20 Minute Greek Turkey Burgers
You are just 20 minutes away from these delicious, juicy Greek turkey burgers loaded with classic Mediterranean flavors of parsley, garlic and feta, topped with a creamy homemade yogurt sauce.
You’ll Love These
- The ingredient list is short and sweet. Only 8 ingredients?! Yes, that’s right friends! My favorite recipes are those that are filled with simple, wholesome ingredients and this one fits that bill perfectly!
- They’re unexpected. You’ll be the envy of the next backyard barbecue with these juicy Greek turkey burgers! Save the boring ground beef burgers for another night – serve your friends something new tonight!
- If you loved these turkey burgers, be sure to check out my Brie Grilled Cheese with Turkey, my 20 Minute Salmon Fish Cakes, and my Easy Smash Burger Recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground Turkey – Be sure the ground turkey you use is not too lean. I like to get 85/15 turkey so there is plenty of flavor and the meat doesn’t dry out. You could also use ground beef or ground chicken in place of the turkey.
- Garlic – For this recipe, I prefer to mince fresh garlic, which will give you the best flavor. But you can use garlic powder in its place if you’d like. I’d recommend about 1/2 a teaspoon or so of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is going to give these burgers a delicious herby flavor that you just can’t get with dried parsley! Dried will work in a pinch but just remember it’s more potent so I’d recommend using a heaping tablespoon or so of dried parsley in place of the fresh. You could also replace the parsley with fresh dill.
- Red Onion – Red onion is my favorite for this turkey burger recipe, but you can substitute white or yellow if that’s all you’ve got on hand.
- Feta Cheese – If you’re able to find it, get a block of feta and crumble it up yourself. Blocks of feta tend to have more moisture than the pre-crumbled feta cheese you buy at the store and I find that the texture is better.
- Homemade Dill Yogurt Sauce – Don’t skip the dill yogurt sauce! It takes just a few minutes to throw together and it takes these turkey burgers to the next level!
- Dried Oregano – Dried oregano pairs well with the fresh herbs in this recipe. You could also use dried thyme in its place.
- Egg – The egg acts as the binder, holding all the ingredients together in these Mediterranean turkey burgers. This ensures that burgers hold together well and get deliciously juicy!
Instructions
Add one pound ground turkey to a large bowl along with garlic, herbs, onion, feta, egg, salt, and pepper. Be mindful that the feta has a moderate amount of sodium so you won’t need to add a ton of salt.
Combine ingredients together. I find it’s easiest to use my hands to mix everything together. To keep the burgers juicy, be sure not to over mix the ingredients!
Then divide the meat into 4 equal size patties.
Sear burgers in olive oil in a large sauté pan, nonstick skillet, or large cast-iron pan over medium high heat.
Cook for a few minutes on each side until a dark golden brown crust forms.
I recommend topping your burgers with a big dollop of my Homemade Yogurt Sauce along with sliced onion, tomato, lettuce and a bit more crumbled, tangy feta cheese.
Tips
- Don’t over mix the meat! Be sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly, but DO NOT over mix. If you work the meat too much, you’ end up with a firm burger texture. Handle the meat as little as possible for a more tender burger.
- These burgers are great on the grill too! Just make sure if you’re grilling to thoroughly oil the grill grate to prevent sticking. Ground turkey is lean so it’s more likely to stick than ground beef, which naturally has a higher fat content.
FAQ
Greek burgers are typically a combo of ground meat, Greek spices, and fresh herbs, formed into a patty that is grilled, served on a bun, and paired with a Dill Yogurt Sauce!
The tanginess of salty feta cheese pairs perfectly with these Mediterranean inspired turkey burgers! It’s got just enough bite without being too overpowering.
My favorite Greek turkey burger toppings are sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, crispy lettuce or fresh spinach, ripe tomato, and a hearty scoop of Homemade Creamy Dill Greek Yogurt Sauce. piled high on a whole-wheat hamburger buns. You can also use just regular burger toppings like ketchup, mustard, sliced cheddar
I try to avoid using the terms healthy or unhealthy when describing foods, as everything should be enjoyed in moderation! However, these turkey burgers are made with real wholesome ingredients and have tons of protein which means I feel good about feeding them to my family!
Serve Turkey Burgers With
- Greek Potato Wedges
- Crispy Greek Fries with Yogurt Sauce
- 20 Minute Greek Orzo Salad
- Greek Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Simple Grilled Halloumi Salad
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely assemble the turkey burger patties up to 24 hours in advance! Combine all the burger ingredients and shape the patties. Store them in an airtight container, making sure to use small sheets of parchment paper to separate the burgers so they don’t stick together. When you’re ready to eat, the patties can go straight from the fridge to your hot pan! You can also prep my easy yogurt sauce up to a week in advance!
