Avocado Turkey Burgers are a light summer burger recipe that everyone will love! Switch out your normal burgers on the grill with a healthier bbq option filled with fresh avocado.
THE BEST SUMMER BURGER – AVOCADO TURKEY BURGERS!
We are always looking for new grilling options and meal ideas for the summer. I feel like I have so many great cold weather meals – comfort meals like pasta, soups and oven roasted meats.
But for summer, I want lighter, healthier dinner ideas, which often means relying on chicken or turkey instead of beef. I’ve always loved a thick juicy beef burger with bacon on top, but it isn’t exactly the healthiest option.
Instead, we’ve been trying to put turkey burgers and chicken burgers into the rotation as well. They don’t completely replace my thick beef burgers, but they are still delicious.
I even find there are a lot more fun toppings or fillings for poultry burgers that I prefer than beef burgers. This recipe for Avocado Turkey Burgers is one of them!
I’m a huge avocado fan, and adding fresh avocado into this burger brings a great flavor to the turkey as well as good moisture. It’s definitely not a dry burger at all, which I know some people worry about when it comes to using ground poultry.
Looking to make this burger an even healthier meal? The flavor is definitely good enough to enjoy bun-less with some fresh tomatoes on the side. It results in a nice, light meal for summer without giving up on good flavors.
But let’s be honest – bacon would also be really good on top of an Avocado Turkey Burger because bacon really does make most things better!
WHY MAKE AN AVOCADO TURKEY BURGER?
We love these turkey burgers because they are easy to make, need less than 10 ingredients, and taste delicious! There is something so yummy about the warmed avocado inside the turkey burger. It somehow makes it far more flavorful!
Additionally, turkey burgers are a great lean option in comparison to a beef burger.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY BURGERS WITH AVOCADO:
This turkey burger recipe with avocado makes for the perfect weeknight dinner option because it comes together quickly – both the meal prep and the actual cooking of the burger.
To make the patties, place everything together into a bowl (minus the bread crumbs and egg listed), mix thoroughly and then shape into your burger patties.
If the patty isn’t staying together, add the bread crumbs and/or egg to the mix and try again. They will help keep your patty together.
HOW THICK SHOULD I MAKE MY TURKEY BURGERS?
While I am normally a fan of a thick, juicy burger, this is not what I would suggest for turkey burgers. Making your patties too thick will make them harder to work with.
Keeping your turkey burgers around 1/2 inch thick is one way to help them stay together and easier to manage.
HOW TO KEEP AVOCADO TURKEY BURGERS FROM FALLING APART?
Because turkey is such a low fat meat, it can sometimes crumble, dry out and then fall apart. There are a few things you can do to the recipe itself to help prevent that, besides the size control that I already mentioned above.
First, add the breadcrumbs. It helps act as a binder for the recipe and hold things together.
Second, if it still doesn’t seem to be holding together well, add an egg. Like a meatloaf, basically! The egg adds additional fat to the recipe that helps keep the patty formed, especially when paired with the breadcrumbs.
Raw egg and breadcrumbs essentially act like a glue for a recipe like this!
Third, within the recipe itself, you could also ask your butcher for ground dark meat. Dark turkey meat is higher in fat and fat is what helps keep the burger patty together. By using 1/4 or 1/3 of dark meat to your regular turkey meat should make a burger patty that stays together easily.
If you try this method, don’t add breadcrumbs or egg right away. Only add one at a time if you think necessary.
Lastly, you need to thoroughly prep your cooking surface with oil or cooking spray before adding your burger. Or you could brush olive oil to the outside of the patty. I will go into this further below as well.
HOW TO COOK A TURKEY BURGER?
You have a few different options for cooking your avocado turkey burger: stovetop, oven, or grill. I would choose whichever method if your normal go-to for burgers.
Whichever method you choose, make sure your turkey burgers reach the temperature of 165 degree F. With that said, you want to also make sure you aren’t overcooking your burgers beyond that temperature since they can dry out so easily.
