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With this recipe for Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, get ready to sink your teeth into the juiciest turkey burger you’ve ever tasted in under 10 minutes.
Made with just a handful of ingredients including ground turkey, fresh breadcrumbs, and minced onion, these burgers are a healthier twist on a classic favorite. With a touch of cayenne pepper and ground black pepper, and a couple of secret ingredients for added moisture, these turkey burgers are sure to satisfy your cravings.
If you’re just getting started with air frying, don’t miss Air Fryer 101: How to Choose and Use an Air Fryer to learn all you need to know to get air frying! Read on to find out how to cook turkey burgers in the air fryer. They are so deliciously moist and packed with flavor.
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The Best, Easy Air Fryer Turkey Burger Recipe: Here’s Why It Works
- Juicy and moist: Turkey is leaner than beef, so homemade turkey burger recipes are known for being dry. I’ve got the secrets for ensuring your turkey burgers are forever juicy.
- Loaded with flavor:Â herbs, cayenne, garlic, and mayo packed in many yummy flavors. Spread them with this yummy Avocado crema, some crispy Air Fryer Eggplant and a side of this Creamy Potato Salad recipe with Eggs to make it a turkey burger feast without the firing up the grill.
- Serious leftover/make-ahead potential: make a large batch and freeze patties to have them ready to go.
- Easy to make: quick and straightforward to put together.
- Family-friendly: these burgers will be loved by everyone at your table. (And when you’re done, try this Air Fryer Tuna Steak.)
Gather Your Ingredients to Make Turkey Burgers in the Air Fryer
- Fresh or Panko breadcrumbs. My secret weapons are breadcrumbs soaked in milk. The crumbs retain a considerable amount of liquid that meat alone cannot.
- Milk. Whatever milk you usually use – dairy or plant-based is both excellent in this recipe.
- Olive oil. You can also use a neutral-tasting oil like avocado.
- Onion. Gives great texture and taste to the meat.
- Coarse salt. You can also use Himalayan or whatever salt you have in the cupboard.
- Garlic. Minced garlic is a stand-out savory and richness enhancer in this recipe.
- Mayo. Mayo adds a little additional fat and emulsifies, meaning the fat can stay suspended in the liquids. This provides extra insurance against a dry turkey burger.
- Parsley. Fresh or dried gives a lightness and freshness to these burgers.
- Cayenne pepper.Ground turkey is sweeter than ground beef, and I love a little bit of cayenne to add a little pop of flavor, but you can leave it out.
- Ground black pepper. For added heat and balance, it’s totally optional, of course.
- Egg. The key binding ingredient in the patty.
- Ground turkey. Choose a good quality lean ground turkey. Turkey carries flavors and seasonings beautifully. You can also make this recipe with ground chicken.
How To Make Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- First, stir together breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl; let stand to absorb.
- Next, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then cook onion with ¼ tsp salt until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute more. Cool for a few minutes, then scrape into breadcrumb mixture.
- Stir mayo into the breadcrumb mixture, along with parsley, remaining salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using).
- When the mixture is cool to the touch, stir in the egg and then the ground turkey. Use your hands to gently but thoroughly work the mixture together—form 5 burger patties.
- Cook the turkey burgers in batches in a single layer in the air fryer basket at 375ºF for 6 minutes. Flip burgers and cook for 2-3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. You’ll need to do two batches. Let burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Let guests build their turkey burgers up with sliced tomato, toasted buns, red onion slices, pickles and crisp lettuce leaves.
To complete a bbq burger theme, whip these up and serve them with Creamy classic homemade potato salad with egg, Easy couscous salad with lemon dressing and fresh herbs, my all-time best classic macaroni salad, and creamy coleslaw.
Make Ahead Instructions
Shape the turkey burger mixture into patties and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Put the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the patties for about an hour or until they are solid.
Once the patties are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
Storage Instructions
Allow the cooked turkey burgers to cool down to room temperature, and then place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.
Store the turkey burgers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze them if you want to store them for longer.
Place the turkey burgers in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Air Fryer Turkey Burger Variations
- Greek Turkey Burgers. Add crumbled feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, chopped fresh parsley, and dried oregano to the turkey burger mixture. Serve with tzatziki sauce.
- Spicy Turkey Burgers. Mix the burger mixture in chopped jalapeños, green onions, cumin, and chili powder. Serve with guacamole.
- BBQ Turkey Burgers. Add BBQ sauce and chopped red onion to the turkey burger mixture. Serve with more BBQ sauce and sliced pickles.
- Italian Turkey Burgers. Sprinkle in a little Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, dried basil, and oregano into the burger mixture. Serve with marinara sauce and sliced mozzarella cheese.
