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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Best Turkey Burger

    Modified: Mar 27, 2025 · Published: Jun 29, 2021 by Cree · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Looking for an Ultimate Turkey Burger Recipe that's beyond flavorful, moist and juicy? Welp, you come to the right spot. This recipe covers tips and tricks, so you'll make a juicy and flavorful turkey burger each and every time. It's made with simple everyday ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to cook which is perfect for weeknight dinners.

    At some point in your life, did you steer away from eating turkey burgers? Were you tired of eating just a bland, dry, and hard to consume turkey burger, or did you force yourself to eat it just to be "healthy" then suddenly just gave up altogether because you couldn't stand the taste anymore.

    Well friend, that was me up until I realized the proper way to prepare and cook a delicious and juicy turkey burger that's worth eating.

    3 open-faced turkey burgers with grilled onions and lettuce
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Essentials
    • Best way to cook
    • Seasoning
    • How to make the best turkey burger
    • How to keep turkey burgers from drying out
    • Tips
    • Can you make ahead
    • Store and reheat
    • Serve with
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Ground turkey (85% lean meat, 15% fat)
    • Cajun seasoning (homemade or store bought)
    • Grape-seed oil
    • Kosher salt
    • Black pepper
    • Fresh garlic
    • Shallot
    • Fresh spinach (pre-washed)

    Essentials

    • Cast iron skillet or other heavy bottom skillet
    • Chopping board
    • Chef's knife

    Best way to cook

    Turkey burgers can be char-grilled, baked, or pan-fried. Of the 3 cooking methods, pan-frying in a cast iron skillet is the best way to cook a turkey burger. This way, you get a beautiful sear on the entire outer surface of the burger which is also where all the flavor lies.

    Seasoning

    Ground turkey can taste really bland and therefore should be seasoned generously. At the very minimum, season with kosher salt and black pepper. However, if you want to take your turkey burger to the next level go for big bold flavors such as Cajun seasoning, you can also add a dash of worcestershire sauce, or you can add an Asian flair with Asian inspired ingredients.

    Another thing that's worth noting when it comes to seasoning a turkey burger is to season the meat mixture with all the seasoning before forming into patties, so you'll have flavor throughout and not just on the outer surface of the patties.

    How to make the best turkey burger

    Ground turkey: Ground turkey by nature is very lean, so I suggest choosing the option that's 85% lean meat, 15% fat. Although this option has the highest amount of fat, more fat still needs to be added which I'll discuss below.

    Fat: Grape-seed oil is a really good choice for adding fat to ground turkey. You can also opt for avocado oil. This will prevent the turkey burger from drying out.

    Seasoning: Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, minced shallots and garlic and finely chopped spinach. The minced shallot and spinach not only adds incredible flavor but also adds moisture to the patty. By the way, your turkey burger will not taste like spinach it's solely there to add moisture and of course nutrients.

    Form turkey patties: Add all ingredients to a large bowl, mix gently, then form ground turkey into patties.

    Cook: Place patties onto a hot cast iron skillet with a bit of grape-seed oil and fry until patties are no longer pink or internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

    Assemble burger: Place the cooked turkey patty onto a warm brioche bun, smear the bun with your favorite spread, and add your favorite fixings: lettuce, grilled onions, tomato, avocado, pickles and/or cheese or whatever else you like.

    seasonings for turkey patty in glass bowl
    ground turkey and seasoning in glass bowl
    uncooked turkey patties on white plate
    cooked turkey patties on clean white plate
    turkey burger on gray plate

    How to keep turkey burgers from drying out

    To make a really delicious and moist turkey burger fat must be added to the mix. If not, it can result in a really dry patty if not prepared properly as turkey meat is a lean type of meat. Here are some tips:

    • Add grape-seed oil or avocado oil to the ground turkey mixture (as noted in the recipe card below).
    • Alternatively, you can add mayo or unsweetened plain full fat Greek yogurt.
    • In addition to the 2 options noted above, a finely chopped onion also adds moisture.
    • Here me out on this but I've also found that thinly chopped spinach also adds moisture (as you chop the spinach, it will turn to a vibrant green color and become slightly moist).

    Tips

    • For a juicy turkey burger, use either a healthy fat such as grape-seed oil or avocado oil to the meat mixture along with chopped onion and thinly chopped spinach (pre-washed spinach).
    • As mentioned above, instead of cooking oil, you can add mayo or full fat unsweetened plain Greek yogurt as a fat substitute.
    • After adding all the ingredients to the meat mixture, gently mix with your hands do not over-mix.
    • When forming your turkey patties, do not press down too much.
    • When patties are formed, make a thumb print onto the top of each patty as this will prevent the patty from shrinking.
    • Rather than focusing on cook time, the most accurate way to check that your patties are done is to use an instant read meat thermometer.
    • When using a meat thermometer, when the internal temperature reaches 165 degree F, it's done.
    • Be mindful to not overcook.

    Can you make ahead

    Sure can, just follow the instructions but do not pan fry them until you are ready to eat. Simply, place the uncooked patties onto a clean plate and wrap securely with plastic wrap.

