Ground Turkey Burgers

Turkey Burger Ingredients

Here’s a look at what you’ll need to make these ground turkey burgers. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

• Ground turkey – I use lean ground turkey to make these burgers. For those of you who live in the Twin Cities area, I highly recommend the turkey products from Ferndale Market – I always buy it at Kowalski’s, but you can find it at many other grocers in the area.
• Bread crumbs – This gives the burgers a sturdier structure.
• Egg – To bind together the ground turkey and bread crumbs. Don’t worry – I promise you won’t feel like you’re eating a bread-y, eggy burger!
• Lemon juice & zest – Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest add a lovely hint of brightness that pairs well with the herbs and goat cheese.
• Herbs – Fresh rosemary and thyme add beautiful flavor.
• Salt & pepper – Super simple seasoning for the turkey burgers.
• Goat cheese – I use a 4-ounce goat cheese log for this recipe.
• Hamburger buns – I recommend soft, flavorful buns.
• Lettuce – I like to serve these burgers with fresh butter lettuce.
• Sun dried tomato spread – Use my homemade recipe for sun dried tomato spread to top the burgers – you’ll be amazed at all the flavor that’s packed into this fun condiment!

How to Make Turkey Burgers

I played around with a turkey burger recipe that friends made for us many summers ago. Our family had liked its flavors, so I knew that recipe would be a great starting point. Here’s how we make these burgers!

• Grill the buns. To start off, if you’re serving the ground turkey burgers with buns, I highly recommend that you grill the buns. This adds great texture and flavor.

• Make the ground turkey burger mixture. Combine the ground turkey with bread crumbs, whisked egg, lemon juice and zest, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Form turkey burger patties. Divide burger mixture into six equal portions, and then divide each of those portions in half, to equal twelve portions. Form each portion into a 4″ patty.
• Add goat cheese. Place goat cheese on the centers of six turkey patties.
• Seal the turkey burgers. Place a bare turkey patty on top of each patty with goat cheese, and then pinch the burger edges together to seal the patties and enclose the cheese. Season with salt & pepper.
• Chill. Cover the burgers and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Do not skip this step, and do not skimp on the chilling time. This helps keep the turkey burgers together, for easy grilling.
• Grill. Heat grill to medium/medium-high, then clean the grill grates and oil them very well. Place chilled turkey burgers on the grill grates and cook 5 minutes without moving. Then flip the burgers and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until burgers are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.

• Serve. Place lettuce on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a grilled turkey burger. Spread on some sun dried tomato spread and then add the top half of bun. Serve hot!

Tips for Success + Variations

A flavorful, easy-to-make turkey burger is not always easy to come by. But this recipe, with a few of my helpful tips and variations, delivers!

• Use your hands. If you’re not averse to using your hands to mix the burger ingredients, I recommend this method as it helps to get everything very evenly combined. Otherwise, just use a wooden spoon.
• Chill the burgers. To help the finished burgers hold together, place the finished uncooked burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes before they hit the hot grill grates.
• Clean & oil the grill grates. This is important to prevent the burgers from sticking. See the Notes section in the bottom portion of the recipe card for our method of oiling grill grates.
• Grill the buns. This always gives burgers an edge, adding both flavor and texture. It takes very little effort, and just a little bit of time.
• Don’t move the burgers! Do not move the burgers at all during the first 5 minutes of cooking time. This will firm-up the bottom part of the burger and create some char – which gives sturdiness to the burger, making it easier to flip over.
• Make the sundried tomato spread. Our family loves this condiment, my own homemade version of the one from the herby turkey bagel sandwich at Bruegger’s.
• Use a griddle or skillet on the grill. If you’d rather not grill these burgers directly on the grill grates, use a griddle or cast iron skillet. Just set the griddle/skillet on the grill grates and preheat the grill. Then brush the cooking surface of the griddle/skillet with oil right before adding the turkey burgers. 
• Or cook on the stovetop. Heat a large griddle, cast iron skillet, or other large skillet over medium/medium-high heat on the stovetop. Once hot, brush the cooking surface with oil. Then add turkey burgers. Proceed with the recipe.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Here’s how to store any leftover turkey burgers:

• Fridge – Place cooled burgers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place any leftover buns in a separate airtight container and store in the fridge as well.
• To reheat – Super easy, place the burgers on a microwave-safe plate and heat them in 30-second increments until heated through. Or, place the burgers on a baking tray and reheat them in a 350°F oven until hot. You can also revive the grilled buns by placing them cut-side up under the broiler, until they’re toasty again.
• Make-ahead – You can make the (raw) turkey burgers a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Just place them in an airtight container, with parchment paper separating any layers of burgers. Cook them cold, straight from the fridge.

More Burger Recipes To Try

• Cheeseburger Sliders
• Juicy Lucy Burger Lettuce Wraps
• Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza Rolls
• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup