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Home » Recipes » Dinner

The Best Easy Homemade Turkey Burgers

Modified: Apr 8, 2024 · Published Nov 10, 2016 · by Jacqueline Piper · 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our privacy policy.

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If you're looking for a quick and healthy meal, these homemade turkey burgers are the perfect choice. Made from scratch, these juicy turkey burgers are a great option for a weeknight dinner.

A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients + Substitutions
  • Substitutions
  • Instructions
  • Tips for making juicy turkey burgers
  • What to serve with turkey burgers
  • Storage
  • FAQs
  • Recipe

If you don’t eat red meat anymore like me (who usually opts for vegetarian meals these days) you'll love the recipes I’ve created for juicy ground turkey burgers, chili, turkey meatloaf, and turkey meatballs.

I usually make a large batch of these turkey patties, because they last in the fridge for a few days, making them great for meal prep. You can also freeze them which makes them perfect to hang on to during the summer. Just thaw the cooked patties and toss them on the grill to heat through.

My trick keeping these turkey burgers juicy and prevent them from drying out is using milk soaked bread in the mixture and also making sure not to over cook them. And don't forget to indent the centers for even cooking - this prevents the center from puffing up while cooking.

Also, when cooking burgers, don't flatten them with your spatula or poke them open, this lets out all of the moisture and won't result in juicy burgers!

Turkey burgers are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.

Pair these perfect turkey burgers with a cabbage crunch salad, grilled elote, or curry fries.

A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.

Ingredients + Substitutions

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

  • ground turkey: I buy this in bulk at Costco, it's very easy to find for me. Lean and flavorful, ground turkey is the star of this recipe. It brings a light and juicy texture to the burgers.
  • breadcrumbs: you can use regular bread crumbs, panko, or homemade bread crumbs for this recipe. Adds texture and helps bind the patties
  • milk: this softens the bread crumbs and helps bind the burgers and keep the texture of the burgers soft. There is no need to use an egg for binding when you use milk soaked breadcrumbs.
  • Cajun seasoning: I love this seasoning mix for burgers, use your favorite mix.
  • salt and pepper: season to taste

Substitutions

  • ground turkey: you can make the same recipe with ground beef, ground chicken, or beyond beef.
  • breadcrumbs: if you need to make this gluten free try using gluten-free oats instead.
  • milk: use whatever milk you prefer, or use cream.
  • Cajun seasoning: you can use whatever seasoning you want. Try my Greek seasoning, dairy-free ranch seasoning, Italian seasoning, everyday seasoning, or even just some garlic powder onion powder.

Instructions

Prep Tips

  • Cook these over medium heat in a non-stick pan or grill pan.
  • Prep toppings before cooking the patties so everything is ready at the same time.
  1. Mix the bread crumbs with salt and pepper and spices in a bowl with the milk.  Let that sit a few minutes, until the milk soak into the crumbs and they soften.
  2. Add the turkey and mix. 
  3. Use a wet spatula to divide the mixture into four. 
  4. Have a small bowl of water nearby to generously wet your hands before forming the burgers.
  5. Fry the patties on either a non-stick pan or a cast iron skillet for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.  Make sure they are fully cooked using a meat thermometer.
A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.

I like these turkey burgers with spinach, mayo, and sriracha.  Cheese and mustard are good too!  Try my jalapeño ranch sauce for a spicy kick.

Add a side salad and some sweet potato wedges for a delicious dinner.

Tips for making juicy turkey burgers

  • water: keeping a bowl of water on hand when forming the patties will help prevent them from sticking to you.
  • meat thermometer: using a meat thermometer is a no fail way to make sure your burgers are cooked if you're not sure.
  • meal prep: these burgers are great for meal prep and last a few days in the fridge and freeze well.
  • customize: use your own favorite seasoning mix in the patty mixture and choose your own toppings for these turkey burgers.
A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.

What to serve with turkey burgers

I love burgers with fries and you can't go wrong with air fryer sweet potato wedges, garlic parmesan fries, pierogi poutine, or Greek fries.

If you like these burgers, try these Greek turkey burgers next.

Storage

These burger patties keep well in the fridge for a few days. I just microwave them to reheat them but I'm sure you could reheat them in an air fryer also.

The cooked burger patties also freeze well. Wrap the burgers carefully before freezing to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

FAQs

Can I cook these burgers on a grill instead of a stovetop?

These patties are too soft for grill style BBQ but would work on a Blackstone type BBQ. You can also try baking them.

How long do you cook turkey burgers on the stove?

These turkey burger patties take 5-7 minutes per side when pan-fried on the stove. Health Canada recommends cooking ground turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Recipe

A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.
5 from 4 votes

Juicy Turkey Burgers

Author : Jacqueline Piper
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Easy to make turkey burgers for a quick summer dinner.
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning optional or your favorite spices

Instructions

  • Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes while the bread absorbs milk.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  • Divide into 4 sections.
  • With wet hands, shape into 4 patties.
  • Fry in a non-stick pan or grill pan over medium-high for 5-7 mins per side, or until fully cooked through.

Notes

 Health Canada recommends cooking ground turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 3g | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.

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A turkey burger on a bun with lettuce on it.

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Comments

    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Derek | Dad With A Pan says

    February 08, 2017 at 12:56 am

    I love turkey burgers, this recipe looks amazing! What is this 21 fix everyone has been about?

    Reply
  2. pipercooks says

    February 08, 2017 at 4:14 pm

    Hi! 21 day fix is a diet/exercise program by a company called beach body. I usually do the workouts with my regular treadmill plan and then only halfheartedly follow the eating plan every few months or so lol.

    Reply
  3. Alisha Ross says

    August 01, 2019 at 1:21 am

    I recently make a turkey meatball recipe that used Amy’s chunky tomato bisque for the sauce and I put it over spaghetti squash, you could also make the recipe using lot’s of different farmers market veggies.

    Reply
  4. Alisha Ross says

    January 06, 2020 at 5:23 am

    What a great list! I regularly make my own granola, crackers (great use for nut pulp!), nut milks, nut butter, kombucha, hummus, dressings, and pesto. I have tried to make yogurt a few times but haven’t gotten it quite right, yet. Yeast breads intimidate me for some reason, though I made my own english muffins once last year! I will definitely be bookmarking this list and making some of these (ketchup!) very soon.

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Jacqueline!

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