These turkey burgers are incredibly juicy and flavorful. Using ground turkey thighs and mayonnaise keeps them tender and prevents them from drying out.
Well-seasoned and cooked in olive oil, these turkey burgers are delicious! Like all burgers, they're ready fast - in just 20 minutes - making them ideal for a quick weeknight dinner. They make a nice variation on beef burgers, and they are just as good.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- 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 use avocado oil mayonnaise. Sometimes, I use sriracha mayo.
- Mustard: I highly recommend Dijon mustard. This French mustard is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Chopped parsley: Cilantro is a good substitute. I like the peppery flavor it adds.
- Olive oil: For frying the burgers. You can use other types of fat, such as avocado oil or clarified butter (ghee).
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl. With moist hands, form the mixture into four ½-inch thick patties.
Cook the burgers in olive oil 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.
I have been making these turkey burgers over a year now. They come out perfect every time. My son dislikes mayonnaise so I don't tell him these have any. He asks for these burgers over ground beef. So glad I found this recipe.
Andrea
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Tips for Keeping the Burgers Juicy
Unlike beef or pork burgers, which are inherently juicy, we're making these burgers with relatively lean meat, so they are more likely 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.
- 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 works well with fatty meats, not lean ones. In addition, these burgers are relatively soft, so they're not suitable for a traditional grill.
The image below shows the inside of a half-eaten burger. You can clearly see how tender and juicy it is.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need to add breadcrumbs, almond flour, or ground pork rinds to the burger mixture. The mixture stays together nicely and does not fall apart.
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.
No. Theoretically, you could use just 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pan-fry these burgers. When you use four tablespoons, about half of it remains in the skillet. But using more oil yields tastier, crispier burgers that cook evenly. The image below shows the oil in the skillet, and as you can see, it's quite a bit of oil. 
Unlike grilled burgers, pan-fried ones usually stay fairly flat, so making a small indentation in the center is optional.
Lower the heat to medium-low so they don't burn, cover the skillet as shown below (use foil if your skillet doesn't have a lid), and continue to cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Covering the skillet with a lid is also a great way to turn them into cheeseburgers. Add the cheese, lower the heat, and cover to melt the cheese.
Serving Suggestions
My kids eat these burgers in a bun. My husband and I use a lettuce wrap. Both options are shown below. You can also see that I topped the burgers with Swiss cheese and sauteed onions.
Sides that go well with these burgers include homemade coleslaw and jicama fries, as shown in the photos below.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (like the one shown below) in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
I make life extra easy by serving the leftovers with veggies, pickles (or homemade quick pickles), and grainy mustard, as shown in the image below.
Recipe Card
Juicy Turkey Burgers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey thighs - 93% lean
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ 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
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chopped parsley.1 pound ground turkey thighs, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ cup fresh parsley
- With moist hands for easier handling, form the mixture into four ½-inch thick patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the burgers and cook them until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Their internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- I use 4 tablespoons of olive oil, even though about half of it will remain in the skillet. The generous amount of oil ensures even cooking and great flavor.
- The burgers are a bit sticky (which means they are moist and will be nice and juicy), so it's helpful to shape them with lightly moistened hands.
- Because they are soft, they're not suitable for a traditional grill.
- Use ground turkey thighs in this recipe. Turkey breast is too lean and will produce dry, crumbly burgers.
- If the burgers are not cooked through after 10 minutes, lower the heat to medium-low so they don't burn, cover the skillet (use foil if your skillet doesn't have a lid), and continue to cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Laura Breheim says
I haven't tried your turkey burgers yet. I have prepared and love your juicy chicken breast recipe. Four times. It's my healthy go-to recipe. Thank you for what you're doing. I'm glad you got free of your legal career. I'm eager to experience more of your recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you've been enjoying the chicken breast recipe. I hope you'll enjoy this one too! ❤️
Christian says
Such a great recipe!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Christian!
sharon says
I would leave out the salt next time. Love the recipe! For sure a keeper.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Sharon! Thank you for the feedback.
Courtney says
These burgers were so delicious and easy!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these burgers, Courtney! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Sally K says
I love this recipe. My turkey was 85/15. I won’t use that again. I expected moist meat, but it was mushy. It did not have the texture I expected. Next time I will use 93/7.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the feedback, Sally!
Jeremy says
Turkey burgers have always been elusive for me. They usually come out dry when I make them and aren’t as simple as cooking a juicy beef burger. I’ve tried a few other recipes and haven’t found one I liked until I tried yours. These don’t turn out to be dry and are actually juicy!
I’ve made this recipe a few times, and the only thing I’ve changed is cut down on the kosher salt a bit. I found the original measurement to be too salty for my taste. I usually make them in 2 lb batches and use about 1 & 1/4 tsp of kosher salt. Outside of that, I’ve really enjoyed this recipe and keep it bookmarked for good reason. Thank you for sharing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you like these burgers, Jeremy! Thank you for your comment.
The kosher salt I use, Diamond Crystal, has half the sodium per teaspoon of any other salt, including other brands of kosher salt. I'm glad you found the amount of salt that works for you - thank you for sharing that tip.
Sue says
I love this recipe. I made burgers the first time and we all liked them so much I made it as a meatloaf the next time. Meatloaf is faster for me a busy working mom but everyone loved that too. Sometimes I trade out your salt for some onion soup mix but everything else I leave the same. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Sue! I love the idea of turning the mixture into a meatloaf.
Lappy says
I added a few sloshes of Worcestershire sauce and used miracle whip instead of mayo. I have two cast-iron skillets that came from the farm I grew up on in the 1950s. They work well for these burgers. Thanks for your recipe. I appreciate it!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're most welcome! Those vintage cast-iron skillets sound marvelous!
Denyelle says
I’ve made so many different kinds of Turkey burgers, and at first I thought it was strange to use mayo and mustard in a burger recipe… but after trying they were delicious! 100% recommend!!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Denyelle!
Babs says
Easy to assemble. Absolutely delicious flavor and so moist. Will make again and again. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you liked these burgers, Babs!
Tonya says
This is indeed the best recipe for turkey burgers that I've found thus far! They turned out so moist and flavorful. I served them on potato buns and they were delicious! This is now my go-to recipe for turkey burgers.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! So glad you like this recipe, Tonya.
Renee says
Best turkey burgers ever. Great recipe and easy and not a ton of ingredients.
Vered DeLeeuw says
So glad you like these burgers, Renee!
Adam Permenter says
I’ve made several versions of Turkey Burgers over the years. This is by far the best. The flavors of the ingredients in the ground turkey mix are fantastic. I melted a slice of Swiss cheese on it (what’s better than Turkey and Swiss?). I also used keto burger buns with spicy mustard, mayo, ketchup, tomato, and pickles. Delicious! This is gonna be a new go-to for turkey burgers. Thanks for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you like them, Adam. Totally agree on turkey + Swiss!