I get so mad/sad when turkey burgers are dismissed as dry or boring or bland. That simply doesn’t have to be the case. I love a good turkey burger as much as any other kind of burger, and now that I’ve figured out how to make them moist and flavorful, there’s nothing “second best” about them.

These easy grilled turkey burgers are juicy, full of rich flavor, and come together very, very quickly. I highly recommend using 85/15 percent ground turkey, which contains a higher level of fat than very lean turkey. They are still quite healthy, but they will be much more delicious and juicy and hold together in their patty shape much better. Serve these with any of your favorite bbq and cookout sides, such as Traditional Coleslaw, Easy Classic Potato Salad, Classic Macaroni Salad, or Mayo-Free Potato Salad.

Also, think about topping them with Pickled Onions, Grilled Onions, or Pimento Cheese. Scroll down for more topping ideas!

Perfect Turkey Burgers: These are the best turkey burgers, simple, easy, juicy, and flavorful. You really can get all of that in a turkey burger!

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Grilled Turkey Burger Ingredients

• Ground Turkey – Definitely don’t buy ultra-lean turkey for turkey burgers…otry to find 85/15 turkey meat, or at least a 93/7 blend.
• Onion – Adds a little bit of bite.
• Mayonnaise – Adds moisture and helps bind the patties together.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds great umami flavor.
• Cheese – Optional, but I do love a good turkey cheeseburger.
• Hamburger buns – Whatever kind you like, toasted or not.
• Burger toppings – Of course, you can go with ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato, but see below for more creative ideas!

Buying Turkey for Burgers

The best bet for ground turkey is to find a good butcher who grinds his or her meat on-site fresh daily. If you have a butcher nearby, definitely make a point of buying your meat there and ask for the ground dark turkey meat. Online, you can also find quite a few really good meat purveyors who will ship frozen, freshly ground turkey to your home.

Or, buy your turkey at a good supermarket or grocery store where they grind their meat in-house. Shop at a store with a high turnover so you know your meat is fresh. There might be a butcher counter in the market; get to know the butcher! Or look for packaged ground turkey with the furthest away expiration date. 

It’s best to stay away from pre-formed or packed ground turkey patties. They can be inconsistent in freshness, flavor, and texture, and the meat is probably older. Get all the best tips for how to form perfect burger patties. The first tip: making a little indent in the patties when uncooked results in nicely flat and even patties after cooking!

How Long to Grill a Turkey Burger

Unlike beef or other red meat burgers, turkey burgers (like all poultry) have to be fully cooked before consuming. The flexibility you have with beef hamburgers in terms of rare, medium-rare, etc., doesn’t pertain to turkey burgers. 

A 3/4-inch burger should cook to a safe internal temp over direct high heat in about 8 to 10 minutes total, or 4 to 5 minutes per side. There should not be notable pinkness inside.

The USDA recommends cooking ground turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees for safety reasons. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your burgers reach that temp.

How to Grill Turkey Burgers

1. Combine the turkey burger mixture: Place the turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce. Very gently blend the turkey with the other ingredients until well combined.
2. Make the patties: Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form each portion into a patty about 3/4-inch thick. Use your thumb to make a deep depression in the center of the patty. Season the burgers.

3. Prepare the grill: Heat the grill to high. Lightly brush both sides of each patty with oil. 
4. Grill the burgers: Once you have a hot grill, cook for 5 minutes on each side until just cooked through (an internal temperature of 165 degrees). 

5. Make cheeseburgers, if desired: Add the cheese, if using, during the last minute of cooking.
6. Grill the buns, if desired: Place the split buns on the grill for just about 10 seconds.

7. Build the turkey burger: Place the burgers on the bottom halves of the buns, top as desired, and place the top of the buns on the burgers. 

How to Top a Turkey Burger

You can stick with the traditional: ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and sliced onions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of these choices, alone or in combination! But if you want to play around and amp things up, try a sauce or spread, such as:

• Chimichurri Sauce
• Chipotle Mayo
• Sriracha Mayonnaise
• Barbecue Sauce
• Herbed Mayonnaise
• Blue Cheese Dressing
• Green Olive Tapendade

The Best Cheese for Turkey Cheeseburgers

The sky is the limit here! There are so many ways to turn that turkey burger into a turkey cheeseburger (which is basically what happens to every burger I make for my family). I know some people like their burgers with no cheese — or perhaps have issues with lactose — but a burger without cheese is like a day without sunshine in our house.

You can use sliced, shredded, or crumbled cheese. Be careful if using shredded or crumbled cheese that you put the cheese squarely on the burger, and it doesn’t roll off into the fire. You may want to remove the burgers from the grill to top them with cheese, then put them carefully back over the fire for the last minute.

• Cheddar
• American
• Monterey Jack
• Mozzarella
• Provolone
• Swiss cheese
• Gruyere
• Blue Cheese
• Feta
• Queso Fresco

FAQs

Best Turkey Burger Grilling Tips

Follow these tips for perfect grilled turkey burgers every time.

• Keep the meat in the fridge until you are ready to shape the patties, and keep the patties in the fridge until you are ready to grill them. This prevents bacteria from forming and makes the meat easier to handle.
• Be careful not to squish or squeeze the turkey, which can result in less tender burgers.
• Make sure to add the mayonnaise for maximum flavor and moistness.
• Do not press down on the burgers as they cook! You will simply be pressing all of those flavorful juices out of the burger into the fire. You want those juices where they belong, right there in the meat. (Pressing down on the burger can also cause flare-ups, which are annoying and possibly dangerous.)
• Don’t flip the burgers constantly. Leaving them to sit for a few minutes will give them those nice grill marks and prevent them from falling about when you turn them. 
• Never put cooked burgers on the plate you used to bring the uncooked patties to the grill. This can cause contamination, so use a fresh plate, platter, or board for your cooked patties.
• Set your gas grill to high for grilling burgers, and for a charcoal grill, make sure your coals are bright orange and ashy. You want high heat for the best turkey burgers, which you can get on a gas, wood pellet, or charcoal grill.
• If grilling outdoors isn’t an option, you can also cook these burgers in a pan. A grill pan is great, but you can also use a heavy skillet, like a cast iron pan. Preheat the pan before adding the burgers; the cooking times should be similar.
• Make sure to cook them through to the safe temperature of 165 degrees.

What to Serve With Turkey Burgers

Traditional Coleslaw

French Potato Salad

More Burger Recipes

• Greek Turkey Burgers
• Buffalo Turkey Burger Sliders
• Spanish Lamb Burgers
• Chipotle Beef Burgers
• Grilled Cheeseburgers with Herb Sauce
• Southwestern Vegan Black Bean Burgers