If you are looking for a healthy ground turkey burger recipe that is packed with flavor and far from boring, this is it. Made with lean ground turkey, fresh lemon, and savory Pecorino Romano cheese, these juicy stovetop turkey burgers are packed with bright, fresh flavor. A touch of panko breadcrumbs and mayonnaise helps keep the burgers moist and tender. A generous dollop of lemon garlic yogurt sauce or chimichurri brings everything together. Serve on a crisp slice of iceberg lettuce or your favorite bun.
Find out more about this recipe.
- Why you will love this recipe.
- Healthy turkey burger key ingredients and substitutions.
- Turkey burger recipe tips–for extra flavorful turkey burgers.
- How to cook turkey burgers in a pan for extra juicy turkey burgers.
- What are common mistakes when making turkey burgers.
- How to serve lemon Pecorino turkey burgers.
Why you will love this stovetop turkey burger recipe?
- You will have an easy week night dinner in about 40 minutes, including the resting time.
- Ground turkey is healthy and high in protein.
- Stove top turkey burgers can be perfect for meal prep as they freeze wonderfully.
- The combination of lemon, garlic, and pecorino Romano cheese is unique and very flavorful.
- This burger is moist due to the addition of mayonnaise and grated onion.
- The lemony garlic yogurt sauce is very versatile and can be used with so many other recipes, such as grilled chicken, a sandwich spread or in your favorite tuna salad.
Recipe summary. How to make ground turkey burgers.
If you are using the lemon yogurt sauce or chimichurri, prepare that first so the flavors can develop.
Once all the ingredients are added to the ground turkey (see my important recipe tips) and gently combined, form into patties and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to help them firm up. While the patties rest, preheat your pan so it’s ready to go. Cook the turkey burgers for about 4-6 minutes, cover with a lid to finish cooking for super moist and flavorful turkey burgers.
Healthy Turkey Burger Recipe Key Ingredients
- Ground turkey that is 93% lean is recommended for the best flavor and moisture. Though I have used 99% lean. Ground chicken also works great in this recipe.
- Pecorino Romano cheese adds a nutty, salty flavor and goes great with lemon and garlic. Parmesan can be substituted here, but will change the flavor slightly and you may need to add salt to the recipe.
- Lemon zest adds a bright citrusy flavor without adding extra liquid to the ground turkey.
- Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce add moisture and a lot of flavor.
- Garlic and onion pack a punch of flavor and help build depth and keep lean turkey from tasting flat.
Turkey Burger Recipe Tips
- Break up the ground turkey before adding dry ingredients. This allows you to distribute the dry and wet ingredients into the turkey meat without overmixing. Overmixing results in tough and dry turkey burgers.
- Combine the wet ingredients, then gently spoon over the turkey meat. Combine the dry ingredients and sprinkle on top of the turkey meat and wet ingredients.
- Gently combine the ingredients together. This is key for light turkey burgers that are not dense.
- Lightly wet your hands before shaping the burgers to prevent the mixture from sticking, making it easier to form smooth, even patties about 3/4″ to 1″ thick.
- Place the formed turkey burgers on small pieces of parchment paper to make it easier to transfer them directly into the skillet without falling apart.
- Let the turkey burger patties rest in the refrigerator for about 15–30 minutes before cooking. This helps the patties firm up, hold their shape better in the skillet.
How to cook turkey burgers in a pan.
- Preheat a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Heat the skillet until a drop of water sizzles on contact.
- Place the turkey burgers in the skillet or pan and do not touch them for 3 minutes to allow for a nice golden crust. Flip them over and cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Place a lid on the pan to finish cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until 165F. Because turkey is so lean, placing a lid on the pan allows them to steam and prevents them from drying out before they are cooked.
What are common mistakes when making turkey burgers?
Over-mixing the ingredients.
- Break up the ground turkey in the mixing bowl before adding the remaining ingredients to help everything combine more evenly.
- Combine the wet ingredients together (Dijon, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, and garlic). Dollop over turkey in mixing bowl.
- Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together (Pecorino, panko bread crumbs, salt, lemon peel, parsley). Sprinkle over the turkey mixture.
