Juicy Turkey Burgers

Name: Juicy Turkey Burgers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey thighs (93% lean); 1 tablespoon mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped); 4 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

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These turkey burgers are incredibly juicy and flavorful thanks to using ground turkey thighs and adding mayonnaise for creaminess.

It's important to avoid using ground turkey breast, or your burgers could end up too dry.

Turkey burgers are served with lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

These juicy burgers are delicious! And like all burgers, they're ready fast - in just 20 minutes - making them ideal for a quick weeknight dinner.

They make a nice variation from beef burgers (like baked hamburgers and grilled hamburgers), and they are just as good!

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Ingredients
Variations
Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Burger Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
Recipe Card
Comments

Ingredients

Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make these turkey burgers. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

Ground turkey: To keep the burgers juicy, use ground turkey thighs - 93% lean - and not turkey breast, which is too lean and will yield dry burgers.
Mayonnaise: I like to use avocado oil mayonnaise.
Mustard: I highly recommend using Dijon mustard. This French mustard is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
Chopped parsley: It's best to use fresh parsley, but you can use a teaspoon of dried parsley instead.
Olive oil: For frying. It's a delicious oil, but you can use avocado oil if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point.

Variations

You can add more spices and herbs. Good options I tried and liked include ground cumin and dried thyme. I add ½ teaspoon of each.
Sometimes, I use sriracha mayo instead of regular mayonnaise.
If you don't have fresh parsley, you can use a teaspoon of dried parsley.
You can use several types of fat to cook the burgers, such as avocado oil or ghee. I often use ghee. I like its rich, nutty flavor.
Cilantro is a good substitute for parsley in this recipe. I occasionally use it, and I like the peppery flavor it adds.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Mix the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chopped parsley.

Form into patties. With wet hands for easier handling, form the mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties.

Four turkey burger patties on a cutting board.

Cook the burgers. Heat the olive oil in a large, 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook them until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Serve the burgers on a plate, in a lettuce wrap, or in a bun.

Expert Tips

Keeping the Burgers Juicy

We're making these burgers with relatively lean meat, which means they have the potential to dry out. Here are my tips for keeping them juicy:

Use ground turkey thighs (93% lean) and not ground turkey breast, which is too lean.
Add mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. These creamy ingredients add much-needed moisture to the burgers.
Instead of grilling the burgers, it's best to pan-fry them in a generous amount of olive oil. The olive oil adds flavor and helps the burgers retain moisture. Grilling as a cooking technique is suitable for fatty meats, not lean ones.

Moisten Your Hands

These burgers are a bit sticky (which means they are moist and will be nice and juicy), so it's helpful to shape them with slightly wet hands.

Be Generous with the Oil

Theoretically, you could use just two tablespoons of olive oil for pan-frying these burgers. When you use four tablespoons, about half of it remains in the skillet. But using more oil ensures tastier, crispier burgers that are cooked evenly.

Recipe FAQs

How do you prevent the burgers from falling apart?

Make sure they're not too dry. To achieve this, use ground turkey thighs (not breast) and add a creamy ingredient such as mayonnaise.

Should I add an egg?

You could, but it's unnecessary, especially if you use ground turkey thighs and add mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.

If you add an egg, the patties will be too moist, and then you will need to add a filler such as breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed), ground pork rinds, or almond flour.

Should I add breadcrumbs?

If you don't add an egg, there's no need to add breadcrumbs or any other type of filler to the mixture.

Serving Suggestions

These turkey burgers are excellent on 90-second bread or cloud bread. I spread the buns with sriracha mayo and add lettuce and tomatoes.

You can also serve them in a lettuce wrap or simply on a plate with a side salad (such as this arugula salad) and quick pickles or pickled red onions.

My kids eat these burgers in a bun, as shown in this photo:

A turkey burger served on a plate, in a bun, with a napkin.

Sides that go well with these burgers include homemade coleslaw, creamy cucumber salad, carrot chips, eggplant chips, zucchini fries, and jicama fries.

For extra flavor, you can top them with sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onions, or caramelized onions.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.