- ¼ cup grated onion*
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce or GF tamari**
- 2 tablespoons (34g) ketchup
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder**
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (breast meat)
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
- Options for serving: sliced tomato, onions (regular or pickled onions), lettuce, mashed avocado, thinly sliced cucumbers, crisp bacon, pickles, ketchup, mustard, sriracha mayo (recipe in notes)
Tender, Juicy Turkey Burgers
Yield: 4 burgers
A few simple additions turn lean ground turkey into tender, juicy burgers that are perfect for easy weeknight meals and worthy of weekend cookouts with family and friends.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, stir together the grated onion, soy sauce, ketchup, and seasonings. Add the turkey. (If there is any liquid in the turkey package, drain it all off.) Using a fork or your clean hand, fully incorporate the grated onion mixture into the meat without overmixing. Shape into four patties (the mixture will be quite moist) and press the patties into ½-inch thick rounds. Helpful hint: once formed, lay the burgers on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or waxed paper. The burgers are softer than traditional beef burgers, and this will make it easy to turn them off the tray when ready to cook.
2. At this point, if you have time, it is helpful to refrigerate the patties for 30-60 minutes, uncovered. This gives them time to firm up somewhat and eliminates excess moisture on the surface for a better sear.
3. When grilling: preheat the grill to medium-high and grill the burgers for approximately 5 minutes on each side (with the lid closed) or until the burgers are just cooked through. Internal temperature should register 165 ℉ when taken with a quick-read thermometer. (Tip: for the juiciest, most tender burgers, I aim for an internal temp of 160℉, as the carryover cooking will take the burgers to 165℉.)
4. When cooking on the stovetop: Brush a nonstick skillet or cast iron pan with oil (or spray it) and heat over medium-high heat. When hot, cook the patties for five minutes on each side or until cooked to temperature as described one step up.
5. Serve on buns with condiments of choice.
Notes
*To grate the onion: In order the quickly shred tiny bits, I use a handheld shredder or the shredder side of a box grater as opposed to the tiny grate holes. I find it easiest to start with a medium to large onion; that way my knuckles don’t come anywhere close to the grates. I reserve the remaining onion for later use, or slice and grill along with the burgers. Use just the onion—not the juice—to avoid too much liquid in the meat mixture. No grater? Mince the onion as finely as you can.
**Substitution options
•In place of the soy sauce, I have substituted 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce with delicious results. In this case, I use 1 teaspoon of salt to match the seasoning level afforded by the soy sauce.
•I have made the recipe without the garlic powder, and the burgers are still delicious. That said, the addition provides an extra layer of flavor.
How to make sriracha mayo? Start by mixing ¼ cup (52g) mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons sriracha. Add more sriracha to taste or an extra dollop of mayo if you’d like the sauce to be milder. I use 1 tablespoon sriracha for noticeable but not overly spicy heat. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. We love it on burgers, sandwiches, sushi bowls, and more.