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These air fryer turkey burgers are extra juicy and tender and cook up in no time at all! They make a fabulously fast and healthy weeknight dinner.
If you’ve tried my air fryer hamburgers or air fryer chicken patties before, you’ll no doubt enjoy cooking turkey burgers in the air fryer as well.
Like my air fryer turkey meatballs, they use ground turkey and make a classic a little bit healthier without sacrificing flavor!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Healthy. Ground turkey is one of the leanest and healthiest protein options available.
- Mess-free. Unlike a skillet or grill, air-frying burgers cut out tons of mess and oil splatter! I like to make this during the cooler months when my family craves some good ol’ BBQ.
- Quick and easy. From prep to plate, these burgers come together in less than 10 minutes.
What I love about this recipe is just how perfectly juicy they turn out every single time. Pair them with other air fryer favorites like some air fryer french fries, air fryer sweet potato fries, or even air fryer potato wedges for the ultimate family-friendly meal.
Ingredients needed
Besides the turkey and some spices, there isn’t much else that goes into this recipe. Here is what you’ll need:
- Turkey. I like using lean ground turkey, but this recipe works with fattier cuts, too. Just be wary of some excess moisture during the cooking process.
- Seasonings. Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. This may look a little scarce, but trust me, it doesn’t detract from the juiciness.
- Olive oil. A little oil
- Worcestershire sauce. A must for any good burger patty.
- Burger fix-ins. I keep things classic with buns, lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, and red onion, but use anything you like.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to air fry turkey burgers
Step 1- Make the burger mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients and mix it well till all the spices and Worcestershire sauce are evenly blended into the ground turkey.
Step 2: Shape into patties. Start off by slightly wetting your hands to keep patties from sticking. Take a handful/ mound of the mixture and begin shaping it into a round burger patty. Repeat this process until you have four patties.
Step 3- Prep the air fryer. After preheating the air fryer to 180C/350F and greasing the air fryer basket, place the turkey burger patties in it.
Step 4- Air fry the turkey burgers. Air fry the turkey burgers for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Before you assemble your burger, let the patties sit for 5 minutes to retain the juices.
Air fryer turkey burgers cooking time
With this recipe, you can have them ready in less than 15 minutes. But, the cooking time varies depending upon the weight as given below:
- 4-ounce burger: 8-9 minutes.
- 5-ounce burger: 9-10 minutes.
- 6-ounce burger: 10-12 minutes.
For anything more than 6 ounces, add 3 minutes for every ounce from there. Remember, the best way to check if the turkey burgers are cooked is to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Fully cooked burgers have a temperature of 165F.
Tips to make the best recipe
- If you don’t have ground turkey on hand, you can make your own by adding turkey breast fillets into a food processor and blending it down.
- Yes, this is a turkey burger recipe, but you can use other ground meat if you prefer. Ground chicken and ground beef will work the same.
- To maintain the firm shape of the turkey patties, keep the meat in the refrigerator for some time.
- If needed, cook the burgers in batches. I use a Phillips XL air fryer and can comfortably fit in 4 patties.
Storage instructions
To store. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
To freeze. Place the cooked and cooled burgers in a shallow container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat. You can reheat turkey burgers for 4 to 5 minutes in your air fryer.
Frequently asked questions
If you don’t want to make burgers from scratch, you can use pre-made frozen turkey burgers. There is no need to thaw these before adding them to the air fryer. Grease an air fryer basket then add the frozen turkey burger patties. Air fry at 200C/400F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Due to Worcestershire sauce, this recipe is not gluten-free. However, you can swap it out for a gluten-free or soy sauce.
More air fryer recipes to try
- Air fryer turkey breast
- Air fryer fried chicken
- Air fryer pork tenderloin
- Air fryer meatloaf
- Air fryer chicken parmesan
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into four turkey burger patties.
- Add the turkey burgers to a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 180C/350F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Let the burgers rest for 5 minutes before assembling them into burgers.
Was looking for a quick lunch and these turkey burgers fit the bill. I added shredded cheese. I cooked 2 thick ones on 400 for 7 minutes each side. I cooked to smaller ones on 370 for 7 minutes each side. Yummy!!!
Love that, Jackie!
What a lovely simple recipe. I added a little bit of breadcrumbs too, and they turned out perfect!
Love that, Melissa!
Awesome recipe! Very flavorful, not dry at all. Paired with sesame seed, brioche buns it was absolutely delicious!
I am eating turkey for the first time. At first, I was really apprehensive how it is going to turn out. But I loved it. My son told me that he will never eat any other burgers ever but this. Every body loved it. Thank you. I love all your recipes.
I am eating turkey for the first time. At first, I was really apprehensive how it is going to turn out. But I loved it. My son told me that he will never eat any other burgers ever but this. Every body loved it. Thank you.
I haven’t tried the turkey burger, but certainly will. I just bought a air fryer so I’m just getting started. I figured it would be a good investment. I wanna try a ket friendly pizza. I’m 3xcited I love homemade pizza rolls, but I figure I better stay with friendlier things that have fewer calories. Thank you for your recipes. I’m look8ng forward to trying something different.