These fast and flavorful Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers are the perfect weeknight meal that your family will love! They're low carb and keto and can be made in under 30 minutes. These tasty burgers will become a regular in your dinner rotation!
My air fryer has quickly become one of my most used kitchen appliances! Not only is air frying a healthy way of cooking, it also cooks food really fast and is easy to clean.
I make everything from quesadillas to salmon teriyaki to corn on the cob in my air fryer. I even use it to reheat leftover pizza! Check out my Air Fryer Recipe Collection.
Now I'm excited to bring you these amazing Air Fryer Turkey Burgers. A nice change from the usual ground beef burgers, these turkey burgers are moist, juicy, and packed with flavor.
If your past experience with turkey burgers has been less than ideal (dry, bland patties), then this recipe will change your mind! I add plenty of seasoning to make sure they're packed with flavor. Plus, I use a secret ingredient to keep the patties moist and juicy- a little bit of mayonnaise. It also helps bind the patties together.
A lot of turkey burgers have breadcrumbs. But these juicy air fryer turkey burgers don't have any breadcrumbs or fillers so they're low carb and keto.
And here's the best part- these burgers can be made in under 30 minutes! It's an easy recipe made with simple ingredients that's a family favorite in my house. We also love my Greek turkey burgers with spinach and feta cheese.
You can even make a large batch of these delicious burgers on the weekend and freeze them. Then just defrost them anytime you need a quick and healthy meal.
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Why You'll Love These Burgers
- Quick and easy- make them in under 30 minutes!
- Delicious
- Kid-friendly
- Healthy
- Low carb and keto
- Freeze well
Keto Turkey Burgers
If you're following a low carb or keto diet, then this flavorful burger may just become your new favorite!
Many turkey burger recipes use breadcrumbs. However, I don't use any breadcrumbs or fillers in my recipe.
These turkey burger patties are packed with 27 grams of protein and only 1.8 grams of net carbs. To keep your carbs in check, serve them on keto buns or lettuce buns.
Why Use an Air Fryer?
Air frying is a great way to make perfect, juicy turkey burgers every time! The burgers get nicely browned on the outside while staying moist on the inside.
An air fryer is basically a mini convection oven that sits on your countertop. Air fryers have a heating element at the top and a mechanical fan that helps circulate the hot air around your food more efficiently. This makes your food nice and crispy on the outside while keeping it moist and juicy on the inside.
So although air fryers have a catchy name with the word "fryer" in them, there's no actual frying involved at all! Rather, it's a healthy cooking technique.
Best Air Fryer
Looking for an air fryer? I love the Ninja Max XL 5.5 quart Air Fryer. The large basket is perfect for a family of four.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Ground turkey- I use 93% lean ground turkey rather than 99% lean ground turkey, which is made from turkey breast; this helps keep the burgers juicy so they don't dry out.
- Mayonnaise- 1 tablespoon is all you need to keep these turkey burgers moist
- Worcestershire sauce- gets is unique flavor from ingredients like vinegar, molasses and tamarind extract; adds a punch of flavor to the burgers
- Dried spices- I use onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper; however you can use your own favorite seasonings like chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning
- Parsley- fresh parsley adds bright flavor to these burgers; if you don't have it, you can substitute dried
- Avocado oil- for spraying the air fryer basket; you can also use olive oil or other oils
- Cheese- I like to use Pepper Jack cheese for a tiny bit of heat but you can use any type of cheese you like such as cheddar or Swiss
Step-By-Step Instructions
See recipe card below for full detailed instructions.
- Step 1- Mix ground turkey, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, dried spices, and parsley together in a large bowl until just combined. Do not overwork the meat.
- Step 2- Form the meat mixture into patties. Make an indentation in the center of the patties to prevent them from ballooning up as they cook.
- Step 3- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F. Brush or spray oil in the air fryer basket. Place the turkey patties in the basket in a single layer. If desired, you can line your air fryer basket with a perforated liner or parchment paper (see "Recommended Air Fryer Accessories" box below). Cook for 5 minutes.
- Step 4- Flip the patties and cook another 3-5 minutes until they're cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Add a slice of cheese on the burgers during the last 30 seconds to let it melt. The final cooking time will depend on your model air fryer. For best results, check for doneness with a meat thermometer. You can check out the USDA's Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Guide.
Serve burgers with desired toppings and burger sauce (see "Sauce For Turkey Burgers" section below).
Recommended Air Fryer Accessories
Line your air fryer basket with these reusable perforated silicone mats. You can buy square or round mats. The holes allow hot air to circulate around the food prevent it from sticking.
You can also line your air fryer basket with one-time-use perforated parchment sheets. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors- white or brown (unbleached).
This EVO oil sprayer is perfect for evenly spraying your food and air fryer basket with oil. It doesn't clog up like many other brands.
Chef's Tips
- Make an indentation in the center of each patty. This will help the burgers hold their shape as they cook and prevent them from puffing up in the center.
- Preheat the air fryer for a couple of minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket- you may need to cook the burgers in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Heat the buns in the air fryer for a minute to get them nice and warm- who wants a hot burger on a cold bun?
