Turkey Burger Recipe

My turkey burger recipe uses a blend of breast and thigh meat with finely grated onion, garlic, and mayo mixed right into the patty for maximum juiciness. I love topping it with oven dried tomatoes, balsamic caramelized onions, mashed avocado, and a homemade chipotle mayo.

I really do want to like turkey burgers, but they are always so dry and flavorless. The problem is that most recipes treat turkey exactly like beef, which does not work because the fat content is completely different. A 97% lean turkey breast has almost no fat to keep it moist, so I cut it with an equal amount of turkey thigh meat, which is about 93% lean. That extra fat is key here. My fried egg burger is another sandwich I am obsessed with, and my smash burger is one of my favorite classics to make at home.

Turkey Burger

Turkey burgers have become increasingly popular in American cooking over the past few decades as a lighter alternative to beef burgers. Ground turkey rose to prominence in the health-conscious 1990s when low-fat diets dominated the mainstream. However, the challenge has always been flavor and moisture, since turkey breast meat contains significantly less fat than beef. The best turkey burgers solve this by blending cuts, adding moisture-rich ingredients directly into the patty, and building big flavors into the toppings.

The thing I always tell people about this recipe is to stop putting breadcrumbs in turkey burgers. I see recipes everywhere that call for breadcrumbs, and that is exactly what turns a turkey burger into a dry brick. Breadcrumbs draw moisture out of the meat. Instead, I use finely grated fresh onion and garlic, which add moisture back in while bringing real flavor. The mayo adds a punch of fat that the turkey needs, and the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire round it out. The batter is supposed to be super wet, and if it is not, something went wrong.

I form the patties right before they go on the griddle and cook them until they reach 165 degrees internally. While the burgers cook, I caramelize red onions with balsamic vinegar, oven-dry thick-sliced Roma tomatoes to concentrate their flavor, mash up avocados with lemon juice, and make a quick chipotle mayo with smoked jalapenos. Everything gets stacked on a toasted homemade brioche bun and I promise you this is not a boring replacement for a beef burger. It stands completely on its own so I highly recommend it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe is designed to solve the two biggest problems with turkey burgers: dryness and bland flavor. Every ingredient serves one of those two purposes.

• Turkey – I use a 50/50 combination of turkey thigh and breast meat.
• Onion and Garlic – I finely grate half a yellow onion and garlic cloves on a microplane and mix them directly into the meat. This is one of the biggest upgrades you can make.
• Dijon Mustard and Worcestershire Sauce – These two build the savory backbone of the patty.
• Mayonnaise – This is my secret ingredient for juiciness. Homemade mayonnaise is essentially fat and egg, and it disappears into the patty while keeping it moist from the inside out. If you are eating turkey for dietary reasons, substitute with yogurt or leave it out entirely.
• Roma Tomatoes – I thickly slice these and oven-dry them. Roasting concentrates the tomato flavor and removes excess water so they do not make the bun soggy.
• Red Onion – I julienne a large red onion and caramelize it in butter, then deglaze with balsamic vinegar.
• Avocado – I mash it with lemon juice, salt, and pepper until it has the consistency of guacamole.
• Chipotle Mayo – I blend mayo with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and lemon juice. Chipotle is just a smoked jalapeno, so it brings smokiness and a mild heat. You can also use my chipotle mayo recipe.
• Brioche Buns – These are my preferred bun for any burger. They are soft, slightly sweet, and toast up great on the griddle.
• Mozzarella Cheese – I lay a slice on each burger with 2 to 3 minutes left in the cooking so it melts over the top. Swiss or provolone are good substitutes.

How to Make the Best Turkey Burger

Oven-dry the tomatoes: I preheat the oven to 275 degrees. I core and thickly slice the Roma tomatoes, spread them on a sheet tray with a rack, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. I set them aside when done.

Mix the burger meat: I combine the ground turkey breast and thigh meat in a large bowl with the finely grated onion, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayo, salt, and pepper. I mix until everything is combined. The batter will be very wet. I cover it and place it in the refrigerator while I prep the toppings.

Caramelize the onions: I add butter to a large frying pan over medium heat, add the julienned red onion, and stir frequently for 10 to 15 minutes until browned. Then I deglaze with balsamic vinegar, stir for about 20 seconds, and set them aside.

Make the chipotle mayo: I mix the mayo with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and lemon juice, then season with salt and set aside.

Mash the avocado: I mash the avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper until it has a guacamole-like consistency.

Cook the burgers: I heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet to medium-high and add butter until melted and hot. I form the patties right before they go on the griddle and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Add cheese: I add the mozzarella with 2 to 3 minutes left so it melts over the top.

Toast: I toast the brioche buns on the griddle until lightly browned.

Assemble: I layer the burger starting with the bottom bun, then lettuce, oven-dried tomato, mashed avocado, balsamic onions, the turkey burger with melted cheese, chipotle mayo, and the top bun.

Chef Tip + Notes

The single most important thing about my turkey burger recipe is that the turkey mixture should be very wet before you form the patties. If it is not, the burgers will dry out during cooking. That moisture is what keeps them juicy, exactly like you want it!