    You can also place the turkey patties in a large enough bowl and separate each layer with parchment paper to prevent the patties from sticking together.

    Whichever way you choose, place the uncooked patties in the fridge for up to 2 days then follow the instructions for pan-frying them.

    Store and reheat

    You can also store your cooked patties in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can store them in ziploc bags or an airtight container with a lid.

    To reheat, wrap the patties with foil and place in a preheated 375 degree preheated oven.

    Serve with

    • Fresh Spring Mix Salad
    • Vegan Roasted Beet Salad with Grilled Peaches
    • Simple Arugula Salad With Nectarines
    • Vegetable Salad with Lettuce
    • Oven Roasted Potatoes

    📖 Recipe

    close up of turkey burger on brioche bun

    Best Turkey Burger Recipe

    By Cree
    Best Turkey Burger Recipe
    Looking for the Best Turkey Burger Recipe that's beyond flavorful, moist and juicy? Welp, you come to the right spot. This recipe covers tips and tricks, so you'll make a juicy and flavorful turkey burger each and every time.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
    Calories: 392kcal
    Best Turkey Burger Recipe

    Equipment

    • Cast Iron Skillet
    • Chopping board
    • Chef's knife
    • Instant read meat thermometer

    Ingredients 

    • 1.5 lbs ground turkey (85% lean meat)
    • 1.5 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (homemade or store bought)
    • 4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 4.5 tablespoon grape-seed oil (or avocado oil or other healthy fat DIVIDED (2.5 tablespoon ADDED TO MEAT MIXTURE; 2 tablespoon ADDED TO SKILLET))
    • 2 tablespoon shallot (finely chopped)
    • 2 cloves fresh garlic (2 small cloves minced)
    • ¼ cup fresh spinach (pre-washed) (finely chopped)
    • 4 buns brioche bun (white or whole grain)
    • green leafy lettuce (washed and dried thoroughly)
    • 2 red onions (sliced thick and grilled)
    • 2 tablespoon spread (options: mayo, mustard, hummus )

    Instructions

    • Wrap the brioche buns in foil and place in a preheated 375 degree oven until they're warm. Then, remove from oven.
    • Using a chef's knife, thinly chop shallots and garlic. Set aside. Cut red onion into thick slices, wash lettuce and prep other fixings you'd like to add to your burger. Set aside
    • In a medium or large sized bowl, add ground turkey meat, grape-seed oil, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, chopped shallots and minced garlic. Gently combine all ingredients just until combined.
    • Divide the meat mixture into 3 large patties or 4 patties depending on how big you like your burger. Put on a clean plate.
    • Place cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add grape-seed oil and allow it to get hot. Place the patties in the cast iron skillet making sure they're not touching. Pan fry first side for 6 minutes. Flip the patties over and allow the other side to pan fry for an additional 6 minutes or so.
    • Rather than focusing on cooking time, check for done-ness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the burger and when it reads 165 degrees F. IT'S DONE. This is the most accurate way to prevent your turkey burgers from drying out.
    • When done, place the turkey burgers on a clean plate. Then, place the sliced red onion onto the skillet to sear for 3 minutes or so (until they become slightly brown and translucent).
    • Remove the brioche buns from the foil. Place the cooked turkey patties on the buns and begin building your burger.
    • Serve with a side of fries, a salad or not and enjoy.

    Notes

    • For a juicy turkey burger, use either a healthy fat such as grape-seed oil or avocado oil to the meat mixture along with chopped onion and thinly chopped spinach (pre-washed spinach).
     
    • As mentioned above, instead of cooking oil, you can add mayo or full fat unsweetened plain Greek yogurt as a fat substitute.
     
    • After adding all the ingredients to the meat mixture, gently mix with your hands do not over-mix.
     
    • When forming your turkey patties, do not press down too much.
     
    • When patties are formed, make a thumb print onto the top of each patty as this will prevent the patty from shrinking.
     
    • Rather than focusing on cook time, the most accurate way to check that your patties are done is to use an instant read meat thermometer.
     
    • When using a meat thermometer, when the internal temperature reaches 165 degree F, it's done.
     
    • Be mindful to not overcook.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 2426mg | Potassium: 694mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1527IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.

    Tried this Recipe? Don’t forget to give this recipe a Star Rating and Leave a Comment below- I’d love to hear from you.
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    Comments

    1. Graham says

      March 14, 2022 at 3:02 am

      5 stars
      Tonight is my third time making this this year...kids love it! And add the Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes on the side.

      Reply
      • Cree says

        March 14, 2022 at 12:20 pm

        Hey Graham - This means so much to me and definitely put a smile on my face. Thank you so very much for coming back to leave a 5 star rating and comment. It's kid approved so this is extra special to me. Many thanks and have a wonderful day.

        Reply
    2. Terry says

      August 04, 2021 at 6:45 am

      5 stars
      This was quick and easy but most of all delicious 😋

      Reply
    5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    HEY, I'M CREE

    I’m excited to share all things food from my perspective while bringing together Southern, Cajun, and Soul food with a modern vibe so if we haven't met.

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