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GET IT NOWMy Turkey Burger Recipe Is The Juiciest Around
I’ve spent years perfecting my best beef burger recipe, and I must say, they’re not easy to beat. But when I want something lighter with an extra punch, these turkey burgers seriously challenge the throne. They’re packed with zesty chipotle flavor, have this irresistible creamy, smoky sauce, and believe it or not, they’re as juicy as my beef ones. Here’s what makes them special:
- Golden outside, super juicy inside – Lean turkey is so hard to keep moist, but I promise that you can. I have a few tricks to give you the juiciest turkey burgers around.
- Bold chipotle flavor – Unlike beef that you can season simply, ground turkey makes the perfect blank canvas for add-ins. I’ve made these a few different ways, but this is my best turkey burger recipe, with extra layers of chipotle flavor in the burgers themselves and the creamy sauce.
- Fast and easy – Like many of my healthy dishes, this one’s quick, and most of the ingredients are pantry staples. You can have these mouthwatering burgers on the table in just around 20 minutes. Perfect for weeknights!
- 4 ways to cook – I’ve got instructions for your stovetop, oven, grill, or air fryer, so you can choose how you want to cook these.
If you’re craving something different for dinner, my turkey burger recipe is your next must-try. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my turkey burgers recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Turkey – Any type of ground turkey works, but I usually steer clear of fat-free since it tends to be too dry. Ground chicken works great, either with this recipe or you can try my other chicken burger recipe. I’ve even made salmon burgers, but for those you need a totally different method.
- Avocado Oil – Adding a bit of avocado oil right into the meat is one of my little tricks to keep it juicy! (I do this with my beef burgers too, but with lean ground turkey it’s even more important.) Olive oil works just as well.
- Coconut Aminos – This brand is my go-to soy sauce substitute, and it adds a layer of umami flavor with a hint of sweetness. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, or you can substitute Worcestershire sauce like I do for my regular beef ones.
- Herbs & Spices – Dried oregano, fresh cilantro, crushed chipotle pepper flakes, smoked paprika, cumin, and sea salt. You can also add a pinch of garlic powder and/or onion powder for extra flavor. And feel free to use parsley if you’re not a cilantro fan.
- Chipotle Mayo – Don’t skip the sauce, I think it makes this recipe for turkey burgers! You only need 2 ingredients: mayonnaise and chipotle chile powder! I like this brand of mayo, but homemade mayo is even better. The powder is the ground version of the crushed flakes above. To avoid buying both, you can just grind some of the flakes in a coffee grinder or small food processor. If you don’t want to fuss with that either, my spicy mayo would be the closest substitute.
TIP: The crushed chipotle pepper flakes are the secret ingredient that gives my turkey burger recipe so much flavor!
You can get these flakes here. They’re made of chipotle chile peppers, which have a smoky flavor and moderate heat, unlike regular crushed red pepper flakes that are mainly just hot and sharp. Although you could swap in regular ones, your turkey burgers will turn out a lot more spicy and you’d lose the chipotle flavor.
A closer substitute would be chipotle chile powder (used in the sauce), but I’d recommend 1/4 to half the amount if you make the swap in the burger meat.
How To Make Turkey Burgers
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the seasonings. In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, coconut aminos, crushed chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cilantro, and sea salt.
- Mix in the turkey. Add the ground turkey to the bowl and mix with your hands just until combined. Divide the burger meat mixture into 4 sections and form patties. Make a thumbprint in each.
- Cook the turkey burgers. You can bake and then broil (I do it on this sheet pan), pan fry on the stovetop (my favorite method in this skillet), air fry them (similar to my air fryer turkey burgers), or grill them outside. Make sure to let them rest for 5 minutes after cooking.
- Make the chipotle sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and chipotle chile powder. I usually just do this while I cook the turkey burger recipe, but you can make it in advance, too. And don’t miss my serving suggestions below for the other toppings!
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the turkey meat. Mixing too much will result in a tough turkey burger. This is why I mix all the other ingredients first, before adding the ground turkey.
- You can tweak the chipotle pepper amount for a spicier or milder burger. Mine is moderately spicy as written, but I find that the mayo-based sauce mellows it out even with the chipotle pepper in there.
- A thumbprint in the center matters. This little trick I always use keeps your hamburgers from puffing up when you cook them, but it’s not just for looks — it helps with even cooking, too!
- For the juiciest turkey burger recipe, cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. This is why I always use my instant-read thermometer, and it’s my other main trick for juicy results. I remove the burgers from heat at 160, then let them rest for 5 minutes to come to 165 degrees F.
- Feel free to add cheese. Just place a slice on top of each turkey burger in the last couple minutes of cooking.
