Quick Look at these Juicy Avocado Turkey Burgers
- Ready In: 45 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: ground turkey, cold butter, shredded onion, mayo, garlic, slices of avocado, burger buns, and the best burger sauce!
- Dietary Info: gluten-free and dairy-free friendly
- Protein: 35g+/burger
- Meal Prep Friendly: make the patties ahead or freeze for later.
- Best For: weeknight dinner, backyard cookout, or your next burger night!
Share and summarize this recipe:
Why You’ll Grill These Juicy Burgers All Summer!
- No dry turkey burgers here, thanks to our secret ingredients!
- Fresh flavor → avocado slices, quick pickled onions, and easy burger sauce compliment the savory turkey patties.
- Customizable – serve on any type of bun and with any of your favorite toppings!
- Family-approved – the perfect spin to a burger night!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Ground Turkey – traditionally a very lean meat, so we recommend finding the least lean ground turkey at the grocery store. That will help keep it moist.
- Shredded Onion, Butter, and Mayo – my secret ingredients to add a little fat and moisture to these lean turkey burgers to make sure they are never dry!
- Hamburger Buns – any variety will work here – regular, whole wheat, gluten-free, lettuce buns, etc.
- Quick Pickled Onions – our homemade quick pickled onions are an optional topping, but I can’t recommend them enough. They add wonderful flavor and a little crunch!
How To Make Avocado Turkey Burgers
Step 1 – Shred the white onion and squeeze out excess moisture.
Step 2 – Shred 2-3 tablespoons of cold butter.
Pro Tip – Don’t Skip the Onion and Butter!
Ground turkey is a very lean meat and can dry out easily. As the butter melts during cooking, it creates tiny pockets of moisture throughout the burger to keep it from drying out. Grated onion also helps distribute moisture and flavor more evenly than dicing it.
Step 3 – Mix together all of the burger ingredients.
Step 4 – Form into patties, put a thumb indent in the middle and freeze for 20 minutes.
Freezing The Burger Patties
It is highly recommended to place the turkey burger patties in the freezer for 20 minutes (while the grill heats up) and then move them directly to the hot grates to cook. Ground turkey can get sticky and this makes them easier to handle and helps to hold them together.
Step 5 – Grill turkey burgers until they reach 160°F in the middle.
Step 6 – Option to add a slice of cheese towards the end of cooking.
Make Ahead + Freezer Tips
Depending on how far ahead you want to do the prep, you can either make the patties and store them in the fridge overnight or make the patties, place parchment paper in between them, and place the stack of patties in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Best Toppings For Avocado Turkey Burgers
There are a variety of toppings that would compliment these light turkey burgers:
- avocado slices (of course)
- quick pickled red onions
- white American cheese slices
- lettuce
- best burger sauce
- tomato slices
- crispy bacon
Step 7 – Build the burgers with all your favorite toppings!
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
Expert Tips to the MOST Juicy Turkey Burger: don’t leave the onion, butter, and mayo out of the burger mixture, don’t press the burgers while cooking, track the internal temperature to know when they are done, and then let them rest!
What To Serve With Avocado Turkey Burgers
Perfectly grilled turkey burgers need a few delicious side dishes to serve alongside them. A few of our favorites are watermelon mint salad, grilled corn on the cob, dill pickle potato salad, or a cool creamy coleslaw.
Avocado Turkey Burgers FAQs
Yes, skip the parmesan cheese in the burger mixture and the sliced cheese on top.
A turkey patty should be around 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick. It is a substantial size (so it doesn’t fall apart) without being too thick to bit into. Adjust to your preferred thickness, but if you go thicker they may need to cook for a few more minutes to ensure they are cooked all the way.
Yes, feel free to use a cast iron skillet or other grill pan on the stovetop.
Ground turkey is a naturally lean meat. That is why we add shredded onion, butter, and mayo. These ingredients distribute flavor evenly, plus they keep the inside of the patties juicy and tender.
Other Grilled Burger Recipes You Might Like
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Video
Ingredients
Burgers:
- ¼ cup white onion
- 2-3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Toppings:
- hamburger buns of choice, regular or gluten-free
- lettuce
- easy burger sauce
- American cheese, regular or dairy-free
- avocado slices
- red quick pickled onions
Instructions
- Grater: Place a box grater on top of 2-3 pieces of paper towel. Grate ¼ cup white onion on top of the paper towel. Use the paper towel to gently squeeze out the excess moisture from the onion. Set onions aside. Use the same box grater to shred 2-3 tablespoons cold butter.
- Combine: Put the shredded onion and butter in a large bowl and add 1 pound ground turkey, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix together.
- Make Burger Patties: Prepare a small parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide mixture into 4 equal patties about ½ – ¾ inches thick on the sheet pan. Press down in the middle of each patty with your thumb to create an indent. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes (this makes them easier to handle and keep their shape on the grill).
- Prep: Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Take a piece of paper towel and put a little olive oil on it – hold it with a pair of tongs and rub the olive oil on the hot grill grates (carefully).
- Grill Burgers: Place burgers directly on the grill over direct heat and close the lid. Let cook 5-6 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 160℉ (use a meat thermometer). If using cheese, place on top during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.
- Build Burger: Place a piece of lettuce on top of the bottom bun. Follow with burger sauce, turkey burger, sliced avocado, pickled onions and top bun. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground Turkey: I recommend buying the least lean option possible.
- Cold Butter: if you are looking to really keep these turkey burgers lean, you can omit the butter BUT if you are looking for a juicy turkey burger, then definitely include this step!
- Make ahead: feel free to make the patties the day before. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: to make these ahead and freeze, simply prepare raw patties and then place a piece of parchment between them as you stack. Place in a freezer-safe bag, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw for a bit before cooking and then grill according to the instructions above.
- Nutrition: provided nutrition is an estimate and includes a whole wheat bun, avocado and a slice of cheese.
Nutrition
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Bridget says
A summer staple! So good!
Thomas says
Good lighter option for burger night that doesn’t feel like you’re missing out. The avocado and pickled red onions really make the burger, so don’t skip those. Grilling them keeps the kitchen clean and makes these perfect for a summer dinner.
EH says
We have made these multiple times now – so good!