Air Fryer Turkey Burgers

A plate with a air fryer turkey burger with a side of fries and a linen napkin beside it.

My simple, 6-ingredient Air Fryer Turkey Burgers recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. Feel free to customize with your favorite toppings and mix-ins for an endlessly adaptable weeknight wonder!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 132kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Air fryer
mixing bowl

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (450g)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 360°F for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Gently mix to fully incorporate. Shape into 4 (3½-inch) patties. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make an indentation. (This will keep them from puffing up during cooking.)
Place patties in the air fryer basket with about 1-inch of space between each patty. Cook for 8 minutes, flip, then cook until a thermometer inserted into the center of each patty reads 165°F, 5 to 7 more minutes.
Serve on burger buns with onion, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, if desired.

Notes

Consistency is key. Some air fryers don't have to be preheated, but I find that the timing is more consistent when I do preheat them. For this recipe, preheating also heats up the basket, helping to get a bit of a sear on the outside of the burgers at the start of cooking.
Making an indention in the center is the best way to prevent your patties from becoming too puffy and shrinking a lot during cooking.
Make the patties for easy meal prep, up to 24 hours in advance! Refrigerate the shaped patties covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container to make sure they don't dry out. Just place the patties in the preheated air fryer and cook as directed.
Use cooking spray if needed. Once preheat, lightly spray the basket before adding the patties. If the burgers are not browning as well as you'd like when you go to flip them, give them a light spray on both sides and continue cooking.
Get creative! Feel free to top your burgers with any number of tasty toppings. Go for the classics like sliced tomato, onion, and lettuce on a toasted brioche bun, or add some fiery turkey chili and cheese for a messy meal the whole family will love.

Nutrition