this the best turkey burger recipe ever, in my humble opinion. It’s so flavorful! If you don’t have liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce can be used to at least add some umami.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Don’t like a smoky flavor? Replace the liquid smoke with Worcestershire sauce or low-sodium soy sauce.
- Any breadcrumbs will do. I use panko, but Italian breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs will also work.
How to Make The Best Turkey Burger
Step 1. Prep a baking sheet. Before you get your hands dirty, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 2. Place the ground turkey into a large mixing bowl. Add all of the patty ingredients into the bowl and, with clean hands, gently blend everything until the mixture is cohesive.
Step 3. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and gently form them into patties. Place the patties on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 4. Gently press a divot into the middle of each patty, then place the patties in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. (This helps firm them up so they don’t fall apart on the grill.)
Step 5. Preheat the grill to around 450º F and grease it with some olive oil. Transfer the patties to the grill, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook them for another 4-5 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160-165º F.
Step 6. Pop your patty onto a bun, top it with whatever you please, and enjoy the best turkey burger you’ll ever bite into! The flavors in these patties go with pretty much anything, so you can get creative.
Pro Tip
Create a divot in the center of each turkey burger patty with your thumb prior to cooking. This helps the patty keep its shape, preventing it from shrinking.
What to Serve With Turkey Burgers
- Fries — The obvious choice for us? These wonderfully crispy air fryer French fries! Or switch things up with these awesome air fryer sweet potato wedges.
- Salad — A simple side salad, a cucumber and tomato salad, or an easy Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing.
- Vegetables — Keep things summer-inspired with grilled asparagus! Or go for some nice roasted broccoli with nutritional yeast or air fryer green beans.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Turkey burgers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
- If you plan on freezing your turkey burgers, it’s best to do prior to cooking so they don’t dry out when thawed and heated. Simply wrap the uncooked patties individually with plastic wrap and pop them into the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat cooked turkey burgers in the microwave in 25 second increments until heated through. Another option is to reheat them in an air fryer preheated to 350º F for 3-4 minutes, or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both turkey and beef burgers offer nutrition through protein, fat, and various vitamins and minerals. However, turkey is lower in saturated fat, making it a great option for a heart-healthy diet.
Binder ingredients like breadcrumbs and eggs are what help keep turkey burgers maintain their shape. You could also use a tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise. Letting them sit in the fridge to set prior to cooking is also very helpful!
The best way to achieve flavor in a turkey burger is by using a variety of seasoning. Liquid smoke is a great way to get the essence of a charbroiled burger. Others additions include Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder or fresh garlic, onion powder, fresh onion, paprika, and herbs. Don’t forget salt and pepper!
More Ground Turkey Recipes You’ll Love…
If you try what we claim to be the Best Turkey Burger recipe, or any other recipe here at Killing Thyme, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating! And let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Best Turkey Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and grated to a paste (or finely minced)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Serving suggestions:
- Fresh brioche buns
- Sliced cheese
- Your choice of condiments and toppings
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- With clean hands, mix the ground turkey with all of the patty ingredients in a large mixing bowl with. Gently work the mixture until it's cohesive.
- Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions and carefully form them into patties. Place the patties onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. With your thumb, press a divot into the middle of each patty; this will prevent the patty from shrinking on the grill.
- Place the patties in the fridge and let them chill for about 30 minutes. This helps them firm up so they don't fall apart on the grill.
- When it's go time, preheat your grill to medium-high heat—around 450º F. Clean the grill well. If you need to grease your grill, dip a wad of paper towels in some vegetable oil and glide the soaked towel along the grate with tongs. (I don't normally do this, but if you find that meat sticks easily to your grill, you might want to do this step to play it safe; you know your grill best.)
- Once the grill is ready, transfer the patties to the grill, cover, and let them cook for about 4-5 minutes. Gently flip them (they should have nicely formed grill marks on the cooked side), cover, and let them cook for another 4-5 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a Meat Thermometer, looking for an internal temperature of 165º F. If you're not quite there yet, flip the burgers once more and cover for another minute or two. (If you're using cheese, place the cheese slices onto the patties about a minute before you think they'll be done.)
- When the burgers are ready, transfer them to a clean plate or platter and serve them with fresh brioche buns and your choice of toppings.
This is the first time I have made turkey burgers….and they were fantastic. This recipe adds a lot of flavor
I will definitely be making them again.
I’m so glad, Sheila!
I made this recipe because of the ingredients and because I loved the reviews. I had my first week night cookout last night. I decided to make these burgers. They were awesome! So good, I ate it plain with sides. My guest raved about them. I put them on our pellet grill so I omitted the liquid smoke. Thank you very much for this recipe!!!
I’m so happy to hear this, Brooke! Thanks for the feedback!
Unbelievably delicious! I used Worcestershire bc liquid smoke repeats on me for days, and I skipped the onion powder since the red onion is the taste I prefer. I cooked mine in an iron skillet w some olive oil, but glad to know the tip about the divot! I topped mine with pepper Jack cheese and added mayo, mustard, and dill pickle chips. I was out of lettuce and tomato, but didn’t even miss it since it was so good as is! Thanks—will share w my newlywed kids who will enjoy them as much as I did.
So glad you enjoyed these, Sara! Totally makes sense for the liquid smoke, and that’s a great substitution.I hope your kiddos do love them as much as we all do!
I have tried cooking turkey burgers before and it broke on me. Thanks for tip of 30 minutes of refrigerant.
You’re so welcome! I’m glad it helped :)
This was the best turkey burger- I added sautéed mushrooms and onions, cooled and finely chopped .
That sounds like a great addition, Cathryn. So glad you enjoyed it!
Really good texture, stayed together brilliantly on my griddle. I didn’t have fresh garlic so used dried ground garlic, and my Italian herb mix was Italian seasoning, so my seasonings were a bit off, I’ll have to play with that, but great recipe, I’ll be making this many more times.
I’m so glad you were happy with this, Meghan! Thanks for popping in with feedback!
I have zero luck with ground Turkey or Chicken, it’s always bone dry(like Bone dry!!!) and being back on WW I’m exchanging (as much as I can) beef to alternatives. This weekend I took out ground Turkey and remembered seeing a post on Instagram about your burger….so today.
Wow just wow Dana, I’m blown away at the simplicity you’ve created for making an amazing AMAZING Turkey burger! Like Zero dryness!!! ZERO! I was worried when the mixture was very wet, but I put them into the fridge and voila! Perfect for the grill 😀😀😀
They grilled perfect 5min each side, and the rest is in my belly and history.
Thanks for saving me from another gross dry Turkey burger!
This makes me SO HAPPY, Heather! Thanks so much for taking the time to bring some feedback. I’ve been changing out beef for turkey and chicken as well to help keep my cholesterol in check and it’s amazing how good it can be with the right things folded into the mix! :)
This is the best turkey burger recipe. This time we did three lbs on a pellet grill at 450. I do fat Patties so time was closer to 20 mins to 170. Did bread crumbs instead of panko and threw in some home grown mad hatter pepper pieces. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Tim! Love the addition of peppers. Thanks for your feedback :)
Wow! Delicious turkey burgers. I cooked these on our outdoor Blackstone griddle and followed the recipe exactly. They were perfect and we look forward to leftovers for lunch today. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
I’m SO happy to hear this, Anne! The leftovers are always good, too. Enjoy! And thanks so much for popping in with feedback :)
Best turkey burgers I have ever had! I have made them several times, and they are a crowd and family pleaser! My kids always ask when we can make have them again!
This is awesome to hear, Tavo!