How Do You Know When A Turkey Burger Is Done?
When probed with a meat thermometer, you’ll know when a turkey burger is done with the internal temperature of the patty reaching 165°F (74°C).
To check the temperature, insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the burger, ensuring it’s not touching the pan. Wait for a few seconds until the temperature reading stabilizes.
The color of the meat or juices alone is not a reliable indicator of doneness.
What Color Should A Turkey Burger Be When Cooked?
When a turkey burger is fully cooked, the color should be an even light brown or tan throughout the entire burger.
The center of the burger should not be pink or red but instead should be opaque with no visible pinkness.
By using a meat thermometer, you can ensure that your turkey burger is safe to eat and cooked to the appropriate temperature, regardless of the color of the meat.
How Do You Air Fry Frozen Turkey Patties?
If cooking storebought frozen turkey burgers, lower the air fryer temperature to 350ºF and expect to add up to 6 minutes more to the cooking time (but start checking at 10 minutes). Patties vary in thickness, so using a thermometer to confirm doneness for food safety is essential.
Burgers should no longer be pink inside. The color of cooked ground turkey is beige-grey.
Can This Air Fryer Turkey Burger Recipe Be Coated In Breadcrumbs?
Yes, if you want to add a crispy outer layer to the patties, you can brush them with a little beaten egg and coat them in crumbs.
Spray the coating with cooking spray to crisp up the crumbs.
Panko crumbs will give a lovely crunchy coating, but you can also use fresh breadcrumbs.
Air Fryer Turkey Burger FAQs
Can you put frozen turkey burgers in an air fryer?
You can absolutely put and cook frozen turkey burger patties in the air fryer. They will require a little more cooking time.
How long do you air fry frozen turkey burgers?
You’ll need to add a few extra cooking minutes to frozen turkey patties – around 6 extra minutes but start checking their doneness from 10 minutes.
Do you need to flip burgers in an air fryer?
Yes, you do need to flip burger patties when cooking turkey (or beef burgers, etc) burgers in an air fryer to ensure an even cook.
What temperature should a turkey burger be?
Turkey burgers should have an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when they are ready.
Can you cook turkey patties in air fryer?
Yes, you can cook turkey patties in an air fryer successfully.
Is it OK if a turkey burger is a little pink?
No, your turkey burger should be pale brown or tan in color, not pink or red.
Pro Tips And Tricks
- Flip burgers halfway through for even browning and cooking.
- To check the patties are correctly seasoned, before forming them: take a little piece of the mixture and microwave it in 30-second intervals until cooked through. Use this as a taste tester to check for enough seasoning in the mixture.
- Resting the burgers redistributes the moisture back into the meat, ensuring a juicy, tender, air fryer turkey burger.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: Make sure to cook the turkey burgers in a single layer and not to overcrowd the basket. This will ensure that the hot air circulates evenly around each burger and they cook evenly.
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Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh or panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup minced onion ¼ of a large yellow onion
- 1 ¼ tsp coarse salt
- 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 lb ground turkey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk; let stand to absorb.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then cook onion with ¼ tsp salt until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute more. Cool for a few minutes, then scrape into breadcrumb mixture.
- Stir mayo into the breadcrumb mixture, along with parsley, remaining salt, pepper and cayenne (if using).
- When mixture is cool to the touch, stir in the egg then the ground turkey. Use your hands to gently but thoroughly work the mixture together. Form 5 burger patties.
- Air fry the turkey burgers in batches in a single layer at 375ºF for 6 minutes. Flip burgers and continue cooking 2-3 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165ºF. You’ll need to do two batches. Let burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Cook the garlic until it is just fragrant; don’t allow it to burn and turn bitter.
- The egg should be added in once the mixture has cooled down.
- Handle the mixture gently and lightly but ensure the ingredients mix together thoroughly.
- The patties will need to be flipped during their cooking process.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 24gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 745mgPotassium: 373mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 206IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg
Last Updated on May 23, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD
Wow what a juicy Turkey burger. I love that I can pop it in the air fryer and the meal is ready.
I’m not a big fan of ground turkey, but the family is. These were a hit for all of us!
So good and even better that it’s made in the AF. So fast and easy cleanup!
Look at this irresistible burger! I usually have a traditional beef burger, but I’ll make a change for this one next time! Love the mixing of spices and breadcrumbs with the meat! Yum!
Made these last night and they were INCREDIBLE.
I cannot wait for my new air fryer to be sent. I’ve been without since the recall in February and I am dying! These burgers look amazing and I think they would work really well in the AF as opposed to a grill. I’ve found they stick too much on a barbecue. Great idea with the breadcrumbs too… no one likes a dry turkey burger.