Ground Turkey Burgers

A hand holding a sandwich with lettuce, a moist turkey burger patty, cheese, tomato slices, pickles, and ketchup inside a toasted burger bun, against a white background.

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These ground turkey burgers are juicy, flavorful, and packed with a little secret veggie boost (hello, zucchini!). They're easy to make, healthier than your average burger, and perfect for a weeknight dinner or a weekend cookout.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Ground Turkey Burgers, Turkey Burgers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings

Calories 434

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 medium zucchini shredded and squeezed dry
2 garlic cloves minced
2 green onions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking
4 slices of cheese cheddar, gouda, or your favorite
4 burger buns or large lettuce leaves for wrapping
Optional toppings: lettuce tomato slices, pickles, red onion, ketchup, mustard, etc.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Shred one medium zucchini using a box grater, then wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much water as possible. Removing excess moisture prevents the turkey burgers from becoming soggy and helps them hold their shape.
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, shredded zucchini (make sure you’ve squeezed out most of the water), garlic, green onions, parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Use clean hands or a spatula to gently mix until just combined — try not to overmix, or the burgers can get tough.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties about ½ inch thick. If the mixture feels sticky, lightly wet your hands to make shaping easier.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat (or preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high). Cook the patties for about 5–6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Try not to press them down — you want to keep all those juices inside.
About 1 minute before the burgers are done, add a slice of cheese to each patty. Cover the pan loosely with a lid to help the cheese melt evenly.
Serve the burgers on toasted buns or wrapped in lettuce leaves. Load them up with your favorite toppings — think crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, tangy pickles, or a swipe of ketchup or mustard. Then dig in!

Video

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Squeeze the zucchini like it owes you money.
Seriously. The more liquid you remove from the shredded zucchini, the better these burgers will hold together and cook evenly. I wrap mine in a clean dish towel and twist hard over the sink — you'd be shocked how much water comes out.

Don’t overmix.
It’s tempting to really go at it when mixing everything together, but gentle is the way to go here. Overmixing makes burgers dense and dry. I mix just until everything holds together and no dry spots remain.

Wet your hands before shaping.
The turkey mixture is a little sticky — that’s normal. Lightly wetting your hands helps shape smooth patties without sticking or overhandling.

Use a meat thermometer.
This is the key to not overcooking your burgers. I pull them off the heat at exactly 165°F for perfectly juicy centers. No guesswork, no cutting into them mid-cook.

Cover the pan to melt the cheese faster.
Once the cheese goes on, loosely cover your skillet or grill pan. That trapped heat melts it perfectly without overcooking the patty.

Let them rest before serving.
Give the burgers just 2–3 minutes off the heat before serving. This helps the juices settle back into the meat so every bite stays moist.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Fridge:
Cooked turkey burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to separate them with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.

Reheat Tips:
To keep them from drying out, I reheat them in a skillet with a splash of water and cover the pan — just a couple minutes over medium heat. The steam brings them back to life without overcooking.

Freezing (Raw):
I shape the raw patties and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze for 1 hour (this keeps them from sticking). Then I transfer them to a freezer-safe bag with parchment between each patty. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.

Freezing (Cooked):
You can also freeze fully cooked burgers. Let them cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze. When you’re ready to eat, thaw in the fridge and reheat gently in a skillet or microwave with a damp paper towel.

Nutrition