Turkey burgers are kept moist, juicy, and flavorful using a few simple tricks. Slather on homemade fry sauce and pile on the toppings to make these burgers your own!
“Dry, crumbly, and bland” are just a few choice adjectives I’d use to describe most of the turkey burgers I’ve choked down in the past. And I get it, shaping a super lean protein like ground turkey into patties and keeping them moist and flavorful while cooking is a challenge.
After testing this turkey burger recipe time and again, I can now say: Challenge accepted.
Instead of an egg, a little mayo squirted right into the patty mixture adds moisture and binds everything together, while a 30-minute flash freeze prevents the burgers from falling apart while cooking.
You can grill, bake, or pan-fry the burgers, and instructions for each cooking method have been listed in the recipe card below. Make this recipe your own by customizing the toppings (although the homemade fry sauce is a must in our family!).
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Avoid extra-lean ground turkey or you’ll end up with a flavorless, dry burger. Instead, look for ground turkey that is at least 85 lean and 15% fat. Adding mayonnaise and onion adds moisture and flavor.
- Before cooking, freeze the burgers for about 30 minutes so the leaner protein holds together while cooking and flips without falling apart.
- Burger patties tend to shrink and dome as they cook. To avoid this, form your turkey patties about ½ inch wider than the buns and add a dimple to the center of the burger to fill in and flatten out as it cooks, creating a condiment-stack-worthy burger.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground turkey: 85/15 lean ground turkey works best. You need a little bit of fat to keep the burgers moist, add flavor, and prevent them from falling apart.
- Onion: Finely mince a yellow onion before mixing it into the ground turkey to avoid chomping down on a big piece later on.
- Mayonnaise: My secret ingredient for binding together the burger patties and keeping them nice and juicy.
- Salt and pepper: When it comes to seasoning turkey burgers, salt and pepper reign supreme. You’re seasoning more than a pound of turkey, so use ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper.
- Fry sauce: This condiment is technically optional, but … not really. It’s a simple combo of mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, and Worcestershire sauce that’s seasoned with a little onion powder and paprika.
- Burger fixings: Buy your favorite buns and load up the burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, and dill pickles, or whatever else tickles your fancy.
How to Make the Juiciest Turkey Burgers
- Prep the burger mixture. I use my hands to combine the ground turkey, mayo, onion, and seasonings. (Using your hands makes it easier to tell if you’ve overworked the ground turkey.)
- Shape into patties. You can make four good-sized burgers from this recipe. The patties should be roughly ¾-inch thick, and you’ll want to gently press your thumb into the middle to prevent them from doming as they cook.
- Flash freeze. The 30 minutes the patties spend in the freezer make them easier to flip and prevents them from falling apart.
- Prep the fry sauce. I use ketchup and mayo, but you could sub BBQ sauce for part of the ketchup for a tangier bite.
- Cook however you like. You can bake, pan fry, or grill these turkey burgers.
Heidi’s Tip: If cooking in a skillet or grilling, turn the patties only when enough crust has developed to ensure they’ll hold together, release easily, and won’t stick when flipping.
- Assemble the burgers. Go the extra mile and toast your burger buns before slathering with fry sauce and adding your favorite toppings.
FAQs
Using extra lean ground turkey often results in dry, crumbly burgers that don’t flip well.
Choose 85/15 lean ground turkey and use mayo instead of egg to bind together the patty mixture for moist and juicy patties that won’t fall apart on you.
Ground turkey turns opaque once it’s done cooking, so that’s one indicator of doneness. If you have a meat thermometer, test the center of the patties to see if it registers 165ºF.
I keep things simple by using just salt and pepper, but you can also season the burgers with Italian seasoning, chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, basil, etc.), poultry seasoning, and so on.
Storage Tips
Let the burgers cool completely before storing in an airtight container. They’ll last up to 5 days in the fridge and can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serve the leftovers in burger buns, or crumble up to make burger bowls or use in salads and wraps.
What to Serve With Turkey Burgers
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Turkey Burgers Recipe
Say goodbye to dry, crumbly turkey burgers and hello to moist and juicy patties that can be cooked in a skillet, on the grill, or in the oven.
Servings 6
Calories 518kcal
Ingredients
For the Turkey Burgers
- 1 ¼ pound 85/15 lean ground turkey
- ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 split hamburger buns
- Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles
- Mustard and fry sauce
For the Fry Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teapoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
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Form the burger patties: In a bowl, using your hands, gently combine the ground turkey, onion, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form each into a patty about ¾-inch thick. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to make an indentation in the center of each patty. This will prevent the patties from forming a dome as they cook. Place the patties on a platter lined with parchment paper and freeze for about 30 minutes to firm up and help hold their shape when cooking.
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Meanwhile, make the fry sauce: In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, onion powder, and paprika until smooth.
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Remove the burgers from the freezer and choose your cooking method.
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To pan fry: Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon canola oil and place the burgers in the skillet. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning once.
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To grill: Brush the cooking grates clean and use a paper towel with canola oil to grease the grates. Grill the patties over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, for 8-10 minutes, turning once.
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To bake: Preheat the baking sheet in a 375°F oven until hot. Use an oven mitt to remove from the oven and place the turkey burgers on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. For more color, broil the burgers for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
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To assemble: Toast the buns, cut side down. Spread the bottom half of the bun with fry sauce, top with a patty, then layer with tomato slices, sliced pickle, and lettuce. Spread the top half with mustard, close the burger, and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 979mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 156IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
More Easy Recipes Using Ground Turkey
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