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GET IT NOWI don’t need it to be January to break out my air fryer recipes (it’s my most-used appliance!), but I know many of you got one for the holidays or dust it off right after them. So, it felt like the perfect time to share the easy, healthy recipe I’ve been making in it on repeat: air fryer turkey burgers!
If you’ve seen my chipotle turkey burgers, you know I’m a firm believer that ground turkey doesn’t have to be bland or dry. This version is more mild, but just as flavorful — and super juicy with my 2 secret ingredients. Make it with me and you might look at turkey (or your air fryer?) in a whole new way!
Why You Need My Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Juicy and flavorful – Sure, you could just season with salt and pepper like you might be used to with ground beef. But with lean turkey, that’s how you get a dry, bland burger — even if you’re cooking your turkey burgers in the air fryer, which dries them out less. Instead, I’ve got a few simple-but-mighty add-ins that will add so much flavor and make them incredibly juicy.
- Easy and hands-off – Simple ingredients (just 6 of them, plus salt and pepper), one bowl, and yes to no standing by the stove! Grab ground turkey and you probably already have everything else in your pantry.
- Healthy protein – An air fryer turkey burger is a great lean alternative to beef, that’s still packed with protein… and flavor if you make it right. 😉 This healthy dinner doesn’t compromise!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my air fryer turkey burgers recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Turkey – I recommend 85% lean ground turkey for the juiciest burgers, but extra lean works. You can even use ground chicken if you want.
- Mayonnaise – Secret ingredient #1! I add olive oil to my beef burgers to keep them juicy, but here a touch of mayo works even better. These two are not normally interchangeable, but for these air fryer turkey burgers, olive oil will work instead of mayo.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Secret ingredient #2! I use this in my beef version as well, and it adds the same umami punch here. I like this brand, which is gluten-free. Coconut aminos would be the closest substitute.
- Grated Onion – My mom always puts grated onions into her meat patties (called kotleti), and you’ll love the flavor and moisture it adds to these turkey burgers. When I made these, the first thing my kids said is these are like grandma’s! You can sub a dash of onion powder, but it’s just not the same.
- Minced Garlic – I used fresh garlic cloves, but 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic will work.
- Dijon Mustard – I like this one. Feel free to substitute regular yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Cook Turkey Burgers In The Air Fryer
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the base ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the mayo, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Add the ground turkey. Mix with your hands just until combined.
- Form the turkey patties. Shape them slightly less than 1/2 inch thick, and press a deep thumbprint in the center of each.
- Air fry turkey burgers. After preheating, place the turkey burgers in the air fryer basket in a single layer. (I have this air fryer and love the roomy basket.) Cook, flipping halfway through. Let them rest to let the juices settle before enjoying.
My Recipe Tips
- Preheating your air fryer is important for this recipe. For some air fryer recipes, I don’t always bother preheating, but for burgers (of any kind) it makes a difference. Adding them to an already hot basket helps them get a little browning right away and helps prevent sticking.
- Don’t have a grater for the onion? I have and recommend this one — it’s sturdy and easy to use. Otherwise, you can just finely mince the onion. Don’t use large pieces because they can cause the burgers to fall apart more easily.
- Don’t overmix the turkey meat. You’ll get tough burgers if you do! This is why I mix all other ingredients first before adding the ground turkey — it reduces the chance of overworking the meat.
- The mixture will be pretty wet and sticky. You can wet your hands with water to help form patties if the meat is sticking to them. Don’t worry about the turkey burgers sticking to the air fryer – they stop being sticky once they cook for a couple of minutes and should be easy to flip.
- Why do you need the thumbprint? This prevents the meat from puffing up and ensures even cooking.
- Note that these burgers are fairly small. If you prefer larger ones, divide the mixture into 3 instead of 4, and add 2 minutes to the cooking time.
- Do you have to flip them? It’s up to you! They’ll be juicy either way, but flipping gets you more even browning. I always flip.
- Want cheese? Add it in the last 2 minutes. Doing it near the end gives your turkey burgers a chance to brown first and prevents the cheese from melting to the bottom of the basket.
- For the juiciest results, cook to an internal temp of 160-162 degrees. The safe internal temp is 165, but I prefer to remove the turkey burgers from the air fryer a few degrees early and let them come to 165 while resting. Just make sure they do reach 165 before you eat! I use this probe meat thermometer and the thin metal cable has no problems sticking out of the basket with it fully shut.
Serving Ideas
You can enjoy these air fryer turkey burgers the same ways as beef ones. Here are some easy ideas:
- Bun, Lettuce Wrap, Or Bowl – I grabbed gluten-free buns from the store for most of these pictures and piled them with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onions, and mayo. But more often, I wrap them in lettuce (shown above before wrapping), or drop them into a burger bowl.
- Sauces – Slather them with my sugar-free ketchup, BBQ sauce, or spicy mayo for an irresistible finish.
- Fries – Pair them with my air fryer fries (pictured in this post) or air fryer sweet potato fries. For a lighter option, try my zucchini fries or even air fryer corn.
- Salad – My creamy cauliflower potato salad or radish salad are perfect for a healthy comfort food vibe.
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
These air fryer turkey burgers come out extra juicy, tender, and flavorful, thanks to 2 secret ingredients and simple spices. Done in minutes!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F (193 degrees C).
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In a large bowl, stir together the mayo, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
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Add the ground turkey and mix gently with your hands just until combined. Do not overmix.
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Divide the turkey mixture into 4 patties, slightly less than 1/2 inch thick. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each patty to keep the burgers from bulging out when cooking.
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Place the turkey burgers in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees F.
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Let your burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 turkey burger
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a golden brown outside, form the patties without the mess, get the juiciest results, add cheese at the right time if you want it, and more.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: Form the turkey patties 1-2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge, or freeze them for later.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating your turkey burgers in the air fryer again, which will help them stay juicy. I don’t even preheat the second time around — just set it to 1 minute and they’ll be hot when it beeps!
- Freeze: Wrap the cooked patties tightly and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, or freeze raw ones for up to 6 months. You can air fry them from frozen, it’ll just take a few minutes longer than thawed.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
6 Comments
Patricia Mae Hogue
0I fixed the air fryer turkey burgers tonight and they were delicious. I used Coconut Liquid Aminos instead of the Worcestershire sauce. They were very moist with a sweet flavor. Very tasty. I’ll definitely fix them again. I did, however, cook them a little longer to make sure they were done. They were still moist even cooking them longer. I enjoyed them.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you liked them, Patricia! Yes, that’s a good substitution option.
Marilyn Bartlett
0I made the turkey air fryer recipe. I loved the recipe! These turkey burgers are so flavorful and delicious. I did need to cook them longer to reach the desired temperature. Maybe it is because of my air fryer. I will definitely make this recipe again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you loved it, Marilyn! The time can vary a bit depending on how thick you make the patties, but perfectly fine to cook them for logner and just check the internal temperature like you did. Hope you make them again soon!
Micheal Mullings
0Thank you for taking the recipe…
Going to make it for lunch today.
God Bless and have a wonderful day 🙏🙏🙏 …
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hope you like these, Michael! Please let me know what you think when you try them.