Skeptical that a Turkey Burger Recipe can hold its own against beef? This one will change your mind. Sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning get worked right into the patty, and a thick slather of goat cheese melts into every bite while the burger rests on the grill.
What makes this different
Ground turkey has a real failure mode: it's lean, and lean meat dries out fast if you treat it like a beef patty. The fix isn't a special ingredient, it's timing. Chilling the formed patties for at least an hour before they hit the grill is what keeps them from falling apart or cooking dry, and it's the one step I won't let you skip. Most of the prep is inactive, so it's easier on a weeknight then you think.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you'll join our email list and can unsubscribe at any time.
Jump to:
Ingredients & Substitutions
ingredient Notes
Panko: Lighter and airier than regular breadcrumbs, which matters more than you'd think in a lean patty like this. Plain or Italian-seasoned panko both work fine.
Egg: The binder. Along with the chill time, it's what holds these patties together on the grill.
Ground turkey: I use a mix of ground dark and light meat for the juiciest result, but all dark or all white works too. Use whatever you can find.
Italian seasoning: Built-in flavor so the patty doesn't need much else.
Salt and pepper: Just enough to balance everything else in the mix.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Go for oil-packed, not the dry kind. Drain them well and chop them fine so you get a bit of that tomato flavor in every bite instead of one big chunk.
Goat cheese: Soft, mild, a little earthy. It melts into the warm patty instead of just sitting on top. If you want to switch it up, havarti or pepper jack are worth trying, though I haven't tested either myself.
Instructions
- Place ground turkey, panko, egg, sun-dried tomatoes and seasonings in a bowl.
- Gently mix together until fully combined.
- Shape the mixture into 6 even-sized patties and place them in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Place the burgers on the grill and cook over medium-high for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
My Best Tips
Chill the patties before they touch the grill. This is the step that actually prevents falling-apart burgers, more than any amount of egg or panko. Cold fat holds its shape under heat. An hour in the fridge is the minimum I'd go.
Weigh your patties instead of eyeballing them. Six evenly sized patties cook at the same rate, which means no burger finishes underdone while its neighbor overcooks. A kitchen scale takes the guesswork out of it.
Cook to 165°F, not to a beef doneness level. Ground turkey doesn't have a "medium" the way beef does. 165°F is the USDA-safe internal temperature and also where these burgers taste best. An instant-read thermometer removes the guesswork entirely.
Don't overcook past that temperature. Because ground turkey is so lean, extra minutes on the grill past 165°F dry it out fast. Pull the burgers as soon as they hit temperature.
Taste the mixture before you shape it. If you're unsure whether you've got enough sun-dried tomato or seasoning, cook a small spoonful in a pan first. Much easier to fix now than after all six patties are on the grill.
FAQs
Goat cheese is my pick here for the tang, but Swiss, fontina, mozzarella, havarti, or Colby jack would all melt well if you want a milder option.
Panko and egg bind the mixture, but the real fix is chilling the shaped patties for at least an hour before grilling. Don't add extra panko to compensate. It just dries the burgers out instead of helping them hold together.
No. The stovetop or an air fryer both work well if you don't have a grill going. Use whatever you've got.
Look for charred grill marks on the bottom, which usually takes 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
Make Ahead, Freezing and Storage
Make these burgers ahead in the morning and chill until dinner. Or freeze for up to 4 months. Cook from thawed for the best texture rather than grilling from frozen.
Made this? Loved it? Tell us everything!
Leave a quick star rating and comment below so we can trade tips and cheer each other on.
Who knows? Your twist might become someone else's new favorite!
Recipe
Turkey Burger Recipe with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Panko Crumbs
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 6 ounces goat cheese softened
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you'll join our email list and can unsubscribe at any time.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together Panko crumbs, egg, ground turkey, seasonings and sun-dried tomatoes.¾ cup Panko Crumbs, 1 egg, 1 ½ pounds ground turkey, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- Form into 6 patties and refrigerate for at least one hour to set.
- Grill over medium -high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove turkey burgers from the grill and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slather goat cheese on top of burgers and serve.6 ounces goat cheese
Notes
- Cold patties hold together better on the grill. Don't skip the hour of chill time.
- Cook to 165°F internal temperature, checked with an instant-read thermometer. This is the food-safe threshold for ground turkey, not a beef "medium."
- Freezes for up to 4 months, per the original recipe. (Not re-tested for this revision. Flagged above.)
- Havarti or pepper jack are untested but reasonable cheese swaps if you want a milder flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Eren says
I was looking for something different to do with ground turkey, this recipe did not disappoint! My husband especially loved this. I did incorporate the goat cheese in the burger mixture, and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing
Hi Eren,
So happy this worked out so well for you! I love the idea of mixing the goat cheese in the burger, I'll have to try that the next time we make them!
Sue Williams says
This is excellent! I did use the 93% lean vs. 99% lean. I also incorporated the goat cheese in the turkey mix rather than using it as a condiment. Cooked perfectly at 400° on my grill, 4 minutes per side.
Sandy says
Just made these Turkey Burgers on the grill tonight. Even my beef loving carnivorous husband loved them. Thanks for making eating healthy so delicious!