Turkey Burger Recipe (With The Best Sauce)
This easy turkey burger recipe is extra juicy and flavorful, with a creamy, smoky chipotle sauce. You can pan fry, bake, or grill them fast.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Turkey Burgers:
Chipotle Mayo:
Optional For Serving:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, coconut aminos, chile peppers, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cilantro, and sea salt.
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Add the ground turkey. Stir or mix with your hands until just combined. Do not over mix to avoid tough burgers.
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Divide the meat into 4 sections and form them into burger patties. Make a thumbprint in the center of each one.
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Cook turkey burgers using your favorite method:
Stovetop: Heat a tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.
Oven: Arrange the burgers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 16-18 minutes, until almost cooked through. Place under the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes, until browned and fully cooked.
Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill turkey burgers over direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Add the burgers and air fry for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For All Methods: Cook the burgers until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Let the burgers rest for 5 minutes on a plate after cooking, and they should reach 165 degrees F as they rest.
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Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise and chipotle chile powder to make chipotle mayo.
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Serve turkey burgers with chipotle mayo, avocado, fresh cilantro, and homemade salsa.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 turkey burger + 2 tablespoons chipotle mayo
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a juicy, tender, and evenly cooked turkey burger every time.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: Form the ground turkey burger patties (work quickly, so they stay cold for juicy burgers later!), but don’t cook them. You can freeze them in a zip lock bag between layers of parchment paper, or keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Reheat: Warm up in the oven or a hot skillet. The microwave is okay, but I don’t love it for turkey burger recipes since they dry out more easily than beef.
- Freeze: You can freeze cooked patties for up to 3 months, or raw seasoned ones for up to 12 months.
- Note on nutrition info: The numbers include the burgers and sauce, but not the buns and toppings.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Turkey Burgers
Serving Ideas
Now that you’ve got those turkey burgers ready, let’s talk about the best ways to serve them up:
- Bun, Lettuce Wrap, Or Bowl – You can use your favorite hamburger buns (the healthy ones I have pictured at the top are from my first cookbook), wrap them in a lettuce wrap (pictured above), or even plop them onto a burger bowl. My fave combo for add-ins is some fresh salsa, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and of course, the chipotle mayo.
- Fries – My air fryer French fries or air fryer sweet potato wedges are quick options, or make my zucchini fries for something lighter.
- Salad – I love serving this turkey burger recipe with taco slaw, because the Mexican flavors pair so well. But you can also whip up my broccoli cauliflower salad, cauliflower potato salad, or simple cucumber tomato salad.
48 Comments
Lauren Hoffman
1I followed the advice to not overmix the meat, and they turned out perfectly tender. We had them with avocado slices and a bit of salsa, which complemented the flavors really well. Prepping the patties in advance was a game-changer for a busy weeknight, and reheating in a hot skillet kept them from drying out.
Beryl Feist
0Your recipes are delicious. Can you pleae tell me what type of buns you use for the burgers. It looks like real bread. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Beryl! The buns in my pictures here are from my first cookbook. I hope you love the turkey burgers!
Holly
0Made these for dinner tonight and they are delicious!!!! My husband and kids love them. We had them with a side of green beans. This was my first time making homemade burgers. We usually get bubba turkey burgers. They did fall apart. Why did they fall apart. They were still delicious even though they fell apart. Will definitely make them again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Holly! I’m so glad you all love them. Falling apart is usually caused by either overmixing the meat, not preheating the pan or grill well enough, or flipping too soon. Hope this helps for next time!
Jenee Mcnatt
0Hi, am I suppose to add three tbsp of avocado oil to the meat?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jenee, Yes, that’s correct for this recipe.
sonny
0great burger! i used organic ground meat instead of turkey. my husband and daughter loved it. the chipotle mayo is a must! ty maya 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Sonny! Agree, the chipotle mayo just completes these.
Kelly MoJo
0This was fantastic! I had to change up some of the ingredients because of food sensitivities (gluten-free tamari instead of the aminos, no paprika, less chipotle, more cumin and oregano, added white pepper to make up for the heat). I had to heavily modify the sauce because I’m not a fan of mayo, so I used mostly Greek yogurt with a little mayo and liquid smoke+white pepper+a little chipotle+sun dried tomato paste to season. Everything was moist and flavorful, and the leftovers were just as tasty, if not more so. Two thumbs up!
Jenny
0What could you use instead of coconut aminos?
Why do you put a thumbprint into the burgers?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jenny, You can use reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari instead of coconut aminos. The thumbprint prevents the burgers from bulging out while cooking, and helps them cook more evenly.
Mei
0Made these last night, and they were a hit! The smoky flavor with a hint of heat from the chipotle mayo was absolutely delicious. A new favorite!
Elisa Castagna
0These turkey burgers were the best! I actually forgot to add the oil, but they were still soooo good! Will make again!
Laura Luna
0Thank you for this recipe! Even my baby loved it! For sure these were the best turkey burgers I have ever had.
