Spicy Turkey Burgers
Published Feb. 4, 2025
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 2tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1¼pounds ground turkey
- Salt
- 4soft buns
- 1tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- ⅓cup mayonnaise
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1small garlic clove, finely grated
- ½head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- Salt and pepper
- Sliced red onions and bread and butter pickles, for serving
For the Burgers
For the Slaw and Assembly
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
569 calories; 37 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 17 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 698 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the burgers: Stir together the mayonnaise, cayenne and paprika in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the turkey and season with salt. Using a fork, mix gently, being careful not to overwork the meat. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions (about ¾ cup each) and, using damp hands, shape into 1-inch thick round patties.
- Step 2
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Toast the buns until lightly golden brown. Set aside.
- Step 3
Pour the oil into the pan (still over medium-high). When the oil is hot and glossy, lay the patties on the skillet. Cook (without pressing) until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through , about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to rest while you make the slaw.
- Step 4
Prepare the slaw: Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl. Add the lettuce, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Step 5
Transfer patties to buns and top with pickles, onions and slaw.
Private Notes
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Comments
Recipe calls for 1-1/4 # of ground turkey. It's usually sold in 1 pound packages. First world problem.
@Del Quinto Pino - Adding 1tsp cumin to the smoked paprika and cayenne would balance the spices nicely; for a different direction but still spicy, i'd do garlic, tarragon (or other herb you like), and red pepper flakes. Harissa and cinnamon with some minced shallot could also be nice.
The mayo in the turkey meat definitely helped keep it more moist and it browned nicely. I like spicy, but I don’t feel like these spices were especially good in this patty. Maybe less spice? Different spices? Not sure, but I won’t make this combination again.
We enjoyed this thoroughly. I worried that the burgers would be too hot for my brother, but they were perfect. Skipped the iceberg lettuce and made a slaw from a packaged mix of cabbage and carrots; also seriously reduced the amount of mayo in the slaw — who wants leftover slaw drowning in mayo? Avocado might be good, and I think I’ll try that with the leftovers.
I have always struggle with turkey burgers….they just are always lacking. This recipe is amazing and I will make it again. I always read the comments and this time they didn’t fail. I added additional seasonings: onion and garlic powder, cumin along with what the recipe called for. Extra salt too. I added the mayo and it worked fine. Added moisture I’m sure. The burgers took longer to cook than the recipe indicated, probably because my burgers were thicker than what the recipe suggested. They were super tasty. I do wish I had bought 2lbs of the ground turkey . I had 3 burgers from the 1 lbs pack of meat, so no leftover meal for me and my husband. We will arm wrestle for the remaining burger for a lunch. :-)
Made 3 burgers from 1 lb ground turkey. Subbed pepper flakes for cayenne and added 1/2 tsp each of chili powder and cumin. Excellent flavor with fantastic texture, browned beautifully. I'll make these again. I made a different slaw, so my rating doesn't reflect that.