Turkey Burgers
If you think Turkey Burgers are bland and boring, it’s time to try this recipe. These have incredible flavor, with feta crumbles and fresh basil. This recipe only takes 20 minutes, and can be done either on the stove or on the grill.
Do you know what a turkey burger has that a ground beef burger doesn’t?
A special friendliness with other flavors. It’s way more suited to having different flavor combinations added to it.
Put feta and basil in a beef patty, and that might be kind of weird. Put feta and basil in a turkey patty, and you get something magnificent.
I’m all about having quick burgers and sandwiches that are delicious and easy to make (hello Croque Madame and Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches), and these burgers are delicious, quick, and easy. They are the best turkey burgers, and a family favorite in our house!
Tips for Best Results
Use dark ground turkey – Do not use ground turkey breast here, which is nearly fat free and will turn out dry, even if cooked perfectly. Dark ground turkey is still lean, usually at around 93% lean, but will give you better flavor and juiciness.
Grill it if possible – While you can sear these turkey burgers on the stove, grilled meat is always superior in flavor. Grill it if you can!
Mix lightly – As with all ground meat preparations from meatballs to burgers, try to mix up the meat as little as possible. Using a light hand will give you a superior texture.
While I love the grill for the best flavor possible, these are fantastic even when they’re quickly cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stove indoors. Just make sure to get the heat high so you get that wonderful brown crust on the edges.
How to Make It Step by Step:
In a large mixing bowl, combine dark ground turkey meat, feta cheese crumbles, fresh basil, worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper:
Be sure not to use the 99% extra lean ground turkey breast here, as doing so will make it hard for you to have a juicy burger. The dark meat will give you better flavor and moisture.
Mix this all together gently to distribute the ingredients evenly, then shape the ground turkey mixture into four equal portions:
Make-ahead Option
At this point, you may store the prepared patties in the fridge for up to 1 day, if you are making this recipe ahead of time. Just cook when you are ready.
To cook juicy turkey burgers, I’ve had great success for years simply cooking them in a cast iron skillet on the stove, but since my father-in-law bought me this indoor grill (affiliate) for Christmas, I’ve started using that instead.
You can also grill these on an outdoor grill, either a gas grill or charcoal grill. A george foreman grill also works. The cook time is more or less the same for all of these options.
I generally recommend medium-high heat, turning down to medium heat as needed if the outside is browning too fast.
When are the burgers done?
The recommended internal temperature for doneness for turkey is 165F, as measured using a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the turkey patty.
Because carryover cooking is about 5 degrees, I like to pull these off the heat at 160F. This will maximize juiciness.
Here’s a look at the fully cooked turkey burger, without any toppings:
Because there’s so much going on with the actual turkey patty, you can go pretty minimal with the fixings.
How to Serve It
I usually add sliced tomato, lettuce, red onion, and some pickles on the side, though you could also add an Aioli, Mayonnaise, or Dijon mustard. Feel free to add your favorite burger toppings.
If you’re up for it, you can even make your own Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns from scratch. A brioche bun is also fantastic.
Want to cut carbs? Serve in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. Because there are no bread crumbs in the burger mixture, this makes it gluten-free (make sure your brand of worcestershire is gluten-free).
I served my burger here with some Baked Garlic Fries, though Red Potato Salad, Greek Zucchini Salad, and classic Homemade French Fries are also perfect for pairing.
If you enjoy this recipe, I also recommend trying this flavorful Turkey Chili, Baked Turkey Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy, and my Double Decker Burger.
Variations to Try
Once you’ve tried the recipe, feel free to play with other kinds of ingredients. One of my favorite things about these homemade burgers is how versatile it can be. Here are some other variations I’ve enjoyed:
Blue cheese + Basil: Swap blue cheese crumbles for the feta cheese.
Feta + dill: Swap fresh dill for the basil. Add 1/4 of sliced green onion.
Turkey sage: Swap finely chopped sage for the basil.
Rosemary + feta: Swap finely minced rosemary for the basil.
Spiced: Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder.
Extra umami: Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the mix, and omit the salt.
FAQ and Tips:
Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap so the turkey burger patties don’t dry out.
Yes, for up to 2 months. Store in an airtight container to prevent the meat from absorbing off flavors.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Homemade French Fries, and Creamed Corn are all great.
Yes, feel free to mix in the ingredients and shape the patties, then keep them in the fridge for up to 1 day before cooking.
For baked turkey burgers, place in a 450F oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness. Cook to 160F, checked with an instant-read thermometer. I recommend placing the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, so they don’t stick to the metal.
I share my expertise below in this video so you can join me in making the best turkey burgers ever!
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
For the Turkey Burgers:
- 1 lb dark ground turkey
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 2 tbsp packed chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt*
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- desired toppings like red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, condiments, etc
Side Dish Ideas for Pairing:
Instructions
- Gently mix together the ground turkey, feta crumbles, chopped basil, worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper with your fingertips. Make sure not to overwork the meat, but rather to think of distributing the ingredients evenly.