You will want to closely monitor the internal temperature of your patties as they cook using a meat thermometer.
If you choose to cook in the oven, I prefer to broil my turkey burgers. I find it results in both quicker and more flavorful prep. Just keep a close eye to ensure they don’t burn.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR COOKING SURFACE FOR TURKEY BURGERS?
Whichever method you do, you will want to prep your cooking surface thoroughly with olive oil or cooking spray. This will help ensure that your burgers do not stick which will make them crumble.
You also want to start the burgers on a grill or stovetop with a high temperature. Getting a good strong sear on your avocado burger will also help them from sticking.
ITEMS HELPFUL FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE:
Meat Thermometer – This is ESSENTIAL for cooking meat safely and deliciously!
BBQ Grill Tools Set – If grilling, you definitely want a full set of utensils safe for the grill!
Grill Cooking Spray – Use this or oil up your grate before lighting so your burgers don’t stick! I make sure my grill is well coated before cooking any sort of burger or cut of meat.
Nonstick 11-Inch Deep Square Grill Pan – If you don’t have a grill or it’s simply too cold outside, this pan is perfect for even cooking on the stovetop while still getting pretty grilled lines!
YOU MIGHT ENJOY THESE OTHER PERFECT SUMMER RECIPES:
- GRILL RECIPES
- 3 CHICKEN WING SAUCES FOR THE GRILL
- THE BEST SUMMER SANGRIA
- NO MAYO POTATO SALAD
- TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD WITH A MEXICAN TWIST
- ZOODLES GREEK SALAD
LIGHT UP THE GRILL SO YOU CAN ENJOY THESE HEALTHY AVOCADO TURKEY BURGERS ASAP!
Avocado Turkey Burgers
A fabulous, lighter burger to grill this summer - Avocado Turkey Burgers!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 large ripe avocado - cut into chunks or gently mashed
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs (optional if needed to hold patty together better)
- 1 egg (optional if needed to hold patty together better)
Instructions
- Add all your ingredients (minus the bread crumbs and egg) to a large bowl and gently mix together. If patties seem really moist and won't form together well for you, add 1/3 cup bread crumbs. If still seem loose, add egg.
- Shape into 1/2" thick patties.
- Prepare your grill with cooking spray or oil. Coat well!
- Heat grill on high. Add turkey burgers and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. If the patty doesn't want to come off grill, try letting it cook for a few minutes more. Flipping too soon can cause it to fall apart. Cook patties until they reach 165 degrees F.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/4 poundAmount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 202mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 32g
Stephanie says
I’m going to try my burgers with avocado! It doesn’t turn colors after grilling? I use steel cut oats to sub bread crumbs for my turkey burgers so it’s not too mushy and very nutritious! I grind 1/4 of a cup per lb in my rocket blender! ?
Lynda says
I absolutely Love this recipe. It’s light, healthy, and delicious. I make this at least once a week!
Laura says
This is now one of my go-to summer recipes. I love it so much!! Thank you 🙂
Maggie says
I am so glad you love it! <3
Rachel says
Did you get this recipe from LaughingSpatula.com…?
Maggie says
I did not but have seen the recipe since when someone pointed out the similarities before. There are a few differences and there are plenty of variations out there on both the chicken and turkey avocado burger.
Jamie Wiebe says
We love these burgers, even my toddler will gobble them up! I’ve included them in my favorite family meals post. http://lifefling.ca/food-10-healthy-family-friendly-recipes/
sharry @shorisuperstore.com says
I love it since my passion is making and discovering other ways burger patty. I used to mold beef patty but found patty maker that makes my job easy, the thickness are the same with all the patty I made, I can compressed the beef and my customers loved it.
marmee colfer says
We aren’t turkey lovers but I’m going to use ground chicken in its place
Kelly says
These were delicious, I’m so glad I found the recipe!
Mina S says
Wow these were so delicious!!!!! Thank you for the recipe !