Healthy Turkey Burgers

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If you're looking for a healthy turkey burger recipe, you'll love this one! These turkey burgers are healthy, juicy, and delicious — a fantastic meal the whole family will love.

This flavorful burger recipe is easy to assemble and perfect for grilling season. It's juicy and tender and can be cooked in a hot skillet on a grill or straight on the grill grates.

It's up to you what you'd like to top your burger with, but I highly recommend making the grilled red onion slices I've included!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Turkey Burger Serving Ideas
• More Ground Turkey Recipes to Try
• Healthy Turkey Burger

You honestly can't beat the combination of ground turkey and Worcestershire sauce. The umami flavor combination of sweet, spice, and sour in Worcestershire sauce is elite.

Adding the additional seasonings and fresh herbs just takes it over the top. The egg binds the burger together and locks in moisture, making these burgers tender and juicy.

Ground turkey is a great lean protein that's lower in saturated fat than beef. It's a heart-healthy way to enjoy a delicious burger and is easy to make on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients

This recipe calls for simple ingredients, but feel free to add any other seasonings and spice blends to your burger that you enjoy! For full ingredient details please see the recipe card.

Ground Turkey - I highly recommend buying ground turkey fresh from the butcher counter or in a packet like the one pictured above. When you buy a brick of close-packed ground meat, it's harder to mold it into burgers - the dense meat will make for dense burgers.

Red Onion - You'll use a grilled red onion as a topping on your burger. The flavor pairs perfectly, and I highly recommend not skipping this step. 

Egg - The egg will help bind the burger together and keep it moist. If you have the time, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

Worcestershire sauce - This gives the burger great umami flavor. If you don't have Worcestershire sauce, you can substitute it for soy sauce or liquid smoke. If using liquid smoke, reduce the amount to ¼ teaspoon as it's very strong. 

Seasonings - Garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper come together with a bit of fresh parsley to season the meat. Add ½ teaspoon of onion powder to the meat mixture if you aren't using the grilled onion. 

Buns - Grab your favorite burger buns or lettuce if you prefer to do a lettuce wrap.

Optional Toppings - Layer your burger with all your favorite toppings. Choose whichever you would like, but I recommend using your favorite condiments (ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, mustard, etc.) and veggies like lettuce and tomato. 

Instructions

Heat a cast iron skillet or another large skillet over a grill set to medium-high heat. You can make this on the stovetop as well, use a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Combine the turkey, egg, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir till the burger mixture is combined. 

Form four equal-sized patties with the meat mixture. 

Once the skillet is hot, spray some cooking spray (avocado or other neutral oil) into the skillet.

Carefully place the turkey patties into the skillet. Allow the burgers to cook for 3 minutes before flipping. Use a spatula to press the patties down.

Allow them to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. 

While the burgers are cooking, place the red onions directly on the grill grates on in a grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.

Allow them to cook for 3 minutes on each side until they are tender and have grill lines. 

To assemble the burgers, place them on a bun or in a lettuce wrap, top with optional sauces, red onion, and any optional toppings like sliced tomato, lettuce, and cheese. 

Serve immediately. 

Tips for Making this Recipe

• Cooking Tips - If you are grilling your burgers directly on your grill grates, be very careful placing the burgers. This is a looser mixture and can easily crumble apart. You may want to place a layer of aluminum foil down over the grates and either spray or brush on some oil on the foil before placing the burgers on top.
• Food Safety - The turkey burgers should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read meat thermometer.
• Equipment Recommendations - I recommend cooking the burgers in a large, cast-iron skillet on a grill over a large burner on a stovetop.
• Storing Tips - The cooked burgers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
• Make-Ahead Tips - You can make the burger patties up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lay them out in a single layer and cover them with plastic wrap.

Turkey Burger Serving Ideas

• Pick your favorite toppings. I highly recommend adding some fresh tomato slices and lettuce. You can use Cheddar, Havarti, or Colby Jack cheese slices to top the burger and your choice of condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. If you opt out of the grilled red onion, caramelized onions are also delicious.
• Add a bun or lettuce wrap, or chop it and serve it over a salad. 

Healthy Sides for Turkey Burgers

Want a great side dish to serve alongside these juicy turkey burgers? Try one of these pairings.

• Togarashi Fries - Tangy, spiced fries that are baked till crispy perfection. 
• Italian Tomato Salad - A bright and fresh summer salad, great on a hot summer day. 
• Baked Cotija Zucchini Fries - Crispy zucchini fries with cheese are a delicious match with these turkey burgers. 
• Baked Curly Fries Recipe - Flavorful baked curly fries are healthier than the deep fried options and full of flavor. 

More Ground Turkey Recipes to Try

If you like this recipe, check out some of our other favorite ground turkey recipes.

• Ground Turkey Chili - A fantastic, cozy bowl of chili with turkey and beans.
• Turkey Banh Mi Bowl Recipe - A Vietnamese-inspired bowl with plenty of veggies.
• Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs - A zesty meal that's a healthy dinner.

If you try this healthy turkey burger recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram, share your photos, or leave us a rating.