- Form the meat mixture into 4 patties, keeping in mind that the burger will shrink up during cooking. For this reason, I usually make them flatter than I ultimately want, and a little bit wider than the bun. Don’t make the patties too thick or they’ll take too long to cook.
- To cook on the stove, heat up a cast iron skillet over medium high heat for a couple minutes. Once the pan is hot, add the turkey patties and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Time will vary depending on how hot your pan is and how thick your patties are, but you want the center of the turkey burger to read at 160F (carryover cooking will bring the final temperature to 165F). If you find that the burgers are browning too much before the interior is cooking through, you can put a lid on the pan, or pop the burgers into a hot oven for a few minutes to finish cooking.
- You may also grill the burgers either on an indoor or outdoor grill. About 3 minutes on each side as well, depending on how intense the heat is. Check for doneness using a thermometer, aiming for 160F.
- Serve the turkey burgers with any accompaniments you want, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in May 2019. Originally published May 2013.
75 Comments on “Turkey Burgers”
Awesome burgers.
Really glad you enjoyed them!
Wow. Started eating with less carbs and more
protein this week and we’ve made this recipe twice!!! We didn’t change anything except we put them on the grill and ate them without bun (but had more than one serving). I’ve told everyone I know about this delicious simple recipe!!! Thanks so much!
That’s fantastic!!!
I’m not having carbs at the moment, but these burgers were awesome and went well with a salad. I tripled the ingredients and added garlic and onion granules which really enhanced the flavours.
I’ve had these before, and actually have made them with dried basil, and they still turned out great! So, if you don’t have any on hand, it’s still worth the try. My question is, can you freeze your cooked burgers? I am cooking for one at the moment, and would like to make them all in one go, and have some for later on nights when I need a quick meal to reheat. Thoughts?
Hi Tawna, I haven’t frozen these before, but generally speaking, meat freezes pretty well. It loses a little moisture though FYI.
Was browsing recipes and saw this one. Was wondering – what would be some examples of condiments that would be good on a turkey burger like this? Ketchup/mustard just isn’t always good with the mix. Anything else you can suggest?
For this I like to do a tzatziki type sauce. You will find a wide array of recipes online, but usually mine is greek yogurt, fresh dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Enjoy!!
Very good Turkey burger! Refreshing, lean, and light.
I also put grilled onions for extra topping!
Thx
I made these last night and they were amazing!! Definitely adding to my go to recipes. Thanks!
YAY! Glad to hear that, Lauren.
Made these for supper tonight- turned out great! Recipe doubled perfectly 🙂 Had to sub the worcestershire for a gluten free soy sauce. Thanks for sharing- can’t wait for summer so I can do these on the BBQ!
Awesome! Happy to hear it, Eleanor.
Joanne,
Is there some type of spice or other flavoring I can use to substitute the salt? I don’t really want to add 1/4 tsp (about 600mg; 24-25%) to the burgers if possible. It seems kind of high, I might add 1/8 of a tsp. Also, is it crucial that the basil be fresh? I don’t think it’s that much of a hassle to go and buy it, but if I can use grounded basil with a minimal difference in taste, it would be preferred. Thanks in advance,
Josh
Actually, realized it a minute or so later, the 1/4 of a tsp of salt isn’t so bad since it makes two burgers. It would only be about 12% of daily requirements which is pretty decent. Any ideas anyway?
Hi Josh, if you’re watching your salt intake, feel free to put in what you need. There is some saltiness in the feta too. For the basil, it’s really important to use the fresh stuff. Dried basil just doesn’t taste the same, and the fresh is crucial to give good flavor. Enjoy!
I tried the recipe with fresh basil. Unfortunately, it was something I would definitely eat if presented, but probably wouldn’t seek to make. My mom took one bite and stopped (she’s difficult). I wish I enjoyed it as much as the others above me did. Regardless, I really appreciate the recipe. Always looking for healthy/ier renditions of food. Just glad I tried it!
Hi Josh, glad you tried it too. Inevitably there will be some recipes that suit your tastes and others that don’t. I love these burgers but the flavors are definitely eclectic.
I tried your Feta Basil Turkey Burgers (added a little extra Worcestershire, cause I love it) and they were delicious! For my toppings I added spinach instead of lettuce and sautéed cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, so, so, yummy.
Hi Amy, YAY!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the burgers so much. I love these too, so good and they cook up so quickly!
OMG!!!! These are amazing. Made them tonight and my picky 17-month-old son devoured nearly an ENTIRE burger. Mmmmm, the adults were equally as happy!
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear you all loved the burgers.
I made your Feta Basil Turkey Burgers for dinner last night. They were delicious and I will make them again and again. I had fresh basil from my garden and also chopped up kalamata olives. I paired them with Bobby Flay’s Greek Quinoa Salad which was also a great combination of ingredients. Thanks for such wonderful recipes and all the hard work you put into it.
I loooove turkey burgers! This sounds like a match made in heaven! Ill definitely try these out!
I love turkey burgers, what a great way to change them up! Great video!
I just adore your blog! Such beautiful recipes and pictures… and your sense of humor and style is fantastic!
That burger is gorgeous!!!!