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How to make the best Juicy Turkey Burger that actually tastes great! Say goodbye to dry and bland turkey burgers. Full of flavor, totally juicy and healthy to boot!
How to make turkey burgers that aren’t dry
A turkey burger is a popular choice for people trying to eat healthier, but sometimes the lean turkey meat can make for dry, bland and generally unpleasant burgers. The key to making turkey burgers that actually taste good is adding some moisture and flavor. Here are the ingredients we use to make actually delicious turkey burgers:
- 93% lean Ground Turkey – This gives better results than using 99% lean turkey,
- Panko Breadcrumbs – helps the burgers retain moisture and stay together.
- Egg – helps bind the burgers together and adds more moisture.
- Worcestershire Sauce – adds a really great meaty flavor.
- Garlic – for more flavor
- Spices – I used smoked paprika, onion powder and Italian seasoning
- Salt – important to avoid making bland burgers!
One crucial step when pan frying the turkey burgers is to cover them with a lid while they cook. This is very important so that they cook through quickly enough without burning on the outside and loosing all of their moisture.
Are Turkey Burgers healthier than beef?
Everyone has a different definition of what healthy means. However, most people agree that ground turkey is a healthier option than traditional ground beef because it is high in protein but lower in fat – most notably, saturated fat. That makes ground turkey a heart healthy option. However, ground beef with the same percentage of fat – 7% fat in this case – has a similar nutrition profile.
How to make turkey burgers that don’t fall apart.
Some of our ingredients that are here to pump up the flavor are also doing double duty by helping the burgers keep it together. Both the egg and the breadcrumbs are adding moisture as well as binding the ingredients together. This will help your burgers stay together when being cooked. Another step that should be used if you plan to grill these turkey burgers is to chill them for at least 30 minutes before cooking. If cooking these in a frying pan and they do not need to be chilled beforehand, but they are delicate enough to need the extra chill time in order to survive being transferred to the grill.
What goes well with Turkey Burgers
I like to serve these Turkey Burgers on my 40 Minute Hamburger Buns with a side of Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries. If you really are trying to make these even healthier, you can serve it on a whole wheat pita, or wrap it in lettuce. Serve it with a simple side salad or roasted broccoli.
Juicy Turkey Burger
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP avocado oil For frying, or use oil of choice
For Turkey Burger Patties
- 1 lb ground turkey preferably dark meat or between 93% lean.
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced or grated
- 1 egg
- 1 and 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add turkey meat to a medium bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients for the turkey patties (except the avocado oil). Mix together until well combined.
- Form the turkey mixture into 5 equal sized patties, about 4 inches wide and 1/2 an inch thick. Wider and thinner is better. The mixture will be sticky, add more breadcrumbs if you need to. IMPORTANT: If grilling, chill for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- When pan is hot, add avocado oil. When oil is hot, arrange turkey patties, cooking them in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
- IMPORTANT: Cover the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the burgers, cover again and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through and they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
