Grilled Turkey Burgers
The juiciest grilled turkey burgers will make a memorable summer meal that's still healthy. Enjoy this easy dish for barbecues, cookouts, picnics or just a weeknight dinner. Can be made gluten-free if desired.
Grilling month continues with more grilled goodness! I am loving sharing some of my go-to favorites on the grill with you, like these Grilled Chicken Thighs.
Once you know how to grill, you can really make anything on the grill.
Often, my kids beg me to make burgers. We eat turkey more often than beef, so turkey burgers are a great, healthy solution.
Sometimes I make these Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers on the skillet, especially on a super hot day when it's too hot to be outside on the grill. (The one downside of living in Arizona!) But when I can grill the other nine months of the year, I do!
Grilled Turkey Burgers recipe
If you've never had them, well, I can see why. Turkey burgers seem like they'd be less good than hamburgers, but trust me on this. They really are delicious!
Turkey burgers are a great dinner choice for a few reasons:
- Turkey is leaner than beef, so it's a healthier option. With fewer calories and more protein, turkey makes a great alternative.
- You can make these burgers gluten-free with almond flour.
- Just like hamburgers, you can dress them up with your favorite toppings!
This recipe makes about 10-12 burgers, so you can easily serve a crowd, have leftovers for days, or freeze them for an easy future dinner. Feel free to halve the recipe if you don't need this many turkey burgers.
Essential Grilling Tools
If you grill burgers often, you should pick up a few of my favorite tools for grilling. Here’s what I recommend:
- Non-stick spray: Grill spray coats the grates and makes them easy to clean. You can also rub half an onion on the grates for extra flavor.
- A meat thermometer: Meat thermometers help you find the proper doneness for beef hamburgers as well as turkey burgers. We have a simple handheld meat thermometer, but I’ve been eyeing the wireless, Bluetooth thermometers.
- A grill brush: A good-quality grill brush will help you clean off any burnt-on residue from the burgers without scratching the grates.
- Utensils: A great pair of tongs and a turner will go a long way in helping you flip anything you cook, from burgers to chicken wings to corn on the cob.
If you’re planning any barbecues or cookouts this summer, you will need all of these!
Ingredients
Here is what you'll need to snag at the grocery store to make these delicious turkey burgers on the grill:
- 2 pounds of ground turkey (my favorite is 93% lean)
- almond flour
- red onion
- egg
- salt
- black pepper
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- buns
I prefer to use almond flour since we try to limit our gluten intake in my family (and we tend to have almond flour on hand!), but you can also substitute breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Similarly, you can use gluten-free buns if you like, or just serve them on your favorite buns. My friend Jenni makes amazing sourdough hamburger buns. I also love these potato buns for a classic take.
Turkey burger toppings
Oh, and don't forget the toppings! We like to use guacamole or avocado slices, tomato slices and cheese. My kids love ketchup on theirs!
If I am serving a crowd, I will usually add mustard, mayonnaise, onion and lettuce to the spread so that folks can serve themselves.
How to grill turkey burgers
Here's how to make these delicious, juicy burgers:
- Preheat grill to 350ºF or medium-high heat. Use a grill brush to clean off the grill grates.
- While the grill is preheating, grate red onion or finely dice it using a food processor.
- Mix together the ingredients in a large bowl, until well mixed.
- Form baseball-sized balls, then flatten them into a patty shape.
- Place onto the preheated, greased grill. Do not flip until you can see the patties are halfway cooked through (or your patties may fall apart). Resist the urge to flip a lot, so that your burgers can cook thoroughly.
- Cook on the second side until burgers are cooked to 165ºF internal temperature. This is important for food safety!
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving, then serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Tips for success
Once the grill is preheated, use a grill brush to scrape any remaining food on the grill grates. Then grease the grill with grill spray or naturally grease the grill by cutting an onion in half and using tongs to rub the cut side of the onion across the grill grates.
Use a meat thermometer. Be careful to check the temperature of burgers a few minutes after flipping to the second side to avoid drying out the turkey.
Top with cheese when flipping to the second side, if desired, so the cheese can get gooey and melty!
What to serve with turkey burgers
Like hamburgers, turkey burgers are endlessly customizable! You can serve them with all kinds of sides.
Fries, of course, are a go-to. Who doesn't love fries?! These oven-baked french fries are a great healthy option. You also can't go wrong with sweet potato fries.
Oven-fried pickles are another favorite of mine, especially with ranch on the side!
A good veggie side is welcome too. You can cook your favorites in your grill basket (like squash and zucchini) or straight on the grill as I do with these grilled prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.
Or you can prepare them in your kitchen while the burgers cook. My sons and I love this oven-roasted broccoli.
Bacon herb potato salad is another classic side for barbecues, as is this simple fruit salad. My friend introduced me to smoked mac and cheese and it's a new favorite. (Maybe this will be the year we invest in a smoker!)
Grilled Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey 93% lean
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup red onion grated or finely diced
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 12 hamburger buns
- toppings like ketchup, cheese or guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350ºF or medium-high heat. Use a grill brush to clean off the grates while they are warm.
- Grate red onion or finely dice using a food processor.
- Mix together ingredients in a large bowl, until well mixed.
- Form baseball-sized balls, then flatten them into a patty shape.
- Place onto preheated, greased grill. Cook for about 8-10 minutes per side. Do not flip until you can see the patties are halfway cooked through, or your patties may fall apart.
- Cook on the second side until burgers are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
