Grilled Turkey Burgers
Learn how to make juicy, flavorful Grilled Turkey Burgers that stay moist and tender on the grill every time. They’re packed with savory flavor, easy to prep ahead, and include simple tips for handling sticky ground turkey and shaping perfect patties.
I make burgers year-round because they’re one of the easiest dinners to throw together, and these Grilled Turkey Burgers are one of our favorites during grilling season.
Turkey burgers often get a bad reputation for being dry, bland, or difficult to work with, but this recipe solves all of those problems. These burgers stay juicy and flavorful thanks to a few simple ingredients that add moisture and savory depth of flavor without making them heavy.
Ground turkey can also be surprisingly sticky, which makes shaping patties frustrating. After years of making turkey burgers, I’ve found that lightly oiling your hands and shaping the patties on oiled parchment or wax paper makes the process much easier and keeps them from sticking everywhere.
The result is tender, flavorful turkey burgers that grill beautifully and are perfect for summer dinners, meal prep, or burger night any time of year.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- These grilled turkey burgers are juicy, flavorful, and never dry.
- Simple ingredients add moisture and savory flavor without much prep.
- Helpful shaping tips make sticky ground turkey easy to work with.
- They can be assembled ahead for easy grilling. The patties can even be frozen and cooked straight from the freezer.
- Delicious served on buns, lettuce wraps, or burger bowls.
- They’re gluten-free and customizable with ingredients you have on hand.
Recipe ingredients
These juicy turkey burgers require just a few simple ingredients, and many of them can be customized with what you already have on hand.
- Ground turkey. Use lean ground turkey for the best flavor and texture. Ground turkey that includes some dark meat stays much juicier than extra lean turkey breast.
- Almond flour. Helps bind the burgers together while keeping the texture tender. You may substitute regular or gluten-free breadcrumbs if preferred.
- Mayonnaise. The secret ingredient for juicy turkey burgers. Mayo adds moisture and richness without making the burgers taste heavy. Swap with Greek yogurt as desired.
- Coconut aminos. Adds savory depth of flavor. Substitute Worcestershire sauce, tamari, or soy sauce.
- Garlic powder. Adds flavor without extra moisture. Fresh garlic may also be used.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make grilled turkey burgers
These turkey burgers come together quickly and are easy to prep ahead for grilling.
Pro tip: Ground turkey meat can be quite sticky, so be sure to oil the plate and both sides of the burgers to keep them from sticking to the plate and each other once they’ve been formed into patties. Brush the grill grates with oil as well to ensure that they don’t stick to the grill.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Mix the burger mixture. Place the ground turkey, almond flour, mayonnaise, coconut aminos, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Gently mix just until combined to avoid overworking the meat.
- Shape the patties. Ground turkey is softer and stickier than ground beef, so lightly oil your hands before shaping the burgers. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and place them on parchment or wax paper. Use the paper to gently press the turkey into patties, which helps prevent sticking and keeps the burgers tender. Transfer the patties to a lightly oiled plate or sheet pan.
- Grill the burgers. Preheat the grill to medium high, or about 400 degrees. Brush the grill grates with oil and place the turkey burgers on the grill. Cook on one side for 5 minutes or until the burgers release easily from the grill.
- Flip and cook for 5 minutes more or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Tips for success
- Use lean ground turkey instead of extra lean turkey breast for juicier burgers.
- Avoid overmixing the turkey mixture or the burgers may become dense.
- Lightly oil your hands before shaping the patties to prevent sticking.
- Chill the patties for 10–15 minutes if the mixture feels especially soft.
- Oil the grill grates well before cooking.
- Avoid pressing down on the burgers while grilling so they stay juicy.
- Use a meat thermometer and cook only until the burgers reach 160°F.
Recipe FAQs
Turkey burgers often dry out because extra lean turkey breast doesn’t contain enough fat for moisture and flavor. Using lean ground turkey that includes dark meat, adding ingredients like mayonnaise, and avoiding overcooking helps keep turkey burgers juicy and tender.
Oil the grill grates well after preheating and avoid flipping the burgers too early. The burgers will release more easily once they’re properly seared.
Yes. Freeze uncooked patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment between each burger for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
There are a number of delicious ways to serve these grilled turkey burgers!
- Serve with a side of broccoli slaw or vinegar coleslaw at your next cookout. They’re also great with grilled corn on the cob or air fryer zucchini fries.
- They make a great game day meal with a side of air fryer sweet potato fries or German potato salad.
- They’re a great low carb option served in lettuce wraps, or they can be served on your favorite buns. They also make fabulous burger bowls with your favorite toppings and my homemade burger sauce!
More burger recipes you’ll love:
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Grilled Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oil divided; plus more as needed
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons almond flour substitute with breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise sub with Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder sub with fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos substitute with Worcestershire sauce, low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Lettuce wraps or buns and your choice of toppings
Instructions
- Coat a plate with half a tablespoon of the oil. Place the ground turkey, almond flour, mayonnaise, coconut aminos, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Gently mix just until combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. The mixture will be sticky.1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 lb. lean ground turkey, 2 tablespoons almond flour, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Lightly oil your hands and a sheet of parchment or wax paper with oil. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and place them on the parchment or wax paper. Use the paper to gently press the turkey into patties, which helps prevent sticking and keeps the burgers tender.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F. Once hot, oil the grill grates well to prevent sticking. Place the patties on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the burgers are lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.Lettuce wraps or buns and your choice of toppings
- Serve immediately on toasted buns, lettuce wraps, or burger bowls with your favorite toppings and sauces. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Form the turkey burger patties up one day in advance to make this recipe go even more quickly.
- Customize grilled turkey burgers with lettuce wraps, your favorite buns, burger sauce and toppings.
- Leftover burgers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze turkey burgers. Place uncooked ground turkey burgers on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. From there, place them in a zip top bag or container with parchment paper between them and store for up to 3 months. Note: Frozen turkey burgers will take 7-8 minutes per side to cook, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
6 Comments on “Grilled Turkey Burgers”
These are so good and easy to put together. I had really lean turkey so combined it with some Italian sausage for fat content. Made some turkey pizza burgers that everyone loved!
Adding sausage is such a great idea for flavor and fat — and pizza burgers would be a huge hit here! Thx for your feedback Michele! 💛
Marcie, I love each season, but I love it best at the end of the season. I fight the end of summer tooth and nail and I fight the end of winter tooth and nail. Just when I get into the groove for the season’s recipes, it changes on me!
Love these turkey burgers! So light, refreshing, and super delicious!
I feel that I get into each season too early because of blogging, so I’m ready to switch gears early too. Sometimes….not all the time! 🙂 Thank you Kelly!
I’m a huge fan of turkey burgers! I make a large batch every few weeks and freeze them. I’ve been enjoying them at least twice a week all summer! This recipe sounds great Marcie, and I love your tip of placing the fresh patties on a plate coated with oil. I need to try that to help prevent sticking!
Freezing them is such a great idea — I really need to do that! Thanks a lot Leanne!