Juicy 5 Ingredient Turkey Burgers

A Leaner Kind of Burger

We know that turkey burgers often get overlooked for the standard beef variety, but these ones might change your mind! With only 5 ingredients in the patties (plus salt and pepper, which don’t really count), these lean poultry patties are cheap, easy to make, and, most importantly, super juicy.

Turkey is so lean that it can be easy to end up with a dry, disappointing burger. And no one wants food regret. Our trick is adding a little mayo and grated onion to the meat mixture. The mayo adds some richness and fat, while the onion brings extra moisture and flavor without making the burgers taste overwhelmingly onion-y. The result is a super juicy and flavorful patty that tastes great on its own or with your favorite toppings (try it with our Basil Mayo). 

Why We Love This Recipe

• Only 5 ingredients in the patties. Other than the ground turkey, everything is a classic pantry or fridge staple, keeping these burgers simple and relatively cheap.
• They really are juicy. Just a touch of mayo adds a little richness and much-needed fat to lean ground turkey, while grated onion adds extra moisture and flavor. This keeps them from drying out too much in the pan.
• The patties cook in about 10 to 15 minutes. No need to drag out the grill either. These cook right on the stove. Easy AND quick!
• You can top them with whatever you want. Get creative and customize them. We love ours with basil mayo, provolone, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.
• They’re totally beginner-friendly. With so few ingredients and a quick cooking time, this is a great beginner burger recipe.

Ingredients in These Juicy Turkey Burgers

Our simple turkey burgers use just 5 ingredients to make them super tasty and juicy and very easy. Okay, if you’re being super technical we also include salt and pepper, but those don’t really count (we didn’t make up the rules). Here’s what you’ll need:

• Ground turkey – we use 93% lean ground turkey.
• Onion – a mild sweet or yellow onion works best because neither of these is too sharp in flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce – we love the umami flavor it adds. If you don’t eat fish (there are anchovies in Worcestershire sauce), you can use a vegan Worcestershire sauce or low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for a similar effect.
• Mayo – you only need a tablespoon. We like Duke’s or Best Foods brands.
• Breadcrumbs – standard, unseasoned, non-Panko  breadcrumbs work well.

How to Make 5 Ingredient Turkey Burgers

1. Make the patties, Mix the ground turkey with the grated onion, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Be careful not to overmix or the burgers might get tough. Form the mixture into 4 round patties.

2. Cook the patties. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the patties in the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. If you’re making these into cheeseburgers,  top the patties with cheese slices at the end and cover the pan with a lid to help it melt for about 2 minutes before they’re done. The burgers are done when they reach 160 or 165°F in the center when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
3. Assemble the burgers, Toast the buns, spread your favorite condiments on, then add the burger patties and your toppings.

Storage and Serving Suggestions

These juicy 5 ingredient turkey burgers are great on burger buns with your favorite toppings, but you can also serve the patties over a bed of arugula if you want to skip the bun.

Serving Ideas

Here’s what we suggest serving these juicy 5 ingredient turkey burgers with: 

• Brioche, potato, or pretzel buns – we like these options, but anything sturdy and flavorful will work. We like spreading a thin layer of mayo on the cut side and toasting them in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes. 
• Basil mayo – we are obsessed with using our basil mayo on these burgers. Make a big batch and store it in the fridge for a week. Plus, the basil mayo is an excelling dipping sauce for fries, if you have those with these burgers too.
• Provolone cheese – we don’t always make these as cheeseburgers, but if we do, we usually like them with provolone cheese. It’s salty and melty and perfect with the turkey.
• Tomato – thick slices of hothouse, beefsteak, or heirloom tomatoes add a ton of flavor and moisture.
• Onion – we know that not everyone loves onions as much as we do, but we really like a nice slice of yellow or sweet onion on top of these burgers. 
• Lettuce – we like leafy green lettuce, butter lettuce, arugula, or little gem lettuce on these.

We like to bake up frozen french fries or a batch of our roasted broccoli which can be baked in the oven while you’re cooking the patties on the stove. You could also serve these turkey burgers with our cucumber avocado salad or simple green salad on the side.

How To Store Leftover Turkey Burgers

Store any extra turkey burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. They make fantastic leftovers! Reheat in a pan on medium heat for a couple minutes on each side when you’re ready to serve. Or you can also just reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

No Dry Burgers Here!

If you think you won’t like turkey burgers, we hope you’ll give these a try. The patties are just five ingredients, they cook up in one pan, and only take about 15 minutes. They’re leaner than beef burgers, and they stay really nice and juicy too, so you won’t have to worry about eating sad, dry patties with this recipe!