We love turkey burgers on the grill with all the fixings! Try my surprisingly simple ingredient that transforms ordinarily humble, tasteless, ground turkey burgers into the best around.
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Why We Love This Recipe
When our doctor told us to cut back on red meat, I was crushed. Juicy grilled hamburgers are a spring and summer staple on our outdoor kitchen grill.
That inspired me to develop a recipe that would give us that smoky, beefy flavor from ground poultry. It’s so good that I shared it in a weekly dinner menu and now I’m sharing it here. This tried-and-true recipe is simply the best turkey burger recipe we have ever had.
Try my 30-minute easy hamburger buns recipe (shown above) to make the most delicious hamburgers ever!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- lean ground turkey – or use ground chicken for an equally yummy burger substitution! I recommend 85% lean ground meat for the juiciest poultry burger.
- egg and bread crumbs – the egg and bread crumbs bind with the ground meat to keep it together. This recipe is so adaptable that I’ve used fresh bread, gluten-free bread, panko, and even dried sourdough bread crumbs.
- seasonings – along with chopped onions, our secret ingredient – dry ranch seasoning – make these absolutely tasty! I love the flavor that the ranch dressing seasoning gives to the turkey burgers. But, you can easily substitute it with a homemade seasoning blend to avoid the MSG in many prepared ranch dressing seasonings.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Not all ground meat is created equal. If you buy ground poultry in a tube, blot it with paper towels before mixing the burgers. It tends to be wetter and this can cause issues with it crumbling on the grill, compared to that sold in trays.
Recipe Variations
- Mix in diced green chiles: chop mild green chiles or use 2 tablespoons of canned chopped green chiles and mix it to the ground meat for Southwestern flavor.
- Brush on BBQ sauce: brush with homemade BBQ sauce | easy no cook during grilling for a glazed topping.
- Top with pepper jack cheese: top with a slice of pepper jack cheese on the burger after removing it from the grill.
- Make it smoky: mix in 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke into the meat mixture.
What Makes a Good Ground Turkey Burger
- Making turkey burger patties on the grill gives them that amazing chargrilled flavor. Although you can make a tasty burger in a skillet, flat top griddle, or under the broiler, the taste isn’t quite the same. Use a meat thermometer to check if it is perfectly cooked and to avoid overcooking your burger.
- Ranch dressing seasoning gives these turkey patties a flavor boost. It’s the special ingredient that really transforms them. Poultry tends to be a little bland, but these burgers are bursting with flavor.
- Use wet hands to mold the patties. The ingredients can be a little sticky. Using damp hands to form the patties keeps them from sticking to your hands.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes before grilling. Let the hamburgers rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes beforehand. Why? Prepping the ground patties tends to warm the fat, so cooling them makes the patties sizzle when they hit the grill.
Serving Suggestions
Elevate your meal with these tasty sides: smoked macaroni and cheese recipe, summer greens, slaw for burgers, and loaded potato casserole recipe.
You can also serve these burgers with sourdough burger buns and some In n Out burger sauce or add tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, cheddar cheese, pickles, and red onion. Potato salad is also a great side dish to this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
If this is a problem for you, use a grilling mat for ground meat, fish, and veggies. Or clean and grease your grill grates well, and grease them before preheating the grill. Once you add the patties to the grill, do not move them until they have seared on one side (about 5 minutes) and it’s time to turn them over.
Overcooking is the #1 cause of a dry turkey burger. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of your meat every few minutes.
Yes, you can make them a day or two ahead. Form the patty and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep them from drying out in the fridge.
More Cookout Recipes To Love…
If you tried this turkey burger recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Turkey Burgers on the Grill
Equipment
- bowl for mixing
- gas. charcoal, or electric grill
Ingredients
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup dry bread crumbs (see notes for substitutions)
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
- 1 packet (about 2 tablespoons) dry ranch seasoning (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 pound ground turkey (80% – 85% lean)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the egg, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, and seasoning. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well.
- The mixture may be sticky, so wet your hands to shape the patties. This recipe makes 4 patties.
- Place the patties on a baking sheet with parchment paper and place it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before cooking. This allows the ground meat to firm up and helps to keep them from falling apart during cooking.
Turkey Burgers on the Grill
- Clean and grease the grill grates very well before preheating. Preheat the grill to 350ºF or medium heat.
- Place patties on the grill and allow them to cook for 5 minutes without moving. Once the bottom of the burger has a good sear, flip and grill on the other side. Check the temperature after 10 minutes. Poultry is fully cooked when the internal temperature reads 165° F.
Notes
- Substitutions: Use 2/3 cup of freshly dried bread crumbs or 2 slices of fresh bread cut into 1/2″ cubes. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread. Dry ranch dressing seasoning substitute: 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder (optional), 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried chives, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried dill. Mix together and store in an air tight container.
- You can make these burgers a day or two ahead. Form the patty and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep them from drying out in the fridge.
- If you buy ground poultry in a tube, blot it with paper towels before mixing the burgers. It tends to be wetter and have had issues with it crumbling on the grill, compared to that sold in trays.
Nutrition
This post, originally published on June 25, 2020, was last updated on February 11, 2023.
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Jennifer says
My husband and I loved these turkey burgers! We will be making these regularly.
Jennifer says
Making this right now! Will post pictures and the results later. But the seasoning smells amazing! I followed the make your own Ranch seasoning recipe in your post above. 👆