Ground Turkey Patties are tender, juicy, and flavorful—everything you never knew ground turkey could be! I have a few simple tricks to make this lean protein into a dinner (or turkey burger!) everyone in the family will love.
I love recipes like Ground Turkey Tacos and Baked Ziti with Ground Turkey, but I’ll admit that ground turkey can be a little bit tricky to work with. It doesn’t have as much fat as ground beef, which makes it healthier, but also means it can be less flavorful and juicy. Luckily, it doesn’t take all that much to make sure these ground turkey patties turn out perfect.
This is an easy and kid-friendly meal option that’s going to end up on frequent rotation in your home. These turkey patties can be incorporated into a wide variety of dishes, from classic burgers to lettuce wraps, which means your family will never get bored of them!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Easy to Make – With just a few simple ingredients and very little prep time, these ground turkey patties will be on the table ready to eat. Perfect for busy weeknights!
- Versatile – Use ground turkey patties for burgers by adding them to buns or eat them as-is for a simple healthy protein to accompany sides like Herb Roasted Potatoes. You can enjoy them in so many ways!
- The best turkey burger recipe – Juicy and tender, this is my absolute favorite way to make turkey burger patties and turn a lean protein into a delicious meal.
- Kid-Friendly – These turkey patties are great for picky eaters! The mild flavor of ground turkey is perfect for little ones.
Recipe Notes
This ground turkey patty recipe is as simple as promised! Just a few simple ingredients for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make turkey burger patties to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground turkey – I recommend 93% lean, which is much less likely to dry out than 99%.
- Seasoned bread crumbs – This adds flavor without requiring you to measure a whole bunch of herbs and spices!
- Onion – Any kind will work, but I use a yellow onion.
- Parsley – For some bright, fresh flavor.
- Egg – This helps bind the burgers.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder adds lots of savory flavor to the ground turkey patties.
- Salt and ground black pepper – Seasoning brings out the best in ground turkey.
- Olive oil – Because turkey doesn’t have much fat on its own, you’ll need olive oil for cooking.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Gluten-free turkey patties – Substitute gluten-free seasoned breadcrumbs or panko. If you can’t find seasoned gluten-free breadcrumbs, add Italian seasoning or my Ground Turkey Seasoning for extra flavor.
- Mediterranean ground turkey patties – For a Mediterranean-inspired twist, add some dried oregano, feta cheese crumbles, and sun-dried tomatoes to your patty mixture.
- Stuffed turkey burger patties – Take your patties to the next level by stuffing them with cheese before cooking.
- Tex-Mex turkey patties – Use unseasoned breadcrumbs and add Taco Seasoning, then swap the parsley for cilantro. Serve alongside Mexican Street Corn Casserole or make Tex-Mex burgers topped with pepper jack, avocado, salsa, and/or sour cream.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make ground turkey patties.
Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
Use your hands to mix everything together.
Form patties with your hands.
Cook in a skillet until browned and cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the onion very finely – This adds moisture to the turkey patties and also means the flavor is more evenly distributed. (Plus you won’t get any big chunks of crunchy onions in your turkey burger patty!) I like to use an electric chopper for this.
- Mix with your hands – Seriously, it is the best way to get everything evenly distributed without overworking the meat. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!
- Do not press down – It’s tempting, but resist pressing down on your patties while they are cooking. This will squeeze out the juices and make them less flavorful.
- Make it your way – While I cooked the ground turkey patties in a skillet, you can also cook them on the grill or even bake them in the oven.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Get a head start – Mix up the ground turkey patty mixture ahead of time and store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to a day.
- Make the patties in advance – You can also form the patties and store them in the refrigerator for up to a day before cooking them.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this turkey patties recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Prepare patties as directed but don’t cook them.
- Arrange them on a wax-paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm.
- Once the turkey burger patties are frozen, stack them with wax paper in between each patty and place into a freezer bag or container.
- Thaw in the fridge, then cook according to the recipe instructions.
How to Freeze Turkey Burger Patties After Cooking
- Prepare patties as directed.
- Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers.
- Freeze up to 1 month.
- Reheat by wrapping loosely in foil and baking at 350˚F until heated through, or warm in the microwave.
What to Serve with Ground Turkey Patties
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of turkey, it will pair well with many of your favorite vegetable side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
Ground Turkey Patty Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Turkey Pitas – Add your turkey burger patty to a pita pocket with some hummus, lettuce, and tomato.
- Turkey Burger Salad – Chop up a leftover turkey burger and add it over top of greens for an easy salad. I like mine topped with ranch dressing!
- Breakfast Skillet – Crumble leftover burgers over cooked hash browns or home fries along with scrambled eggs for breakfast.
- Turkey Pasta – Crumble ground turkey patties and add them to marinara for a hearty meat sauce. Serve over cooked pasta.
Recipe FAQ’s
How do you keep ground turkey patties from falling apart?
The egg and breadcrumbs in this recipe help bind the lean ground turkey together. Avoid overworking the mixture with your hands, as this can also cause the turkey patties to fall apart.
What temperature should ground turkey patties be cooked to?
Ground turkey patties should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F for safe consumption. A turkey burger temp higher than this will mean a dry patty.
What are good turkey burger sides?
Some great side dishes to enjoy with your ground turkey patties are potato salad, sweet potato fries, and Incredible Baked Potato Wedges.
What is the best way to season ground turkey?
There are many ways to season ground turkey, and in this recipe, I keep the seasoning light to let the flavor of the turkey shine through. Some common seasonings for ground turkey include onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, dried herbs like thyme or basil, and fresh garlic or onions.
More EASY Ground Turkey Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy ground turkey recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Asian Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Ground Turkey Enchiladas
- Ground Turkey Fried Rice
- Turkey Spinach Feta Burgers
Ground Turkey Patties
Ingredients
For the Turkey Burger patties
- 1.5 pounds ground turkey
- ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
To make the ground turkey patties
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the patties except the olive oil. Use your hands to work the meat just until everything is evenly distributed. Avoid overworking the meat mixture.
- Divide the meat into 6 even sections and roll each into a ball then flatten into a patty.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, place the slider patties in the skillet and cook about 2-4 minutes per side. Patty should be 165˚F internal temp when cooked.Optional: If desired add cheese to the top of the turkey slider patty in the last minute of cooking to melt the cheese.Cook in batches until all turkey burger patties are cooked.
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