Skillet Turkey Burgers
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These skillet turkey burgers are juicy and flavorful, with a secret ingredient that takes them to the next level. A weeknight dinner winner!
If you’re a beef burger lover, you might think turkey burgers can’t measure up to the real thing—and, in most cases, you’d be right. But these skillet turkey burgers, modestly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, are delicious in their own right. They have a juicy texture, deep savory flavor, and gorgeous browned crust. The secret is adding ricotta cheese and lots of seasoning to the burger mix.
Serve the turkey burgers on buns or rolls. I love them topped with a simple mix of equal parts Dijon mustard and mayo, along with arugula (as pictured), but they’re also great with classic burger toppings, bread and butter pickles, or caramelized onions. If you’d like to try some variations, consider adding a few tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs, a clove of minced garlic, or thinly sliced scallions to the burger mixture. And if you’re looking for a good side, try my crispy potato wedges—they’re easy and always a hit.
“By far the best turkey burger I have ever tasted anywhere!”
What You’ll Need To Make Skillet Turkey Burger Recipe
- Ground turkey: The lean protein base of the burger—use 93% for best results.
- Salt and black pepper: Essential seasonings to bring out the natural flavors of the turkey.
- Worcestershire sauce & Dijon mustard: Adds depth, tang, and a savory umami flavor to the burger mix.
- Ricotta cheese: Keeps the burgers moist and juicy.
- Italian seasoned bread crumbs: Help bind the mixture and add a little extra flavor and texture.
- Vegetable oil: Used to cook the burgers and give them a nice, crispy crust.
- Hamburger buns: For serving; toast and and butter them for extra flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Place ground turkey in a medium-size bowl. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, and mustard.
Using your hands, mix until well blended.
Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Gently toss each portion from hand to hand to form a ball, then use your fingertips to lightly flatten it into a 3/4-inch-thick patty with a small depression in the center (this helps keep the burgers from puffing up while cooking). At this point, the uncooked burgers can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to three months.
Heat a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium heat until it’s very hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom. Place the burgers in the pan and cook without moving them until the bottom is dark golden brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn the burgers over and continue cooking until the bottom is light brown but not yet crusted, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, or until the burgers are fully cooked (an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side into the center should read 160°F). Remove the turkey burgers from the pan and serve immediately.
Looking for more ways to lighten traditional ground beef recipes by substituting ground turkey? Check out my turkey meatballs, turkey meatloaf, and turkey chili.
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Skillet Turkey Burgers
Juicy and packed with savory flavor, these skillet turkey burgers rival the best beef burgers.
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds 93% lean ground turkey (I use Shady Brook Farms)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup whole milk Ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for cooking
- 4 hamburger buns (lightly toasted and buttered, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Place the ground turkey in a medium-size bowl. Add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, and mustard. Using your hands, mix until well blended. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Lightly toss one portion from hand to hand to form a ball, then lightly flatten the ball with your fingertips into a ¾-inch-thick patty with a slight depression in the center (this prevents the burgers from puffing up when cooked). Repeat with the remaining portions.
- Heat a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium heat until very hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the burgers and cook over medium heat, without moving the burgers, until the bottom side of each is dark golden brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the burgers over; continue to cook until the bottom side is light brown but not yet crusted, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the pan to the oven and continue cooking for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the burgers are completely cooked (an instant-read thermometer inserted from the side of the burger into the center should register 160°F). Remove the burgers from the pan and serve immediately.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The uncooked burgers can refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.) Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 burger
- Calories: 445
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 536 mg
- Cholesterol: 121 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Awesome turkey burgers! Juicy and tasty … thank you for posting such a great recipe 🙂
First time turkey burgers were a hit!!! While you shouldn’t expect them to taste like a “beef” burger, these burgers are super moist and have good flavor!! I omitted the cheese because of a milk allergy in the house, and they still came out great!!! Followed the cooking times to a tee and they were cooked through.
Hey. I just made these tonight as I had some leftover ricotta but no Worchesterire sauce and only a small ovenproof pan. Making do in a rental kitchen and these were delicious. The times given are exactly right. These are tasty and filling. Will make again especially when no BBQ. I use so many of your recipes that I often forget to add a review. Everything I make from the site (and the amazing cookbook) turns out perfectly. Much appreciated.
💗
My daughter just shared this recipe with me. My husband is on a special diet right now. The ricotta is not an option for us. I would use one egg for binder and likely cook entirely on stove top. Will my edit work?
Hi Terry, yes, I think you could get away with using an egg in place of the ricotta. And it’s fine to cook these entirely on the stove; I’d just make the patties a bit thinner so they get cooked all the way through without getting too browned on the outside. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn these burgers are outstanding. Served them with your Big Italian Salad on the side. Your recipes are truly amazing. Every one of them have the perfect ingredients and never have I had to “doctor” them. Each time I try a different recipe I can not believe how wonderful it is. I can’t believe it took 50 years of cooking to come across perfect recipes that are delicious and easy. Thank you. And you truly are amazing!
Aww, so happy you’re enjoying the recipes, Carol! ❤️
Hoping to make these soon- do you think this would work with lean ground chicken?
I think you could, Monica, but make sure you don’t get extra lean as it could make the burgers dry. Hope you enjoy!
It’s been a few years since I made these burgers, I remember them being delicious. Do you think they would hold up on a BBQ grill?
Hi Kerrie, Unfortunately they won’t – but this recipe will. 🙂
This is the favorite turkey burger recipe of our household! I discovered it a few years ago and my husband always says “ooooo!” when I tell him I’m making the ricotta turkey burgers :-). I love serving this with sauteed onions, and often eat it with a salad and some sauteed veggies. Very tasty and EASY! Thanks, Jenn!
Just goes to show, Cooks Illustrated recipes aren’t always “the best”! Love the simplicity of your recipe. Thank you!
These were incredibly delicious! You are such a creative, talented chef. Every single recipe that I’ve tried from this site (5 so far) has been excellent. Looking forward to receiving your cookbook! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes; thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