- Gently combine everything together and form into four patties about 1″ thick. The key is to incorporate ingredients without overmixing.
Pressing down on the patties while cooking.
Avoid pressing down on the turkey burgers while they cook. Pressing on the patties forces out the natural juices, which can leave the burgers dry and less flavorful.
Allowing the burgers cook undisturbed also helps develop a better golden crust on the outside.
Under seasoning the turkey burger.
Ground turkey has a very mild and neutral flavor. Don’t be afraid to add ingredients such as seasonings, herbs and cheese that are bold in flavor. That’s why I love this recipe. All the ingredients together make this burger very flavorful.
Not adding moisture.
Include ingredients that add moisture to the turkey burgers, such as grated onion, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, olive oil, or even a small amount of butter. Just be careful not to add too much moisture, or the burger mixture can become too soft and difficult to hold together.
How to serve these lemony ground turkey burgers.
Try these combinations
- Mediterranean style (my favorite): lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and Greek yogurt sauce.
- Greek inspired: cucumber ribbons, tomato, red onion, fresh dill or parsley, Lemon garlic greek yogurt sauce
- Other great toppings: smashed avocado, hummus, fried egg, Greek salsa.
To bun or not to bun?
This burger tastes awesome with the bun, but if you choose, I suggest:
- Toasted onion roll
- Brioche
- Ciabatta roll
Lemon Pecorino Turkey Burgers
This turkey burger recipe is packed with flavor from lemon, garlic, and pecorino Romano cheese. A generous dollop of lemon and garlic Greek yogurt sauce brings everything together.
4
servings15
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Turkey burger ingredients
1 pound ground turkey or chicken 93% lean
1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, unseasoned
1/4 cup finely grated onion, liquid removed
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil for frying
- Lemony garlic yogurt sauce
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 small clove of garlic, finely pressed
1 heaping Tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
Pinch of salt and pepper
lemon peel, a pinch (optional)
Turkey Burger Directions
- Add ground turkey to a medium sized bowl. Break into pieces in the bowl to allow for easy mixing when adding additional ingredients.
- Combine the 1/4 cup grated onion (juices removed), 1 clove finely pressed garlic, 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Stir to combine and spoon over the ground turkey pieces in the mixing bowl.
- In a separate, small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup panko, 1/3 cup pecorino Romano cheese, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Sprinkle the panko mixture over the ground turkey and mayo mixture, gently mixing everything together. Do not overmix.
- Using about a half cup of turkey mixture, form into a ball and set each patty on a 6X6” piece of parchment paper gently pressing until the patty is about 1 inch thick. Place the individual patties with parchment paper on a cookie sheet and refrigerate from 15 minutes to 30 minutes minimum.
- Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to a cast iron or nonstick pan and preheat over medium heat. The pan is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles in the pan.
- Pick up a burger by holding the edges of the parchment paper, flip over and drop into the pan, peeling off the parchment paper. Repeating with remaining three burgers. Do not touch for at least 3 minutes.
- Once they are golden brown, gently lift and turn over. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t over-brown. Add a lid to the pan and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the burger reaches 165F. Ground turkey is cooked at 165 degrees. Remove from heat and serve with garlic lemon sauce or your favorite toppings.
- Healthy Garlic Lemon Sauce (optional)
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. That’s it! This recipe tastes even better when the flavors have time to mingle for an hour or so.
Notes
- Storage. Cooked turkey burgers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze cooked or raw burgers, wrap individual burgers in foil then place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. For raw burgers, place them on a sheet pan and allow to freeze before wrapping and storing in a plastic freezer bag. Store the lemony garlic yogurt sauce in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Leftovers: Reheat turkey burgers in a skillet over medium heat, placing a lid on the pan. Or, place in a 350F oven for about 15 minutes. Or, least ideal, microwave for about 30 seconds.
Want my insider tips for moist, juicy, and tender turkey burgers?
- Healthy turkey burger key ingredients and substitutions.
- Turkey burger recipe tips–for extra flavorful turkey burgers.
- How to cook turkey burgers in a pan for extra juicy turkey burgers.
- What are common mistakes when making turkey burgers.
- How to serve lemon Pecorino turkey burgers.
Ground chicken or turkey–I’ve got you covered.
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