- Storage: Store the leftover turkey burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat leftover burgers, warm them up in a frying pan over medium heat with a little olive oil, or place on a baking tray sprayed with cooking spray in the oven at a low temp (around 350) until warmed through.
Family Favorite Dinner Recipes
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Greek Turkey Burgers
These Greek burgers are loaded with classic Mediterranean flavors of parsley, garlic and feta and topped with a delicious, creamy, homemade yogurt sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 (1/4 lb.) burgers 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 egg, beaten
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
For serving:
- 4 wheat buns
- Homemade Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce
- lettuce leaves
- sliced red onion
- sliced tomato
- crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Combine turkey, garlic, parsley, onion, feta, oregano, egg, a few pinches of salt and a large pinch of pepper. Be mindful that the feta has a moderate amount of sodium so you won’t need to add a ton of salt.
- Divide mixture into 4 equal size burger patties.
- Sauté them in the oil for about 4-5 minutes per side until they form a golden brown crust and are cooked through.
- Serve turkey burgers on wheat buns and top with Dill Yogurt Sauce, lettuce, red onion, tomato and feta.
Notes
- Don’t over mix the meat! Be sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly, but DO NOT over mix. If you work the meat too much, you’ end up with a firm burger texture. Handle the meat as little as possible for a more tender burger.
- These burgers are great on the grill too! Just make sure if you’re grilling to thoroughly oil the grill grate to prevent sticking. Ground turkey is lean so it’s more likely to stick than ground beef, which naturally has a higher fat content.
Made this tonight and it was a hit! Was worried about having ‘dry’ turkey burgers and these were far from it. Thanks!!
Excellent. Will be making again. Thank you!
Great recipe!
I made sliders because who doesn’t love cute mini burgers? I added some lemon juice and it turned out great. The best thing is it kept well overnight. Can’t wait to make this again!
Mmmm…sliders are my favorite! What a great idea, Ha!! I’m SO glad that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for leaving a review!!
Great recipe! I’m curious if anyone has tried making the burger patties and then freezing them before cooking. I’m planning ahead for a vacation at a rental house and debating if I can prep and freeze or need to make there.
Great question, Jess! While I haven’t tried this myself, I definitely think it would be worth a shot. There aren’t any ingredients in this recipe that don’t lend themselves well to being frozen, so I think that you would have great success with freezing these just like you would freeze a traditional beef patty. I’d recommend thawing in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. Can’t wait to hear how they turn out if you try it! 🙂
Just circling back to say that I tried freezing these patties, and it worked really well! I’d recommend it if you won’t be able to make them fresh.
I am so glad to hear that, Jessica! Thank you so much for letting me know how they turned out!
Can you bake these burgers in the oven or will it not work? Looks so good! Making it ASAP ?
Great question, Brittany! Although I’ve never tried baking them, I bet that it would work just fine. I don’t think you’ll get the same “crust” that you normally do with a regular burger preparation but the flavors would still be great. I’d also keep a close eye on the burgers to make sure that they don’t overcook and dry out. I do bake meatballs all the time however so I’d imagine that it would work just fine. Here’s a greek meatball recipe that I use where I bake them – I’d do something similar to this! https://midwestfoodieblog.com/greek-meatball-gyros/
Juicy, delicious, full of flavor and super easy to make!
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Britt! This is one of our family’s favorite recipes. Thanks for leaving a review!
Awesome recipe. Delicious burger. I made it with grilled veggies and quinoa for my meal prep.
WOOHOO! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Francis. Veggies and quinoa sound like the perfect accompaniments. Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Tried this recipe out the other night, and it came out perfectly! The burger stuck together pretty well and it was so fragrant! Thanks so much for providing these great recipes 🙂
WOOHOO! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Nicole. I’m glad the burgers held together well!!! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Best Greek turkey burgers ever! Especially the home made Greek yogurt ♥️?? Wouldn’t change a thing.
WOOHOO! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Samantha. Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Loved this recipe. The turkey burger came out juicy and delicious. Even tried the yogurt sauce which was amazing. Will definitely make this again.
WOOHOO! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. The yogurt sauce really makes the meal!! Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
In the instructions, it doesn’t say when to use the garlic. I assume its just to add the mixture.
Yes! It was mentioned in the body of the post but omitted in the recipe card – great catch Katherine! It is in there now. Thank you for pointing it out!! 🙂
This turkey burger was honestly the best I’ve ever had. I used my own Tzatziki sauce and followed the recipe exactly, the flavors were perfect!! I recommend!!
Turkey burgers don’t have to be boring!! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe Sarah! Thank you SO much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Looks really yummy! Going to make this later this week1 Would ground chicken work as well?
Ground chicken would be GREAT in this recipe!!
This recipe was so good the first time I made it, it inspired me to invite my friends over for dinner. Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe. A healthy and delicious recipe.
I love how food brings people together!! Can’t wait to fire up the grill this year throw these on 🙂
This is my most favorite turkey burger recipe ever!