American
Turkey Burger
Ground turkey is mixed with onion, garlic, and breadcrumbs, then seared into patties. The center must reach 165°F and show no pink before the burgers go on the buns.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Total
- 24 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Ground turkey has to be cooked to 165°F. Color alone is a weak guide, so use a thermometer in the center.
- Breadcrumbs and an egg hold lean turkey together so the patty does not crumble.
- A dimple in the center of each patty keeps it from bulging into a ball as it cooks.
- Medium heat browns the outside in about the same time the center reaches 165°F.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Mix the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and Dijon mustard in a bowl until just combined. Do not mash it into a paste.
- 2
Shape 4 patties about 3/4 inch thick. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 4
Cook the patties until the bottoms are browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- 5
Flip and cook until the center of each patty reaches 165°F and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes more.
- 6
Toast the burger buns in the skillet for 1 minute.
- 7
Serve the patties on the buns with lettuce and tomato.
Pro tips
- 165°F is the stop for ground turkey. Do not serve a patty that is still pink in the center.
- If the outside is dark before the center hits 165°F, lower the heat and cover the skillet for a minute or two.
- Wet hands help shape the mix. Turkey is sticky.
Easy substitutions
- Ground turkey
- Ground chicken, still cooked to 165°F
- Breadcrumbs
- Rolled oats, pulsed so they are not whole
- Burger buns
- Lettuce wraps
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm in a covered skillet over medium heat until the center is 165°F again.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 400
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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