Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Taco turkey burgers combine two favorites: tacos and burgers! They are a tasty alternative to plain beef burgers and using ground turkey cuts calories and fat.
How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large mixing bowl, sheet pan, foil
Servings: 4 burgers
We’re big fans of turkey burgers here in my household. It’s a quick and easy meal, healthy and satisfying. And while there is a place for frozen turkey patties, I like to add a little this and that to jazz up the ground turkey for a really fabulous-tasting burger.
We really love pizza burgers, seasoned ground turkey studded with bits of pepperoni, and topped with marinara, fresh basil leaves, and mozzarella. Caprese burgers are pretty special, too, with a melty center of fresh mozzarella. However, now it’s time for a TACO turkey burger recipe with my beloved taco seasoning.
Taco burgers are easy to make and are great for a crowd. Simply double or triple the recipe. Another option is to make slider sized burgers. Offer a toppings bar so guests can customize their own burgers with guacamole, diced tomato, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, fresh cilantro, grilled peppers and onions, chipotle mayo, whatever your heart desires.
Round off the meal with Mexican favorites like 7 layer dip and tortilla chips, black bean corn salsa, or Mexican street corn pasta salad. Creamy southwestern orzo salad with many of the same seasonings as the burgers would be a perfect side.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Turkey: The best choice is 85/15 or 93/7 lean ground turkey. A little fat makes a better burger. The all white meat ground turkey tends to be dry. A question I get asked frequently is whether a turkey burger is healthier than a hamburger. Turkey burgers are lower in saturated fat than a beef burger (Healthline). Other than that, there’s not a lot of difference between the two.
- Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips bind things together instead of the usual bread crumbs. The burgers are gluten-free and it’s a great way to use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag of chips!
- Taco Seasoning: I always use my homemade blend which doesn’t have fillers or artificial ingredients.
- Onion: To avoid having big chunks of onion in the burgers, grate the onion over the mixing bowl. The finely grated onion and the juices add great flavor to the burger mix.
- Sliced Cheese, Buns, Toppings of Your Choice
How To Crush Tortilla Chips
There are several ways to crush the chips besides using the leftover crumbs in the bottom of the bag.- Put a handful of chips in a large resealable bag and crush them with a heavy object, such as a rolling pin, jar, or can.
- Use a large bowl instead of a bag, and crush the chips with the bottom of a clean jar.
- A food processor is a quick and easy method, too. Don’t over-process the chips into a fine flour. It’s best if the crumbs are fairly large.
How To Make Turkey Burgers
It’s pretty simple really. The burgers can be grilled or fried in a nonstick skillet but I find that the best way is to broil them in the oven.
Here’s how to do it: Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with foil (easy clean-up!). Get the broiler preheating while you make the burgers.
Add the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix gently. I use my hands but a spoon is fine too.
Form the mixture into four patties. Make them a little thinner in the middle so the burgers get done evenly.
Arrange the burgers in the sheet pan and broil about 6 minutes. Flip them over and broil another few minutes. The inside of the burger should be at least 165°F. Because it’s ground turkey, you don’t want to serve this burger rare.
As you can see from the photos, my oven broiler doesn’t heat very evenly. If you have the same problem, rotate the sheet pan partway through the cooking time.
Add a slice of cheese and broil for half a minute or until the cheese is melty. Pop those turkey burgers into a bun and dinner is ready! Wasn’t that fast and easy?
Serving Suggestions
Serve the burgers with chips and salsa. If you have an air fryer, make homemade French fries, sweet potato fries, or corn on the cob (or Instant Pot corn on the cob).
More into salads? Creamy coleslaw, grilled vegetable salad, or a simple cucumber salad are good choices.
Tips For The Best Burgers
How do you keep turkey burgers from falling apart? Adding a filler and compressing the burgers pretty firmly helps. I like to cook the burgers under the broiler so I don’t have to deal with grill grates. Make sure the burgers are pretty well done on the first side before you flip them. If they’re sticking or falling apart, let them cook a bit longer before you try to flip them.
Why are my turkey burgers dry? Overcooked turkey burgers can be dry. Turkey don’t have a lot of fat so be sure to cook the burgers until they are just done. Use an instant read thermometer to check (165°F).
Possible Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free option: Omit the bun. Serve burger with desired toppings.
- Feed a crowd: Make a double or triple batch of the meat mixture. Form into slider-size patties. Serve with a toppings bar so guests can top their own burgers however they prefer.
- More seasoning ideas: Add fresh minced garlic or chopped cilantro for more flavor impact. If you don’t have taco seasoning, substitute a tablespoon of chili powder.
- Refrigerate raw burgers: Make the burgers but don’t cook them. Refrigerate, covered well, for up to 24 hours.
- Freeze raw burgers: To freeze raw burgers, stack the burgers with a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper between each burger. Place in a freezer container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to one month. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before broiling as directed.
- Refrigerate cooked burgers: If you prefer, cook the burgers as directed and then refrigerate for up to 3 days in a covered container. or freeze for up to one month.
- Freeze cooked burgers: Wrap well in foil, then place in a labeled freezer bag. Burgers can be frozen for up to one month.
- To reheat: To reheat, place in a single layer on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F for fifteen minutes or until heated through. Frozen unthawed burgers will take 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #67 or Meal Plan #94. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
More Burgers
Taco Turkey Burger
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground turkey (85/15 or 93/7)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (about 4 oz.)
- ½ small yellow onion
- 4 slices cheese (I like white cheddar cheese but any type of sliced cheese is fine)
- Buns for serving
- Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomato.
Instructions
- Place oven rack 4 to 5 inches from heat. Turn oven on to Broil. Prepare sheet pan by lining with foil or spraying lightly with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat egg until combined. Add ground turkey, taco seasoning, and crushed tortilla chips. Finely mince onion or coarsely grate it over the bowl to catch all the juice. Mix everything together using your hands until mixture is combined. Do not overmix.1 large egg, 1 pound ground turkey, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips, ½ small yellow onion
- Form into four equal patties, pressing down the middle of each so they are slightly thinner in the middle. Arrange on prepared sheet pan.
- Broil about 6 minutes or until golden brown, flip, cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until internal temperature measures 165°F. Top burgers with cheese, broil 15 to 30 seconds or until cheese is melted (watch carefully!).4 slices cheese
- Add to buns, top as desired, and serve immediately.Buns for serving, Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomato.
Notes
- Nutrition information includes cheese, but not bun or additional toppings.
- Alternate seasoning idea: Substitute 1 tablespoon chili powder for taco seasoning, if desired.
- Cooking alternatives: If you prefer, burgers can be grilled or fried in a nonstick skillet. They can also be air fried.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
These were so easy to make and delicious! My husband and I enjoyed them with onion buns the first go-round and then without buns for leftovers. A definite do-again.
So glad you liked them! Thank you for leaving a review!
Would this be good with ground beef?
Absolutely!