This is the best easy air fryer turkey burgers recipe! It’s super quick to make, so delicious, and guaranteed to be a family favorite meal.
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
These air fryer turkey burgers are seriously the tastiest burgers ever! Ground turkey is seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and a little garlic. Then it’s all held together with Italian breadcrumbs and egg, which makes it incredibly tender and moist. Using an apple in my turkey burgers has been my favorite tip for a long time now. The apple doesn’t really give it much flavor, but the juiciness it adds is undeniable.
My entire family devours these burgers whenever I make them, and we’ve made them so frequently recently that I think they’ve become our new go-to burgers.
The best part is that the air fryer is a total game changer when it comes to turkey burgers. My favorite way to make turkey burgers is definitely in an air fryer. An air fryer uses hot circulating air which cooks the turkey burgers quickly. That’s not just an awesome time saver, but it completely changes the game with cooking poultry (which can tend to dry out easily). Cooking it in the air fryer gives the outside a gorgeous golden brown crust while the inside stays moist and juicy.
If you love air fryer recipes, be sure to check out our Air Fried Chicken Tenderloins and our Air Fryer Chicken Tenders while you’re here – they both have lots of 5-star reviews!
Ingredients
Ground Turkey: Feel free to use your favorite ground turkey. I’ve had great luck 85/15 and 90/10 making this recipe, but I think any level of leanness would work.
Apple: A Granny Smith apple has been my go-to secret ingredient in turkey burgers for about 20 years. The flavor pairs perfectly and makes the burgers genuinely juicy, which is so rare when it comes to turkey burgers.
Onion: An onion helps add more flavor. Since it’s grated, it really just melts into the burger and helps make the burger even juicier.
Egg and Italian Bread Crumbs: Both of these act as binders to help the burgers hold their shape perfectly. The egg also adds moisture to this recipe.
Dijon Mustard and Worcestershire Sauce: Dijon mustard has a sharp flavor with a bit of zing that pairs well with the turkey and apple. Worcestershire sauce adds a savory umami flavor to this meal.
Salt, Garlic Powder, and Parsley: Salt enhances all of the other flavors in this dish, garlic powder adds a delicious savory flavor, and parsley adds a bright, fresh, and herby flavor.
Alternative Ingredients
- Spice: If you’d like a bit of spice, feel free to add in some crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or sriracha.
- Ketchup: This is a great way to add some sweetness and flavor to turkey burgers. Similar to how ketchup tastes great in a glaze on top of meatloaf, it adds depth of flavor and sweetness to this ground meat.
- Asian-Inspired: For an Asian-inspired twist on turkey burgers, try using soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, and finely diced scallions.
How To Cook Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Mix Ingredients: To a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients. Mix until well combined, but be careful not to overmix (overmixing can make the burgers tough). (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Form and Chill the Burgers: Shape the mixture into four evenly sized patties that are just slightly larger than the size of the bun you plan to use. Chill the patties in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.
Cook the Burgers: Preheat the air fryer. Use cooking spray to grease the trivet, then place the patties in the air fryer basket. Make sure the burgers aren’t touching (they need room for air to circulate around them). Cook the burgers, then spray the tops of the burgers with cooking spray before flipping the patties. Cook until done (the internal temperature should read 165F on an instant read meat thermometer).
Let the Burgers Rest: Remove the patties from the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Grate or Finely Dice the Onion and Apple: I prefer grating the onion and apple in this recipe because it’s an easy way to guarantee the right texture. If you’d prefer to dice them, just make sure that you dice them very very finely. If they’re too chunky, it will stop the burgers from holding together.
- Check the Internal Temp: Always check the internal temperature of your turkey burgers with an instant read meat thermometer. They should read 165F at the thickest point.
- Make Sure the Burgers Are Even: When you’re forming the burger patties, make sure they’re even. They all need to be roughly the same size, and the same thickness all the way across so that they all cook evenly. It can be easy to accidentally make the edges of your burger thinner than the center, but then you’ll end up with dried out edges by the time the center cooks through.
