These Mediterranean Turkey Burgers are an easy and delicious ground turkey recipe perfect for indoor or outdoor grilling. Topped with roasted red peppers, fresh greens, and a refreshing cucumber yogurt sauce, these incredible grilled turkey burgers are guaranteed to be an instant favorite.
Nothing tastes better than a big, juicy, delicious burger, and this grilled turkey burger is one of the best.
Growing up, I only ever ate burgers one way- with ground beef, processed American cheese, ketchup, and mayonnaise. They were fantastic. However, now that I’m a grown-up, I sometimes crave more grown-up flavors. Fortunately, my definition of grown-up doesn’t mean boring.
At least, I don’t think so…
Anyway, if you’ve been to this here blog of mine more than once, you may already know that I typically ditch ground beef for ground turkey. If you’re new (hi!), don’t worry, I don’t always do this; however, in the case of today’s burgers, ground turkey felt more appropriate given the lighter, fresher toppings that would be going on top.
Ingredients in Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- Ground turkey
- Green onion
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Milk
- Egg
- Red chili flakes
- Salt and Pepper
- Crumbled Feta
These grilled turkey burgers come packed with tons of flavor thanks to the green onion and feta cheese. If you prefer a little more spice to your burgers, feel free to add a pinch of cayenne powder and cumin to the mix.
How to Grill Turkey Burgers
- Before preheating, clean the grill grates and brush with oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high, or, if using an indoor electric grill, set it to high heat.
- Transfer pre-formed turkey burger patties to the grill approximately 1-inch apart.
- Cook each side for approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Remove from the grill when the turkey burgers register 165 degrees F as measured by an electric meat thermometer.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Transfer the raw turkey patties to the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes to chill before cooking. This helps prevent them from falling apart as they cook.
- Check for doneness using a digital meat thermometer. It’s much easier to overcook turkey burgers than it is beef burgers, especially if you’re using lean ground turkey.
- Try not to touch or mess with your turkey patties once you’ve added them to the grill or skillet. Letting them cook undisturbed is important before flipping them over to the other side.
Are Turkey Burgers Healthy?
Usually, whenever someone says the word “burger,” I immediately think- unhealthy. This makes sense, given all those beefy, cheesy, mayo-ey burgers I grew up eating. Fortunately, not all burgers are created equal. So, depending on your own definition of “healthy”, I will allow you to determine if these Mediterranean turkey burgers pass the test. However, if you were to ask me, my answer would be “yes, definitely” these turkey burgers are healthy. Here’s why:
- They’re made with ground turkey, not beef. Beef is higher in saturated fat and calories.
- We’re putting the cheese in the patties. Adding feta to the ground meat mixture before forming it into patties is a great way to still get that cheese flavor without all the cheese.
- We’ve swapped the mayo for a yogurt sauce filled with veggies instead!
- Between the ground turkey, feta cheese, and yogurt, these turkey burgers are packed with protein!
Storage and Freezing
Turkey burgers are best when they are served immediately; however, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they will last for up to 3-4 days.
To freeze leftover turkey patties, first, allow them to cool before transferring them to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange them on the baking sheet in a single layer and transfer them to the freezer for 2-3 hours or until just frozen. Once frozen, transfer the patties to a large freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 2 months
Easily reheat the frozen patties in the oven, microwave, or on the stovetop. Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to check the internal temperature of the patties, making sure they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
More Burger Recipes
- The Best Hamburgers Recipe
- Turkey Burger Recipe
- Best Veggie Burger
- Vegetarian Beet Burgers
- Grilled Salmon Burgers
If you try making these delicious grilled turkey burgers, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Mediterranean Grilled Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
For the Turkey Burgers
- 2 pounds ground turkey - preferably dark meat or between 80-90% lean
- ½ cup green onions - finely chopped
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
For the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
- ½ cup cucumber - diced
- ½ cup red onion - diced
- 2 teaspoon fresh dill - minced
- salt + pepper - to taste
Additional Toppings
- 6 hamburger buns
- Romaine lettuce or other fresh greens - optional
- Roasted red bell peppers - optional
- Sliced tomatoes - optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with the green onion, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and crumbled feta cheese. Thoroughly, mix to combine and use your hands to shape into 6 patties.
- Pre-heat grill to medium heat or indoor electric grill to high heat and grill for approximately 5-6 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature registers 165 degrees F.
- As the turkey burgers cook, prepare the toppings. For the yogurt sauce, combine the Greek yogurt with the cucumber, red onion, dill, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Just before serving, lightly toast your hamburger buns and assemble. Start with the lettuce on the bottom, followed by the turkey burger, roasted bell pepper, tomato, and cucumber yogurt sauce. Enjoy!
Jessica’s Notes
- Nutrition information does not include optional items.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Made these for lunch today. So yummy. I also used lettuce wraps. I used the extra cucumber onion sauce as a side salad topper. Saved this recipe! Loved it!!
Thanks for the yummy feedback, Helen 😀
Delicious! The sauce is outstanding and I loved the layers of flavors. Even my picky teen liked it. I put the feta on top of the burger instead of in the meat.
Thanks for the kind feedback Lisa 🙂 , I love it when picky eaters enjoy new foods!
Made these tonight and they were so good and easy to make. Loved all the toppings as well! These came out perfect and have leftovers for tomorrow yay!