Sauce For Turkey Burgers
You can serve these burgers with your favorite sauce like ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. However, I like to take these tasty burgers to the next level by making a quick and delicious burger sauce.
I make my burger sauce by mixing ketchup, mayonnaise, and a little bit of pickle juice from a jar of pickles. The pickle juice adds a pop of bright, tangy flavor.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Top your turkey burgers with burger sauce and your favorite burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, and red onion. My favorite toppings for these turkey burgers are avocado and tomato. I like the combination of creamy avocado, cool, crisp tomato, and slightly spicy pepper jack cheese.
You can serve these tasty burgers on traditional hamburger buns or if you're following a low carb or keto diet, you can use keto buns. You can also make a lettuce wrap or bun with iceberg lettuce.
I like to serve these air fryer burgers with my Easy Air Fryer Diced Potatoes, Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes, Air Fryer Corn on the Cob or Crispy Zucchini Fries. They are a great pairing with these burgers. Plus, they're all healthier alternatives to traditional french fries.
Recipe FAQs
Turkey burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. The best way to check for doneness is with a meat thermometer.
Yes, you can freeze these turkey burgers. Wrap each raw burger patty in plastic wrap. Then place the burgers in a resealable freezer bag. You can freeze the burgers up to 2 months.
You can cook frozen store-bought or homemade turkey burgers in the air fryer. There's no need to thaw them first. Preheat the air fryer to 360°F and cook frozen burgers 12-16 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Ground turkey generally needs a little fat to keep it moist. Some turkey burger recipes use an egg and then add breadcrumbs to bind the patties. I prefer not to use breadcrumbs. I add a little mayonnaise to keep the patties juicy and prevent them from drying out. I also use 93% lean ground turkey rather than 99% lean, which helps keep the burgers moist.
Yes, these turkey burger patties are keto. They have 27 grams of protein and only 1.8 grams net carbs. To keep your carbs in check, serve them on keto buns or lettuce buns.
Learn how to adapt any recipe to cook in your air fryer! Read my Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide and get my helpful conversion chart!
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Recipe
Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey Burger Patties:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Avocado oil for spraying the air fryer basket
- 4 slices cheese such as Pepper Jack cheddar or Swiss
Optional
- Hamburger buns
- Toppings like tomato, avocado, lettuce, red onion
Turkey Burger Sauce:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice from a jar of pickles
Instructions
- Mix the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties, about ½ inch thick. Make a small indentation in the center of each patty so that the burgers cook evenly.
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F and spray the basket with oil.
- Place the burger patties in the air fryer in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the burgers in two batches. Cook 5 minutes, then flip the burgers over and cook another 3-5 minutes until cooked through. The final cooking time will depend on your air fryer so the best way to tell if the burgers are cooked is to check them with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165°F.
- Before removing the burgers from the air fryer, top each one with a slice of cheese. Close the air fryer and let the cheese melt, about 30 seconds. Remove burgers.
- To make the Burger Sauce, mix the ketchup, mayonnaise and pickle juice together in a small bowl.
- Place turkey burgers on warmed hamburger buns. Top with desired toppings like tomato, avocado and/or onion slices. Serve burgers with Burger Sauce.
Notes
- Make an indentation in the center of each patty. This will help the burgers hold their shape as they cook and prevent them from puffing up in the center.
- Preheat the air fryer for a couple of minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd basket- you may need to cook the burgers in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Heat the buns in the air fryer for a minute to get them nice and warm- who wants a hot burger on a cold bun?
url says
Love your air-fryer recipes. Turkey burger seems so easy and fast!
Avocado cream is something I have not tried.
Thank you for recommendations on the perforated parchment paper also.
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
Thanks for your comment! Yes, the turkey burgers are so fast and easy- we really enjoy them. The perforated parchment paper definitely makes for easier clean up!
Gail says
In an earlier post for a air fryer recipe you showed a Cosori air fryer. Now in the turkey burger recipe there is an ad for a Ninja air fryer. I assumed the Cosori air fryer was yours. Which do you recommend, the Cosori or the Ninja?
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
Hi Gail! I have the Ninja Max XL 5.5 quart Air Fryer that's pictured in this post. All of my recipes are tested using this model so this is the one that I recommend. I don't have a Cosori air fryer but it's one of the top selling brands on Amazon so you probably can't go wrong either way!
SLappe says
Delicious!
sonaliruder says
Thank you!
Charene @ CopperLanternCooking says
I made these for dinner tonight, yum!! Thank you.
sonaliruder says
So glad you enjoyed it!
MyFudo says
I am ready to try this perfect meal! It has everything I wanted my dinner to have. Thanks for sharing!
sonaliruder says
Thanks for your comment!
Anonymous says
bannock buns with it would be better,but over all good recipe, have to try it!
Lynda @ TasteFood says
What a perfect weeknight meal. My family will love this.
sonaliruder says
Thanks, Lynda- it's definitely a family-friendly meal and it's easy to make.
Katherine Martinelli says
I love everything about this meal!! Sounds perfect.
sonaliruder says
Thanks for stopping by, Katherine!