- Don’t Crowd the Air Fryer: The burgers need space around them for the air to circulate so that they can cook evenly, so make sure not to overcrowd them.
How Do You Add Flavor To Ground Turkey?
Since turkey is both a leaner and sweeter meat than most, it needs lots of flavorful elements to help amp up the flavor. Worcestershire sauce adds a salty, umami flavor that I think is definitely needed. Apple plays into the natural sweetness of turkey. Herbs and aromatics, like onion and garlic, bring in a well-rounded flavor base that makes turkey mouthwateringly delicious.
What Holds Turkey Burgers Together?
These turkey burgers are held together from a combination of Italian breadcrumbs and eggs, which also add moisture to the burgers. If you’re still having a hard time getting the burgers to hold together, adding an additional egg yolk or a spoonful of mayonnaise can help.
How Long Do Turkey Burgers Take In The Air Fryer?
It will depend on how you form your burgers (how thick vs. thin they are), but these turkey burgers normally take 10-12 minutes in an air fryer. Always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer before serving and eating.
How Do You Know When Turkey Burgers Are Done?
The only way to know for sure is by using an instant read meat thermometer. It should read 165F at the thickest point.
How Long To Reheat Turkey Burger In Air Fryer?
Most turkey burgers can be reheated in the air fryer at 350F in 2-3 minutes. If your burger is particularly large, it may take an extra minute or two.
What Goes Well With Turkey Burgers?
Turkey burgers pair well with French fries, ranch pasta salad, a green salad, air fryer sweet potato cubes, onion rings, sweet potato fries, pasta salad with Italian dressing, and potato salad.
Make Ahead, Storing, Freezing, And Reheating Leftovers
- You can make these burgers ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- Alternatively, you can make them ahead of time and freeze them. Freeze them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer, then transfer them to an airtight container to store. To cook from frozen, add 4-5 minutes to the total cooking time.
- To store cooked leftovers, let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat these turkey burgers, preheat the air fryer to 350F and then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they’re warmed through.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Sandwich And Burger Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other sandwich and burger recipes. Some reader favorites are:
- Turkey Sliders
- Easy Cheesy Breakfast Sliders
- Travis Scott Burger
- Egg in a Hole Bagel
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Black Bean Burger
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Ground Turkey Bruschetta Burgers
- Avocado Turkey Burgers
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
BEST Air Fryer Turkey Burgers (Easy Recipe)
This is the best easy air fryer turkey burgers recipe! It’s super quick to make, so delicious, and guaranteed to be a family favorite meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/3 cup grated Granny Smith apple*
- 1/3 cup grated yellow onion*
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, apple, onion, parsley, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until well combined, but be careful not to overmix (overmixing can make the burgers tough).
- Shape the mixture into four evenly sized patties. These burgers don’t shrink much, so shape and flatten them so they are just slightly larger than the bun, and they should shrink down to the bun size perfectly.
- Chill the patties in the refrigerator for 30 minutes**. This helps them hold together better during cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Use cooking spray to grease the trivet, then place the patties in the air fryer basket, making sure they’re not touching and have room for air to circulate around them. Depending on the size and shape of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in 2 rounds.
- Cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes, then spray the tops of the burgers with cooking spray before flipping the patties. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165F on an instant read meat thermometer (a total of 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness of burgers).
- Remove the patties from the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- *The photos show the apple and onion very finely diced, since photographing this I’ve tested it grating the apple and onion and it’s even better that way. If you want to dice the apple and onion, it has to be very very fine like it is in the photos, otherwise the burgers may fall apart. The grated apples and onions almost melt into the burgers, making them flavorful and juicy.
- **If you are short on time, even 15 minutes of chilling can make a difference. 30 minutes is better though.
- Store any cooked leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftover patties in the air fryer at 350F for 3-4 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 11gCarbohydrates: 14.3gFiber: 1.3gSugar: 3.2gProtein: 26.2g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
The next time you’re looking for a delicious ground turkey recipe, be sure to try these crowd-pleasing air fryer turkey burgers!
