Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers

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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!

Turkey burgers with cheese, tomato and avocado.

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.

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.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love These Burgers
Keto Turkey Burgers
Why Use an Air Fryer?
Ingredients for Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Step-By-Step Instructions
Chef's Tips
Sauce For Turkey Burgers
What To Serve With Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Recipe FAQs
More Tasty Air Fryer Recipes
Recipe
Reviews

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

Collage of steps 1-4 how to make turkey burgers.

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

air fryer silicone liners — **Perforated Silicone Mats**

air fryer parchment liners — **Perforated Parchment Sheets**

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.

Turkey burger with cheese, tomato and avocado.

Recipe FAQs

What temperature should turkey burgers be cooked to?

Turkey burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. The best way to check for doneness is with a meat thermometer.

Can you freeze turkey burgers?

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.

How long do you air fry frozen turkey burgers?

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.

How do you prevent turkey burgers from being dry?

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.

Are these turkey burgers keto?

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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