Air fryer turkey burgers are an excellent and quick meal when you’re in the mood for something different. Made with lean turkey mince and a bit of seasoning, this turkey burger will soon become the new family favorite! These nutritious meal requires only a few ingredients and can be prepared in just 20 minutes.
Turkey burgers are typically criticized for being un-flavorful and dry. This is because the turkey must be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F. Hence, you cannot afford to cook it too long as you would with the other kinds of meats. However, unsweetened applesauce is the magic ingredient that keeps turkey burgers fresh and juicy.
A little Applesauce Magic
When you add unsweetened applesauce to your patty, it helps add moisture to your otherwise dry turkey burgers and helps keep the meat juicy and tender without adding additional oils. You can also add some freshly grated onion to the turkey mince mix to provide flavor. Without a doubt, this recipe is always successful and will result in deliciously cooked turkey hamburgers for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
Let’s take a look:
How to make Turkey Burgers in an Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 LB ground turkey 85/15
- 1/4 cup apple sauce unsweetened
- 1/2 onion grated
- 1 Tablespoon Ranch seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper according to taste
Instructions
To begin, finely grate half of an onion in a large box grater or in a small food processor. This is because chopped onions add flavor and juiciness to your meat. It also will help you avoid having large onion chunks inside your hamburger.
Combine your onions, unsweetened apple sauce, ground turkey, Worcestershire sauce, ranch seasoning, breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, as well as salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix it all together until everything is combined.
Create four patties. We suggest using the burger press as it ensures that the burgers are all equal in size and well-formed; however, you can also use your hands.
Place your patties in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm them. This will ensure that the patties don’t crumble and fall apart during your air fry.
Prepare your air fryer by leaving the air fryer on at 360° F for 3-4 minutes. Make sure your burgers aren’t touching or overlapping in your Air Fryer basket. Cook for 15 minutes at 360° F. Flip them halfway through. The burgers are cooked when they have reached a temperature of around 165°F. You can check the temperature using a thermometer.
Add toppings as per your preference. We like keeping it simple with tomato, lettuce, and some slices of red onions.
Important tips
- For frozen burgers, put the hamburger straight into an air fryer basket that has been preheated and cook at 180 degrees for 18 minutes, flipping every so often.
- A small amount of oil on the air fryer’s basket can prevent it from sticking.
FAQs
How do you make burgers in the air fryer using frozen turkey patties?
These delicious turkey burgers are great for freezing and can be re-routed to the Air Fryer from the freezer. Cook frozen burgers for 18 minutes at 360° F, rotating halfway through. Utilize a thermometer to make sure the turkey burger you are cooking has reached the temperature of 165°F.
What can I do to make these burgers healthier?
Skipping the burger buns and placing the juicy burger sandwiched between leaves of fresh lettuce is our favorite way to minimize the excess sugar and carbs from burgers. Serve with sweet potato fries on the side!
How do I make turkey burgers more flavorful?
We love a delicious turkey burger, and you can customize these to your preferences. Toss the turkey meat mixture with a pinch of chili powder, red pepper, or Italian spice. Fresh onion and barbeque sauce can also be added to the burger.
How long does it take to cook a turkey burger in the air fryer?
The time needed to cook a Turkey hamburger in an air fryer depends on how well done you like your turkey burger.
Follow the directions above for cooking your air fryer hamburger. However, it would be best to verify the temperature inside the burgers before you eat them. These are only guidelines and vary based on your air fryer’s settings and how large each patty is.
Can I make these burgers into sliders?
Yes! Create smaller patties if you’d like to create sliders instead of regular-sized hamburgers. Be aware that the patties decrease in size, so you should make them up a bit bigger, so there’s not so much shrinkage during cooking.
Sliders cook more quickly than regular-sized burgers. Therefore, make sure to flip them around 5 minutes after the cooking process. They should be cooked within 7-10 minutes.
Why does my air fryer smoke when I cook burgers in it?
How an air fryer operates is quite simple. Air is circulated in 360-degree motion about the dish. This means that any liquid that drips from your hamburger may eventually flow up to on top of the fryer and then hit the heating coils, causing the air fryer to smoke.
Why does my air fryer smoke when I cook burgers?
The fat can create a layer of build-up on the fan, and unless you clean them thoroughly (which is an absolute pain), the fat will be there for a while and then cause the air fryer to smoke.
Fortunately, there are two options to avoid this:
Using Bread:
- Just place a couple of pieces of bread beneath the basket in the air fryer.
- The bread functions like a sponge and absorbs all the fat below the basket.
- This is what we use when air-frying foods that are fatty. Safe to say, we’ve never experienced any issues with smoking after implementing this method.
Using a Water Bath:
- If you don’t wish to use bread or don’t have it, you can opt for this method instead.
- You can place a small amount of water in the basket of your air fryer (underneath the container) and then air fry your food just like you normally would.
Conclusion
Turkey hamburgers are an excellent option to consume a healthy and high-protein, low-carb meal, and it’s a family favorite. Kids will also enjoy it since they’ll be so busy dressing their burgers with their preferred toppings that they’ll not even know whether it’s a burger made of turkey or beef.