• Never add breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs absorb moisture and turn turkey burgers into dry bricks. I do not put breadcrumbs in my meatloaf or meatballs either. The grated onion, garlic, and mayo provide all the binding and moisture you need.
• Grate the onion and garlic: Using a microplane or box grater releases the juices into the meat. This is the opposite of using dried granules, which actually pull moisture out. The difference in the finished burger is dramatic.
• Form patties at the last second: I shape the burgers right before they go on the griddle. The wet mixture firms up in the refrigerator, and forming them fresh means they hold together on the hot surface without overworking the meat.
• Cook to 165 degrees: Turkey must be fully cooked. I use an instant-read thermometer to check, and the combination of breast and thigh meat ensures it stays juicy even at the proper internal temperature.
• Ground chicken works too: If you prefer chicken over turkey, the same technique applies. Use a mix of breast and thigh for the same reason.

Serving Suggestions

I serve these turkey burgers with a side of sweet potato fries or my homemade truffle parmesan fries, I love how the earthy sweetness pairs well with the chipotle mayo and balsamic onions. A bowl of vinegar coleslaw on the side keeps it lighter.

When I grill these in the summer, I set up a burger bar with all the toppings since it is easier for everyone. The homemade dill pickles are always on the table, and my wife puts extra balsamic onions on everything. I usually make a double batch of burger sauce too because once people try it, they start dipping their fries in it too.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: These are best eaten right after cooking. I prepare all the toppings up to 1 day ahead of time: oven-dry the tomatoes, make the chipotle mayo, and caramelize the onions. The burger meat can also be mixed and stored in the refrigerator for 1 day before forming and cooking.

How to Store: I keep the meat and toppings separate, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. The cooked turkey burgers freeze well, covered, for up to 3 months. I thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: I place the turkey burgers in a 13×9 casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes until warm.

More Homemade Burger Recipes

• Cowboy Burger
• Bacon Cheddar Burger
• Mushroom Swiss Burger
• Salmon Burger
• Oklahoma Onion Burger

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Turkey Burger Recipe

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5 from 17 votes

My turkey burger recipe uses a blend of breast and thigh meat with finely grated onion, garlic, and mayo mixed right into the patty for maximum juiciness. I love topping it with oven dried tomatoes, balsamic caramelized onions, mashed avocado, and a homemade chipotle mayo.

Servings: 5

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Toppings:

• 4 thickly sliced Roma tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large or 2 small peeled and julienne red onion
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 pitted and peeled avocados
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 5 slices mozzarella cheese
• 5 toasted brioche buns
• 5 large leaves of butter leaf lettuce
• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Burgers:

• 1 pound ground turkey breast meat
• 1 pound ground turkey thigh meat
• ½ finely grated peeled yellow onion
• 4 finely grated garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 275°.
• Place the sliced tomatoes on a sheet tray with a rack and season them with salt and pepper. Bake them at 275° in the oven for 1 hour (see video). Set aside when done.
• Next, Mix the ground turkey meat with all onions, garlic, mustard mayo, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until combined. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to start forming and cooking.
• In the meantime, add the 1 tablespoons of butter to a large frying pan over medium heat and caramelize the red onions until browned, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes while frequently stirring. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar, mix in, and set aside.
• Make the chipotle mayo sauce and set to the side until ready to use.
• Mash the avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, using a hand masher until it resembles the consistency of guacamole. Keep cool to the side.
• Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and hot.
• Form the turkey burgers into 8 large patties and add them to the griddle as soon as they are made (see video).
• Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
• Add the mozzarella cheese to each burger with 2 to 3 minutes left in the cooking process.
• Toast the brioche buns on the griddle until lightly browned and toasted.
• Assemble the burger by layering on as followed: Bottom toasted bun, lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion, turkey burger, chipotle mayonnaise, and then the final toasted top bun.

Notes

The single most important thing about my turkey burger recipe is that the turkey mixture should be very wet before you form the patties. If it is not, the burgers will dry out during cooking. That moisture is what keeps them juicy, exactly like you want it!

Never add breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs absorb moisture and turn turkey burgers into dry bricks. I do not put breadcrumbs in my meatloaf or meatballs either. The grated onion, garlic, and mayo provide all the binding and moisture you need.

Grate the onion and garlic: Using a microplane or box grater releases the juices into the meat. This is the opposite of using dried granules, which actually pull moisture out. The difference in the finished burger is dramatic.

Form patties at the last second: I shape the burgers right before they go on the griddle. The wet mixture firms up in the refrigerator, and forming them fresh means they hold together on the hot surface without overworking the meat.

Cook to 165 degrees: Turkey must be fully cooked. I use an instant-read thermometer to check, and the combination of breast and thigh meat ensures it stays juicy even at the proper internal temperature.

Ground chicken works too: If you prefer chicken over turkey, the same technique applies. Use a mix of breast and thigh for the same reason.

Make-Ahead: These are best eaten right after cooking. I prepare all the toppings up to 1 day ahead of time: oven-dry the tomatoes, make the chipotle mayo, and caramelize the onions. The burger meat can also be mixed and stored in the refrigerator for 1 day before forming and cooking.

How to Store: I keep the meat and toppings separate, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. The cooked turkey burgers freeze well, covered, for up to 3 months. I thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: I place the turkey burgers in a 13×9 casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 996kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 59gFat: 61gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 294mgSodium: 1167mgPotassium: 1519mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 7085IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 297mgIron: 6mg

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi