Perfectly juicy and charred, these easy turkey burgers topped with spicy mayo and guacamole will be your new favorite 20-minute meal. Served with sweet potato fries, you’ll be firing up the grill all summer for these satisfying burgers!
If you want to know the trick not drying out your turkey burger make sure you check out my guide to the best turkey burgers!
Juicy & Flavorful Turkey Burgers
These mouthwatering turkey burgers are the 20-minute excuse you need to fire up the grill. Spread with spicy piquillo mayo and creamy guacamole, they’re the perfect lunch or dinner for all your cookouts.
Just in case you’re watching your diet for the arrival of summer, you’ll be happy to know they’re made with ground turkey, almond flour, and egg whites for a lean burger alternative. Fortunately, healthy doesn’t mean less yummy. Each juicy patty is loaded with spicy onion, smokey cumin, and lots of garlic for a burst of flavor.
Served with sweet potato fries, you’ll have a yard full of guests waiting for another patty to slide off the grill and onto a toasted bun. After all, who doesn’t love a freshly grilled hamburger with a side of fries?
Why You’ll Love These Grilled Turkey Burgers
This quick turkey burger recipe will transform the grill into your best friend.
- Easy. If you can grill patties and blend a mayo condiment, you’re already on the other side. There’s nothing complicated about this recipe.
- Healthy. Ground turkey makes these a healthier alternative to beef burgers. You can also make them with ground chicken.
- Prep-friendly. Make the spicy mayo, and guacamole, and form the patties ahead of time so all you have to do is throw them on the grill.
- Great for cookouts. Change things up a bit with this recipe and surprise your guests with how flavorful turkey burgers can be.
What You’ll Need
Don’t skip the spicy mayo or guacamole for the best-grilled turkey burger you’ve ever had! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
For the Burgers
- Ground turkey
- Almond flour – Don’t use all-purpose flour for this.
- Onion – Feel free to use white or yellow onion.
- Fresh cilantro
- Ground cumin
- Garlic – No garlic powder, please.
- Egg whites – Carton egg whites work too.
- Salt and pepper
For the Guacamole
- Avocados
- Lime juice – Lemon juice is a good swap.
- Salt
- Garlic powder – You can also use onion powder.
To Make the Spicy Mayo
- Roasted piquillo peppers
- Chipotle peppers in adobo
- Mayo – Use full-fat or low-fat.
- Lime juice
Other Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes – Heirloom tomatoes work too.
- Lettuce – Use Butter or Boston lettuce.
- Hamburger buns
How to Make Southwestern Turkey Burgers
Throwing these southwestern turkey burgers together is just like making a regular burger but with homemade spicy mayo and a healthier patty. Here’s a quick look at how to do it:
- Make the spicy mayo. Blend the piquillo peppers, chipotle, mayo, and lime juice until smooth. Set it aside. Heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F.
- Make the guacamole. Add the avocado, lime juice, and salt to a small bowl. Gently mash the avocado until slightly chunky. Set it aside.
- Prepare the turkey mixture. Mix the ground turkey, almond flour, diced onion, cilantro, cumin, garlic, egg whites, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
- Form the patties. Divide the mixture into 6-8 equal portions and use your hands to shape them into patties.
- Grill them. Place the patties on the grill and cook them for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove them from the grill and set them aside.
- Toast the buns. Place the buns on the grill and let them toast for 1 minute. Don’t let them burn. Remove from the grill.
- Assemble the burgers. Spread the bottom bun with spicy mayo. Add a layer of guacamole and place the patty on top. Add tomato and lettuce. Place the top bun and enjoy.
Tips for Perfectly Grilled Turkey Burgers
These tips will make grilling and assembling my grilled turkey burgers much easier:
- Use leftover guacamole. If you have any Creamy Bacon Guacamole leftovers, feel free to use them for this recipe.
- Swap the protein. Ground chicken makes for equally lean and yummy patties if you’d like to change the protein.
- Change the greens. Baby spinach, kale, and a salad mix are great swaps for lettuce if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Don’t press them. Avoid the urge to press down on the patties once they hit the grill. This dries them out because you’re pushing out all the juices.
Serving Suggestions
These burgers are great with Sweet Potato Fries or Baked Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli for a classic meal. For a healthier alternative, pair them with my Zucchini Fries. Other sides I love for these burgers include my Chicken Tenders or Garlic Parmesan Wings. If you’re looking for something more refreshing, serve it with my Avocado Cucumber Salad and enjoy.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Once fully cooled, refrigerate the patties in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The spicy mayo can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and the guacamole for up to 3 days. Keep them away from heat and sunlight when on the counter for reheating or serving.
To reheat the patties, microwave them for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat them in a pan (with the lid on) over medium heat for 6-7 minutes. Assemble the burgers as usual.
More Burger Recipes
- Keto Bacon Cheeseburger
- Paleo Chipotle Turkey Burgers with Guacamole
- Avocado Turkey Burger with Cranberry Chutney
- Avocado Burger
- Italian Cheeseburgers
Southwestern Turkey Burgers with Spicy Aioli
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 burgers 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
This 20-minute turkey burger with piquillo mayo and guacamole will be your new favorite summer recipe. It’s perfect for cookouts!
Ingredients
Southwestern Turkey Burger:
- 2lb ground turkey
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, diced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 garlic clove, minced
- 2 egg whites
- salt & pepper
Guacamole:
- 2 avocados
- juice of one lime
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Spicy Mayo:
- 2 roasted piquillo peppers
- 1 small chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce)
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice
Other Ingredients:
- Roma Tomato, sliced
- Butter or Boston Lettuce
- 6–8 buns
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F.
- Add piquillo peppers, chipotle pepper, mayo, and lime juice to a food processor. Blend until smooth and the peppers are finely chopped. Set aside.
- In a small bowl add avocado, lime juice, and salt. Using a fork, gently smash the avocado – be careful not to over-smash you want it to be somewhat chunky. Set aside.
- Add ground turkey, almond flour, diced onion, fresh cilantro, ground cumin, garlic cloves, egg white, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands mix so everything is combined.
- Form ground turkey mixture into 6-8 equal patties.
- Place turkey burgers on the grill, and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. (DO NOT push the burger with your spatula it pushes all the juices out) Remove from grill and let sit.
- Place buns on the grill and toast for 1 minute. Remove from grill.
- Assemble burger – bottom bun, spicy mayo, guacamole, burger, tomato and lettuce.
- Devour!
