These healthy, Italian-seasoned juicy turkey burgers are the perfect go-to dinner and super easy to make.
Pair them with a mango salad or cauliflower mash, or serve with lettuce wraps for a low-carb meal.
Or go all out with your favorite toppings and a gluten-free bun—It is finger-licking good!

Love burgers? Don't forget to check out these unique burger recipes with a ton of flavor.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- How to make the turkey mixture for turkey patties
- Tips on how to shape and cook these healthy turkey burgers
- Equipment notes
- Serve with gluten-free hamburger buns
- My favorite burger toppings
- Pair it with a salad or healthy vegetable side dishes
- Other filling sides
- 📖 Recipe
Why you'll love this recipe
- They're healthy burgers and a great option if you want to keep it gluten-free.
- They come together with simple ingredients.
- Make them on the stove in a frying pan or on the grill (perfect for grilling season).
- They're juicy burgers with a healthy fat content.
- You can even make the turkey burger patties in advance for busy weeknights.
Ingredients & Notes
- 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 burgers shine and add much flavor. They also get mixed in the meat that makes the patties, and then I adjust the seasoning to my taste once the burgers are sizzling in the skillet.
- Asiago cheese: It adds a mild nutty flavor to the meat mixture but also avoids a dry turkey burger. It really is the "secret ingredient" here.
- Olive oil: A little bit of healthy olive oil in the skillet makes the burgers cook evenly, but this fat also locks in the moisture and creates incredible flavors. A little oil goes a long way.
How to make the turkey mixture for turkey patties
- In a large bowl, add the ground turkey meat.
- With your fist, make a dent in the middle.
- Then add cheese, finely chopped garlic and onion, and seasoning.
- Start kneading the mixture with your hand until all ingredients are well combined.
- Equally, divide the burger mixture into 8 to 10 pieces and form patties.
- Try to handle the meat as quickly and as little as possible; set it briefly aside.
Tips on how to shape and cook these healthy turkey burgers
- The turkey mixture might feel sticky when shaping them into patties because we don't use any bread crumbs. A trick is to dust your hands with some cassava flour, almond flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour as you handle the meat.
- When you shape the burgers, don't overhandle the meat mixture because it does have an impact on the juiciness when cooked. Just briefly knead in the ingredients.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until warm, about 3 minutes, before adding the burger patties.
- I like to sprinkle the bottom of the pan with some salt before the meat burgers go in.
- Cook them for 4-5 minutes on one side first until browned.
- Then flip and gently press them down for a few seconds with a spatula.
- Then cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until deliciously crispy brown on the other side.
Equipment notes
- You'll need a large 12-inch cast iron skillet to fit as many burgers at once or a large pan if you make them on the stove.
- These burgers can also go on the grill—cook time might vary.
- Work in batches to allow enough room between the patties while cooking.
Serve with gluten-free hamburger buns
If you want the full-on experience of delicious homemade turkey burgers, serve them on gluten-free buns.
My favorite burger 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.
Pair it with a salad or healthy vegetable side dishes
This is an incredible flavored burger that is ready in under 30 minutes.
If you want to keep it low-carb or Keto-friendly, then serve it with a large green salad or a vegetable side dish. Here are a couple of great options:
Other filling sides
Now it's your time to make these easy gluten-free ground turkey burgers.
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Italian Seasoned Gluten-free Turkey Burgers
Mariska RamondinoIngredients
- 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.
- Use your hands to combine all the ingredients. Divide the mixture into 8 or 10 equally-sized pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball. Use the palms of your hands to fatten the meatballs into burger patties.
- Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. 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: When browned on one side, flip the burgers and then gently press or mash the burgers down with your spatula for a few seconds. Then allow browning on the other side.
- Enjoy with a large Italian-style salad (low-carb) or place on homemade biscuits or your favorite gluten-free buns.
- Extra garnishes: extra Asiago cheese slices, 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 Asiago slices.
- 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.
- 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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