Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Delicious homemade turkey burgers, with seasoning and rolled oats, are so much tastier than pre-made turkey burgers. These burgers are flavorful, healthy, and versatile.
How long it takes: 25 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, grater (optional), broiler or grill
Servings: 4
If the only turkey burgers you’ve ever had are the pre-formed frozen patties, you’re in for a treat! Homemade turkey burgers are much more flavorful and tender, with healthy rolled oats and egg mixed into the meat. There’s really no comparison.
Eat your turkey burger like a normal burger, on a bun with your favorite toppings, or eat it plain. It’s almost like a mini meatloaf. Try your burger with a little barbecue sauce on top, or sautéed onions and mushrooms and a slice of melted Swiss cheese.
I like to cut it up and put it on a salad with Thousand Island dressing. It’s my “special sauce” for burgers and it makes a tasty salad dressing, too. Never had a burger salad? It may sound a little weird but it’s actually really good.
About these turkey burgers
You may be thinking, Why go to the trouble of making your own burgers when you can just buy frozen turkey patties?
Better flavor and texture is the answer! While I admit you can’t beat the convenience, frozen turkey burgers are rather flavorless and can be pretty dry. When you add an egg, oats, grated onion, and seasoning, the turkey burger is juicy, tender, and so tasty!
If you’ve made meatloaf, the mixture for these burgers is somewhat similar. I also love that you can add whatever flourishes you like. In the mood for Italian? Make pizza turkey burgers. How about Mexican? Make taco turkey burgers. Want to get fancy? Try Caprese turkey burgers with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil. California burgers with avocado, tomato, lettuce, and a “secret” sauce are really good, too.
Wondering if a turkey burger is healthier than a hamburger? Both burgers add protein and other nutrients to your diet. Turkey burgers are lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories than beef burgers. If you prefer beef burgers, try air fryer burgers. It’s easier and healthier than frying them in a skillet.
Cooking Tip
I add half a medium sized onion to the mixture. Hubby doesn’t care for onion “chunks” so I grate the onion. Grating gives you a very fine mince without a lot of work. Grating onion also results in a little juice which can be added to the meat mix for more flavor.
Try them with air fryer French fries or homemade air fryer tater tots. Don’t forget the French fry dipping sauce (it’s tasty on the turkey burgers, too). A salad is always a good choice. Creamy potato salad or healthy coleslaw (with yogurt dressing) are classic favorites. Having a picnic? Crockpot baked beans are a must!
Helpful Tips
What kind of turkey should you use? I prefer 80/20 ground turkey or dark meat ground turkey. A little fat helps with burgers! If you use ground white meat (breast), the burgers tend to be dry and not as tasty.
How long should you cook turkey burgers? Like all poultry, turkey burgers should be thoroughly cooked. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the burgers reaches 165°F. That’s a bit more than beef burgers which are well-done at 160°F.
How do you keep turkey burgers from falling apart? Press the burger mix together firmly when making the patties. Turkey burgers can be broiled in your oven on a foil covered sheet pan, or grilled. The mixture can be a little soft so make sure the grill grates are oiled and you don’t try to flip them too soon. I actually prefer broiling them in the oven. Make sure the burger is well-browned on the first side before you try to flip it.
If you want to, make the patties ahead a day ahead and refrigerate or freeze them. They’ll be ready to cook up when you’re ready to eat. Alternatively, the burgers can be cooked before you freeze them.
Raw burgers: Cook as directed.
Frozen raw burgers: Cook as directed, adding a few minutes to the cooking time.
Cooked burgers: Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove.
Frozen cooked burgers: For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until heated through.
More Sandwich Recipes
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey
- ½ medium yellow onion
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley (if using fresh, double the amount)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven broiler with rack in top third of oven. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. If you're grilling the burgers, preheat and grease grill.
- Grate the onion over a large bowl, catching all the juices, or finely mince the onion if you prefer.½ medium yellow onion
- Add the ground turkey, oats, beaten egg, parlsy, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to the bowl with the onion; mix well. It's easiest to use your hands but don't over-mix.1 ¼ pounds ground turkey, ¼ cup rolled oats, 1 egg, beaten, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, ½ teaspoon cumin, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
- Shape into patties about ½ inch thick (make them slightly thinner in the middle). If grilling, spray each side lightly with nonstick spray.
- Broil on high for 6 to 7 minutes, flip, and continue broiling 4 to 6 more minutes or until burgers are done. Internal temperature should be 165°F when instant read thermometer is inserted into the center of the burger. If you're grilling the burgers, don't flip the burgers until they are firm and release easily. They tend to break apart easily. Cooking time will vary depending on how thick the burgers are made and how hot your grill is.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Idea: Patties can be made a day ahead; refrigerate or freeze them. They’ll be ready to cook up when you’re ready to eat. Cook as directed. If they’re frozen, add a few minutes to the cooking time (don’t thaw first).
- Reheating: If the burgers are cooked, reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. Frozen cooked burgers should be thawed overnight in the fridge for best results.
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!
Nutmeg Nanny- It is so funny that you wrote that on this post (thank you, btw, you are too nice!). I talked to my mom on the phone yesterday and she called the picture of the turkey burger salad "ugly." Thanks a lot mom. Aren't moms always supposed to lie and say everything is beautiful?
I've done feta in my turkey burgers too! So good.
I love turkey burgers! So delicious :) Sometimes I throw feta into the meat before I make the patties. Changes it up a bit. BTW I think your pictures look really great. You should see my pictures when I first started….
I really like turkey burgers, sometimes more so than beef burgers. I've got a really good recipe for turkey burgers somewhere, I've gotta find it to make it again!
BTW, love that you used your burger in a salad! That's genius. :)
I love turkey burgers!! These sound awesome! I've never thought to put one on a salad though! I love it!!
I would never think to use a burger as a salad topper! What a great idea :)