We’ve got the grill fired up here at Budget Bytes and that means it’s officially summertime, baby! And what better way to kick off grilling season than with a juicy, flavorful Turkey Burger? I know the combination of soy sauce, panko, and parmesan might sound strange, but it’s the magical combination that put these turkey burgers on regular menu rotation at my house. My husband loves turkey burgers and always requests his with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese or extra grated Parmesan on top. Give it a try!
Turkey burgers can be a tricky thing, but there’s no need to fear them! They are extremely lean in comparison to beef burgers, so it’s important to pay close attention and pull them as soon as they reach the proper temperature to prevent them from turning out dry. If you REALLY want to enjoy your turkey burger, step one is: don’t expect it to be like a beef burger. Get ready for a completely different experience (and new future craving!)
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make a turkey burger:
- Ground Turkey: I found 85% lean and 15% fat to be the best ground turkey for turkey burgers, but any fat % will come out delicious with this recipe.
- Soy Sauce: Adds seasoning and a pop of umami to the turkey.
- Parmesan Cheese: Gives this burger some of the fat content it would otherwise be missing.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Helps give the turkey a more pleasant texture… do not skip the panko! During my recipe testing, I found that panko specifically sends this burger over the top whereas regular breadcrumbs didn’t help the texture as much.
- Hamburger Buns: Of course, you can’t have a burger without a delicious bun! I recommend using your favorite store-bought buns.
Toppings
This simple turkey burger recipe leaves plenty of room for interpretation, so raid the fridge and create your masterpiece! I added lettuce, tomato, red onion, and sharp cheddar cheese to mine. Here are some other ideas:
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Pickle chips
- Mayo Ketchup
- Sliced avocado
- Comeback Sauce
- Sliced Jalapeño peppers
- Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Crispy onions
- Pico de Gallo
Tips and Notes
- Turkey burgers, in general, have a much softer texture than a beef burger with a mild flavor. It’s important to use binders (cheese and breadcrumbs in this case) to keep the meat from falling apart and to keep the texture being too soft or mushy.
- I find flattening any burger patties a little extra helps keep them from tightening up into little meatballs during the cooking process. When we apply heat to protein during the cooking process, the protein contracts, which causes ground meat to shrink a bit on the grill.
- Handle the burger patties gently, and resist the urge to flip them often on the grill to keep them from falling apart.
- I like to pull my turkey burgers off the grill when they are around 160°F. Then, I cover them with aluminum foil and let them rest for up to 5 minutes so they finish cooking but stay nice and juicy.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving a healthy turkey burger with a side of Super Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad and Air Fryer Potatoes. It would also taste great with our Street Corn Salad! It’s all about balance!
Turkey Burger
Servings 4 (1/4-pound) burgersIngredients
- 1 lb 85% lean ground turkey ($3.64)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.05)
- 3 Tbsp shredded Parmesan ($1.23)
- 3 Tbsp Panko breadcrumbs ($0.42)
- 4 hamburger buns ($1.81)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, soy sauce, shredded Parmesan, and Panko breadcrumbs, using your hands to mix. Form 4 patties and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to 375°F, but add your turkey burger patties to the grill while it’s still cold. The gradual increase in temperature will make sure the inside of your burger reaches proper doneness (165°F) while the outside has some color and is grilled to perfection!
- Cook for 15 minutes on each side. Your burgers are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Nutrition
how to make a Turkey Burger – step by step photos
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 lb 85% lean ground turkey, 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp shredded Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp Panko breadcrumbs, using your hands to mix. Form 4 patties and set aside.
Preheat the grill to 375°F, but add your turkey burger patties to the grill while it’s still cold. The gradual increase in temperature will make sure the inside of your burger reaches proper doneness (165°F) while the outside has some color and is grilled to perfection!
Cook for 15 minutes on each side. Your burgers are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Fire up the grill! These turkey burgers are calling!
How do you preheat the grill but add the burgers when cold? Do you put the burgers on and then turn the grill on?
Yes! Add the burgers the same time you turn it on, before it gets warm.
These were a big hit with both my skeptical husband and me! I added a little of Costco’s no-salt seasoning (basically every dehydrated veggie you can think of and a few herbs) and I also made them into smash burgers on my cast iron skillet (so halved the size of each patty to smash and cook fast). You’re right, these are VERY delicate compared to beef but they didn’t dry out and weren’t bland. Thank you, this is definitely going to become a regular rotation!
Yay! I’m so glad. Turkey smash burger sounds like a fun twist. Well done!
Wow I’m impressed, simple n tasty, not over flavored, they’re good. I’ve been making turkey burgers a long time, but I make em like regular beef burgers. I been doing this all wrong all these years? No egg for binder? Omg, I’m humbled.