This taco turkey burger recipe combines your summer favorite (the burger!) with your everyday favorite – the taco!
Recipe overview
Why you will love it: Taco burgers are a tasty alternative to plain beef burgers. Using ground turkey saves calories and fat.
How long does it take: 20 minutes
Equipment you will need: large mixing bowl, sheet metal, foil
Servings: 4 burgers
We in my household are big fans of turkey burgers. It’s a quick and easy meal, healthy and filling. And while there’s room for frozen turkey patties, I like to add a little this and that to whip up the ground turkey into a really fabulous tasting burger.
We love pizza burgers, seasoned ground turkey with pepperoni chunks and topped with marinara, fresh basil leaves and mozzarella. Caprese burgers are also very special, with a melt-in-the-mouth center made from fresh mozzarella. However, now it’s time for a TACO turkey burger recipe using my beloved taco seasoning.
Taco burgers are easy to make and great for a crowd. Simply double or triple the recipe. Another option is to make slider-sized burgers. Offer a toppings bar so guests can build their own burgers with guacamole, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, fresh cilantro, grilled peppers and onions, chipotle mayonnaise and anything else your heart desires.
Top off the meal with Mexican favorites like 7-layer dip and tortilla chips, black bean and corn salsa, or Mexican street corn pasta salad.
As always, you will find a printable recipe at the end of the post with the full ingredient list and instructions.
What you need for this recipe
- Ground Turkey: Your best bet is 85/15 or 93/7 lean ground turkey. A little fat makes a better burger. White meat ground turkey tends to be dry.
- Tortilla Chips: Shredded tortilla chips tie things together instead of the usual breadcrumbs. The burgers are gluten free and it’s a great way to use up the crumbs at the bottom of the chip bag!
- Taco Seasoning: I always use my homemade mix which has no fillers or artificial ingredients.
- Onion: To avoid large chunks of onion in the burgers, grate the onion over the mixing bowl. The finely grated onions and the gravy give the burger mix a great flavor.
- Sliced cheese, rolls, toppings of your choice
How to make turkey burgers
It’s really quite simple. The burgers can be grilled or fried in a nonstick pan, but in my opinion, roasting them in the oven is best.
Here’s how: Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with foil (easy cleanup!). Allow the grill to preheat while you prepare the burgers.
Place the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix gently. I use my hands, but a spoon will do.
Form four patties from the mixture. Thin them out a little in the middle so the burgers cook evenly.
Arrange the burgers in the sheet pan and fry for about 6 minutes. Turn them over and let them cook for a few more minutes. The inside of the burger should be at least 165°F. Since it’s ground turkey, don’t serve this burger raw.
Add a slice of cheese and fry for half a minute until the cheese has melted. Put the turkey burgers in a bun and dinner is ready! Wasn’t that quick and easy?
Serve the burgers with fries and salsa. If you have an air fryer, make homemade french fries or sweet potato fries. Fancy salads? Creamy coleslaw, grilled vegetable salad, or a simple cucumber salad are good choices.
FAQs
Turkey burgers contain less saturated fat than beef burgers (Healthline). Otherwise there is not much difference between the two.
Adding a filler helps and compresses the burgers fairly tightly. I like to cook the burgers under the grill so I don’t have to fiddle with cooking grates. Make sure the burgers are fairly cooked on the first side before flipping them. If they stick or fall apart, allow them to cook a little longer before trying to flip them.
You might overcook them. They don’t have a lot of fat, so be sure to cook the burger until done. Use an instant read thermometer (165°F) to check.
Make it your own
- Gluten Free Option: Leave out the bun. Serve the burger with your desired toppings.
- Feed a crowd: Make a double or triple serving of the meat mixture. Shape into patty-sized patties. Serve with a toppings bar so guests can top their own burgers however they like.
- More spice ideas: Add freshly chopped garlic or chopped coriander to intensify the flavor. If you don’t have taco seasoning, use a tablespoon of chili powder instead.
Make Ahead Ideas/Storage
- Cool raw burgers: Make the burgers but don’t cook them. Store well covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Freeze raw burgers: To freeze raw burgers, stack the burgers with a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between each burger. Place in a freezer container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month. For best results, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before grilling as directed.
- Storing cooked burgers in the fridge: If desired, cook the burgers as directed, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. or freeze for up to a month.
- Freeze cooked burgers: Wrap tightly in foil, then place in a labeled freezer bag. Burgers can be frozen for up to a month.
- To warm up: To reheat, place in a single layer on a baking sheet in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Frozen burgers that have not been thawed will take 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Did you do this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Citizens
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This taco turkey burger recipe combines your summer favorite (the burger!) with your everyday favorite – the taco!
instructions
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Set the oven rack 4 to 5 inches away from the stove. Turn the oven on to grill. Prepare the sheet by lining it with foil or spraying it lightly with nonstick spray.
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In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg until combined. Add ground turkey, taco seasoning, and shredded tortilla chips. Finely chop or coarsely grate the onion over the bowl to collect all the juice. Mix everything with your hands until the mixture is well blended. Don’t mix too much.
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Shape into four equal patties, pressing down on the center of each so that they are slightly thinner in the center. Arrange on the prepared sheet.
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Grill about 6 minutes or until golden brown, flip and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F. Top the burgers with cheese and grill for 15-30 seconds until the cheese is melted (be careful!).
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Add to the buns, top as desired and serve immediately.
Remarks
- Nutritional information includes cheese but does not include bun or additional toppings.
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of chili powder for the taco seasoning, if needed.
- Burgers can be grilled or fried in a non-stick pan.
Nutritional Information
Portion: 1Citizens, Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 21G, Protein: 37G, Fat: 19G, Saturated Fatty Acids: 7G, Polyunsaturated fat: 4G, Monounsaturated fatty acids: 5G, trans fats: 0.04G, Cholesterol: 137mg, Sodium: 404mg, Potassium: 438mg, Fiber: 2G, Sugar: 1G, Vitamin A: 436IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 241mg, Iron: 2mg
Approximate nutritional information is provided on this website for convenience only. Nutritional data is collected primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database (where available) or other online calculators.