These turkey burgers are incredibly juicy and flavorful thanks to using ground turkey thighs and adding mayonnaise for creaminess.
Well-seasoned and cooked in plenty of olive oil, these turkey burgers are delicious! Like all burgers, they're ready fast - in just 20 minutes - making them ideal for a quick weeknight dinner. They make a nice variation from beef burgers (like these grilled burgers), and they are just as good. Avoid using ground turkey breast, or your burgers could end up too dry.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Ground turkey: To keep the burgers juicy, use ground turkey thighs (93% lean) and not turkey breast, which is too lean and will yield dry burgers.
- Mayonnaise: I use avocado oil mayonnaise. Sometimes, I use sriracha mayo.
- Mustard: I highly recommend Dijon mustard. This French mustard is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Chopped parsley: Cilantro is a good substitute. I like the peppery flavor it adds.
- Olive oil: For frying the burgers. You can use other types of fat, such as avocado oil or clarified butter (ghee).
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl. With moist hands, form the mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties.
Cook the burgers in olive oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Serve the burgers on a plate, in a lettuce wrap, or in a bun.
I’ve made this many times for months. Most recipes I’ve tried are bland. This is so tasty, and no need for a binder.
Sarah
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Tips for Keeping the Burgers Juicy
Unlike pork burgers, which are inherently juicy, we're making these burgers with relatively lean meat, so they have the potential to dry out. Here are my tips for keeping them juicy:
- Use ground turkey thighs (93% lean) and not ground turkey breast, which is too lean.
- Add mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. These creamy ingredients add much-needed moisture.
- Instead of grilling the burgers, it's best to pan-fry them in a generous amount of olive oil. The olive oil adds flavor and helps the burgers retain moisture. Grilling is suitable for fatty meats, not lean ones.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need to add breadcrumbs, almond flour, or ground pork rinds to the burger mixture. The mixture stays together nicely and does not fall apart.
These burgers are a bit sticky (which means they are moist and will be nice and juicy), so it's helpful to shape them with slightly wet hands.
No. Theoretically, you could use just two tablespoons of olive oil for pan-frying these burgers. When you use four tablespoons, about half of it remains in the skillet. But using more oil ensures tastier, crispier burgers that are cooked evenly.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
Serving Suggestions
These burgers are delicious when served on 90-second bread or cloud bread. I spread the buns with sriracha mayo and add lettuce and tomatoes.
You can also serve them in a lettuce wrap or simply on a plate with a side salad (such as this arugula salad) and quick pickles or pickled red onions.
My kids eat these burgers in a bun, as shown in this photo:
Sides that go well with these burgers include homemade coleslaw, creamy cucumber salad, carrot chips, eggplant chips, zucchini fries, and jicama fries.
For extra flavor, you can top them with sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions, or caramelized onions.
Recipe Card
Incredibly Juicy Turkey Burgers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey thighs - 93% lean
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup fresh parsley - chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chopped parsley.
- With moist hands for easier handling, form the mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the patties and cook them until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- I use 4 tablespoons of olive oil, even though about half of it will remain in the skillet. The generous amount of oil ensures even cooking and great flavor.
- The burgers are a bit sticky (which means they are moist and will be nice and juicy), so it's helpful to shape them with lightly moistened hands.
- Use ground turkey thighs in this recipe. Turkey breast is too lean and will produce dry burgers that could also fall apart.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Marianne Knox says
I made this recipe and it was fabulous! I used all ingredients except, a half teaspoon of salt substitute instead of salt and I used Mrs. Dash herb blend in place of the onion and garlic powder. I used fresh cilantro. I could have flattened the patties more, because they took a little longer to cook on a medium grill to get up to 165°. In the end, they were very moist and flavorful. Thank you for a new healthy alternative to grilled hamburgers this summer!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Marianne! I'm so glad this was a success. Thank you very much for the review.
JK says
I am able to brown top and bottom but the middle outside is not browning. O see your pictures are browned everywhere. How did you do that?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi!
After 5 minutes on each side over medium heat, the burgers should be cooked through with their edges browned. If this isn't happening for you, try adding an extra minute per side. If they're browning too much on the bottom, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Fran says
The best ever!
Mary Alice McKinnie says
Thank you for this healthy recipe! Going to try it soon! Thanks.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Mary Alice! I hope you like these burgers.
Joy says
I've made these burgers twice and everyone in the family loves them. Thank you for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Joy!
Elaine says
These are really delicious. Great flavor . My whole family loved them !
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Elaine! I'm glad these were a success.
Shirley says
Do you have any recipes for frozen turkey burgers that I will grind up when defrosted and use them in another recipe besides chili? Thank you.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Shirley,
In addition to these turkey burgers, I have recipes for turkey meatloaf and turkey meatballs. However, these recipes call for fresh ground turkey, not frozen.
Shirley says
Thank you so much for the information and other turkey recipes.
Janice W says
Just made these tonight and they were great. I normally buy the frozen turkey burgers by Butterball and they usually cost close to $10.00. Never again will I buy them. I didn't realize I could make my own delicious turkey burgers.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these burgers, Janice! Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
kathy says
I really dont like turkey/chicken burgers but I had some ground turkey to use up so I tried this recipe and my god this is amazing!! I intend to make this again. It was a hit at my house
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Kathy! I'm so glad this was a success.
Rob says
Followed recipe- came out great. Flatten well before cooking, low - med heat.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked these burgers, Rob! Thanks for the review.