These Air Fryer Turkey Burgers are juicy and flavorful, and come together in just 30 minutes. They're perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep, made with pantry staples and a clever trick (grated onion!).
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers Recipe
These juicy air fryer turkey burgers are quick, flavorful, and perfect for a weeknight dinner or make-ahead meal prep. They use simple pantry ingredients and come together in under 30 minutes. Grated onion adds moisture, while olive oil keeps the burgers tender without drying out. Serve them with your favorite toppings and sides for an easy meal the whole family will love.
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Key Ingredients
- Turkey. Use "ground turkey" instead of "ground turkey breast" or "lean ground turkey". You want turkey with a higher fat content for burgers.
- Olive oil. Adding fat helps to keep the burgers from drying out while cooking.
- Shallot or yellow onion. You can use either a shallot or ¼-½ of a yellow onion. This adds flavor, texture, and juiciness to the burger. Use a box grater to grate the onion directly into the ground turkey to create a juicy turkey burger.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Step 1
Add the ground turkey, olive oil, grated shallot or onion, mustard, and all seasonings to a bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined.
Step 2
Form the mixture into 4 equal-sized patties, about 1-inch thick. Press a small indent into the center of each to help them cook evenly.
Step 3
Air fry the patties at 360°F for 15-17 minutes, flipping halfway if needed. If using cheese, add it in the final 1-2 minutes. Let rest, then serve on buns with your favorite toppings and sides.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The burgers can be made on a grill or the stove. Heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 450 degrees F. Make sure the grates are well-oiled so the burgers don't stick. Cook for 6 minutes per side. If using the stove, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, and cook for 6 minutes per side.
Dry turkey burgers are a big reason many people don't like them or don't want to make them. My tips for avoiding dry burgers:
Fat Content. Use ground turkey vs. ground turkey breast because it has a higher fat content. Adding fat, such as olive oil, to your burger mix helps to add moisture to the burgers.
Cooking time. Don't overcook the burgers as this causes them to become dry and crumbly. You want to stop cooking as soon as the burgers reach 165 degrees F.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Don't overmix the burgers, or you may end up with tough burger patties.
- For best results, preheat the air fryer before adding the burgers to ensure they cook evenly.
- Depending on the type of air fryer you have, you may want to flip them halfway to make sure both sides cook uniformly.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the burgers. They should be 165 degrees F internally.
- Allow the burgers to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your burgers on toasted brioche buns or wrapped in lettuce. Top with:
- Cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, or American cheese
- Lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles
- Mayo, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, avocado
Pair with Air Fryer Steak Fries or Air Fryer Seasoned Fries, Caesar salad, or roasted veggies.
If you're craving a Mediterranean twist, try my Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki next. They're packed with lemon, herbs, and feta-perfect for summer grilling!
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store cooked turkey burgers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Wrap each cooked burger in parchment paper and place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Air fry at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Similar Recipes
- Baked Salmon Burgers25 Minutes
- Easy Juicy Ground Chicken Burgers (No Breadcrumbs, 25 Minutes)22 Minutes
- Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki40 Minutes
- Turkey Smash Burgers (Done in 20 Minutes)20 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot or ½ yellow onion, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Cooking spray
- 4 slices cheddar cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F. In a bowl combine turkey, olive oil and grated shallot or onion. Use a box grater to finely grate the shallot or onion over the bowl so all of the juice goes into the burger mix!1 pound ground turkey, 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 shallot or ½ yellow onion
- Add the rest of the ingredients, aside from the cooking spray and cheese, to the bowl and use your hands to mix everything together. Form into 4 equal-sized patties with your hands. Press down on the patties until they are about 1-inch thick and use your thumb to create an indent in the center of each one.1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the burger patties into the basket.Cooking spray
- Cook the burgers for 15-17 minutes. If using cheese, top each burger with cheese 1-2 minutes before the end of cooking. Burgers should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.4 slices cheddar cheese
- Allow the burgers to rest for a few minutes. Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings and sides. Enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Use 85-93% lean ground turkey for juicier burgers.
- Grate onion directly over the bowl to keep the burgers moist.
- Use a thermometer and stop cooking at 165°F.
- Let the burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
Lynn Freese says
I cant wait to make these since I can't eat red meat. They look delicious! Yum! I will come back and let you know. 😉
Hoperly says
Honestly, this was such a good dinner! We have been desperate to find a use for turkey that isn’t just throwing it into spaghetti or seasoning it with rice and veggies. This was so moist...the onions have such a massive effect. They had the essence of meat balls, but in a good way imo. Definitely making turkey burgers like this from now on. Thank you!
Sarah Holt says
Hi Hoperly, this is one of my favorite burger recipes so I'm very happy you enjoyed it!
Lissa says
I made these burgers last night - wow! So delicious. I accidentally forgot the oregano and they were still perfect. Next time I *won't* forget and they'll be even more perfect. Going to add this turkey burger recipe to the rotation for sure!
Sarah Holt says
Hi Lissa, so happy you enjoyed them! This makes me want to make them again soon!!
Angie says
Delicious!!!! I followed the recipe as listed and the Turkey burgers were well seasoned and cooked perfectly!!!!
Sarah Holt says
Hi Angie, thanks for the great review! I'm so so happy you enjoyed the burgers 🙂