These easy and juicy turkey burgers on the stove are the perfect go-to dinner.
Made without egg or breadcrumbs, they're deliciously flavored with simple seasoning, and you can whip them together in less than 30 minutes (gluten-free and low-carb).
We love these skillet turkey burgers. They are the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
I often go all out and enjoy them with my favorite toppings, hamburger buns (see suggestions below), and this mango avocado salad as a side.
But if you want to keep it low-carb or Keto-friendly, serve with a lettuce wrap topped with this Chimichurri sauce or a vegetable side dish like these Roasted asparagus and garlic scapes, healthy cauliflower mash, or easy cucumber salad.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're healthy turkey burgers and a great option to keep it gluten-free.
- They come together with simple ingredients that add extra flavor.
- It's an easy dinner that's perfect for the whole family.
- They're juicy with a healthy fat content, made with no egg or breadcrumbs.
- It's a simple turkey burger recipe you can easily add to your menu rotation.
- You can even make the turkey burger patties in advance for busy weeknights.
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Ground turkey meat: ground turkey breast is very lean meat (90%), while ground thighs (or drumsticks) have a higher fat percentage. Go for lean turkey meat, or get a 50/50 mix of the two for a higher ratio of fats. Try to go for organic ground turkey.
- Shallot and garlic: you can always count on this sweet onion and herb to add incredible flavor.
- Simple additional herbs: salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, onion powder, and red pepper flakes make turkey patties shine and add much flavor.
- Asiago: This cheese adds a mild nutty flavor to the meat mixture and avoids a dry turkey burger. It is the "secret ingredient." Parmesan is a great alternative.
- Olive oil: A little bit of this healthy fat in the skillet makes the burgers cook evenly, locks in moisture, and creates incredible flavors.
Love delicious burgers? Then don't forget to check out these gourmet burger recipes.
How to Make Juicy Turkey Burgers on The Stove
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Step One (Picture 1 above) - Place ground turkey meat in a medium-sized bowl. Add the cheese, garlic, onion, and seasoning.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Use your hands to mix until all ingredients are well blended.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) - Divide the meat mixture into 8 or 10 equal portions and loosely create balls. Then flatten into burger patties (about ¾-inch thick). Try to handle the meat as quickly and as little as possible.
Step Four (Picture 4 above) - Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan with olive oil on medium to medium-high heat. When hot, cook the turkey patties on each side for about four to five minutes.
Expert Tips
- The turkey mixture might feel sticky when shaped into patties because we don't use bread crumbs. A trick is to dust your hands with cassava, almond, or gluten-free all-purpose flour as you handle the meat.
- When you shape them, don't overhandle the meat mixture because it impacts the juiciness of cooking turkey burgers on the stove. Instead, briefly knead in the ingredients.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until warm, about 2 minutes, before adding the flavorful turkey burger patties.
- I sprinkle a pinch of salt on the skillet's bottom before the homemade burger patties go in.
- Cook them for 4-5 minutes on one side until browned before gently flipping them.
- Once flipped, gently press them down slightly for a few seconds with a spatula so they don't rise. Don't smash them; don't worry, they won't dry out. The cheese adds enough fat to the lean turkey meat to stay moist and juicy.
- Work in batches to allow enough room between the patties while cooking.
Recipe FAQs
In general, these turkey burgers should be done when cooked for 4 to 5 minutes on the stove on both sides.
If unsure, slice or pierce the thickest part of the patty. There should be no pale pink meat coloring or any pink juices run out. The turkey burgers are done when the juices are clear, and the burgers are brown on the outside and white or almost light greyish on the inside.
The secret ingredients for making these turkey burgers on the stove juicy are onions, garlic, olive oil, and Asiago or Parmesan cheese.
These ingredients add enough fat and moisture to ground turkey patties to keep them deliciously moist.
Also, don't overhandle the meat when forming turkey patties because it impacts the juiciness when cooking turkey burgers on the stove.
Keep the ground turkey meat cold in the fridge until you can form the patties.
Although unnecessary, it's even better to place the turkey patties in the fridge until you are ready to cook them or while the skillet is heating up.
Ensure they are fully cooked and browned on one side before gently flipping them.
Only flip them once when the burgers are in the pan. Otherwise, it will slow down the cooking process, and they might fall apart.
When completely cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove with a bit of olive oil until warm all the way through.
Serving Suggestions & Toppings
If you want the full-on experience of delicious homemade turkey burgers, serve them on gluten-free buns.
We also love them on fresh homemade, Gluten-free Drop Biscuits. It's the best!
Some of my favorite toppings:
- You got to have some sugar-free ketchup and Dijon mustard.
- Add some bread and butter pickles and thinly sliced red onion.
- I also love to add thinly sliced tomatoes.
- Maybe add an extra slice of Asiago cheese.
Side Dish Ideas
Here are some great side dishes to enjoy these incredible flavored and juicy turkey burgers made on the stove.
Now it's your time to make these easy gluten-free ground turkey burgers.
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📖 Recipe
Juicy Turkey Burgers on The Stove
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 large 12-inch cast iron skillet or a large nonstick skillet.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground Turkey (93% lean) 908 grams
- 1 shallot finely chopped, 35 grams
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 cup hard grated Asiago or Parmesan Cheese 85 grams, plus more to garnish
- 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or 15 half turns with the pepper mill
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or more if needed
Instructions
- Place the meat in a large bowl. With your fist, make a dent in the middle of the meat. Add the finely chopped shallot, garlic, cheese, dried rosemary, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.2 pounds ground Turkey (93% lean), 1 shallot, 2 large garlic cloves, 1 cup hard grated Asiago or Parmesan Cheese, 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Use your hands to combine all the ingredients. Divide the mixture into 8 or 10 equally-sized parts.
- Roll each piece into a ball. Use the palms of your hands to flatten them into turkey burger patties.
- Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat (for about 2 minutes). I like to sprinkle the bottom of the pan with some salt (optional).
- Place the turkey burgers in the skillet and cook on both sides for 5 minutes or until cooked through and slightly browned on both sides. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Note: Cook them first on one side for 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Then gently flip the burgers and press them down slightly with your spatula for a few seconds so they don't rise up—don't smash them. Then allow browning on the other side for another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Enjoy with a large salad (low-carb) or place on your favorite (gluten-free) bhamburger uns.
- Extra garnishes: extra slices of Asiago cheese, bread and butter pickles, tomato slices, thinly sliced red onions, sugar-free ketchup, sweet and spicy mustard, and ¼ teaspoon olive oil to coat the bun.
Notes
- Try serving these on gluten-free biscuits with extra slices of Asiago cheese.
- The meat mixture might feel sticky when shaping them into patties. Dry hands between shaping the turkey patties or dust your hands with gluten-free all-purpose flour, cassava, or almond flour.
- Shaping the burger patties: When you shape the burgers, don't overhandle the meat mixture because it impacts the juiciness when cooked. Instead, just briefly knead in the ingredients and handle the meat as quickly and as little as possible.
- Work in batches to allow enough room between the patties while cooking.
- My favorite unsweetened ketchup is Organic Ketchup from Primal Kitchen.
- My favorite sweet and spicy mustard is Primal Kitchen Organic Dijon Mustard.
- Asiago cheese is more buttery and creamy than Parmesan, so try to go for Asiago if you can. Otherwise, Parmesan is a great alternative choice.
- Nutritional data is calculated without the bun and add-ons.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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