Lynniepooh2
0Saturday cooking day consisted of making these for my weekday lunch at work. Of course I couldn’t wait to try one and Im so glad for my impatience. Perfect spices to go with turkey, who knew! Not dry at all like turkey can be sometimes and the perfect change from beef. The mayo is the perfect match and so delicious. My mouth is happy.
Jeti
0This was good and fast and easy! I didn’t make the whole recipe as I just wanted one turkey burger for myself so I took 5 oz of raw ground turkey and added reduced quantities of the oil and spices and fried it in a pan. I didn’t have regular coconut amino acids but I did have a smokey version so I used that. I used dried red and green peppers so it didn’t have any heat. It fried up nicely and didn’t fall apart. I didn’t make the sauce as I was out of calories for lunch but will try that next time. It’s a keeper and I plan on making the full recipe and saving the extras for an easy lunch or dinner in the future.
Brett
0So delicious and moist. I make these in the oven. Be sure to use a pan with sides because you will have a lot of liquid that seeps out of the burgers. I believe this helps keep them from drying out. I will be making these burgers over and over. The whole family loves them.
Corinne
0These are so flippin good – I’ve made them 3 times now. First 2 times they were pretty dang hot for me. I can’t handle much heat, though. So I liked em (my fiancé LOVED them), but I wasn’t crazy about them like him. This time I halved the chipotle pepper and ohhh wowow!!! Now I’m hooked! Topped with bacon, cheese, avocado, dill relish, chipotle Mayo and used some store bought keto hamburger buns. Absolutely DELICIOUS!!
Risa
0This sounds delicious! Just wondering how the patties stay together? I usually have trouble with that while making burgers. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Risa, If this is an issue for you, I recommend that you try the oven method because there is less moving of the burgers and less of a chance they will fall apart while cooking.
Andre
0I never expected these burgers to be so darn good! My wife and I had them for lunch yesterday and have brought up how great they were a couple of times since.
Carmen Destro
0Best Turkey Burgers Ever ? Soooo Juicy, & quick, can’t get better than that ?
P Whitworth
0chili lime turkey burger recipe in cookbook fell apart when cooking but tasted ok with BBQ sauce. Will fix this again without forming burger shape.
Amy L Huntley
0I love that you can get the same delicious flavor and the burger is so much healthier! They only way I will eat a burger now.
Robin Donovan
0These were delicious and so easy!
Swathi
0Delicious!
Natalie
0Such a great & delicious recipe with all the different ways you can make this! The turkey with the mayo is such a flavorful combination!
Kristyn
0That chipotle mayo adds so much flavor! Turkey burgers are so good! They are a nice change from hamburgers.
Eden
0These burgers are delicious! We all loved them and can’t wait to make this again for dinner.
Tammie Rainworst
0So much flavor! We love these burgers!
Ni
0Would this work with ground chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ni, Yes, you can make this recipe with ground chicken if you like.
Natalie
0Perfect dinner idea. Yum!
Camille
0So delicious!
Natasha Cox
0This burger recipe is so easy to make and delicious!! I served on chaffles for buns one night and with bacon mushroom and swiss and burger salad the next. The thumb print trick was neat! I made a bunch of these then reheated in the oven for dinner for the next couple nights. Thank you for another great family friendly recipe!
Kris
0Hi – if I wanted to sub ground chipotle powder instead of crushed in the burgers because that’s what I already have – can you please recommend how much? I’m thinking maybe half or 1/3 the amount perhaps? Thank you.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kris, This really depends on how much heat you want in your burgers. If you want a mild heat I would use quite a bit less, like 1/4 tsp. I wouldn’t use more than 1/2 tsp. of ground chipotle chili pepper in this recipe.
Michelle
0Where do the coconut aminos come in?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, Good catch! Add the coconut aminos in step 2. I’ll be sure to correct that, thank you.
Renee
0I can’t wait to try this! I noticed in the photo the burger is on a bun, but there aren’t directions for the bun in the recipe. Can you tell me where to find the directions for the bun, Please ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Renee, The burger buns are from The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook!
Alisa
0I actually love turkey burgers more than beef burgers, because they do take on seasonings so well. This recipe is delicious – I’ll have to add it to my rotation.
Jerusha
0I’m looking for a bun recipe for my son. This one looks tasty. Do you have a recipe for it that you can share? Thanks
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Jerusha, I don’t currently have that recipe available on my website but you might like this Keto Low Carb Hamburger Bun Recipe.
Chrissy
0These look amazing! I know you mention freezing in patties before cooking – do you think you could freeze after cooking as well? Or would they dry out that way? Either way, I’m so excited to make these in the new year!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Chrissy! I think they would be pretty dry if you freeze after cooking.
Wilhelmina
0These burgers look so delicious! I can’t wait to try them!