These air fryer turkey burgers are juicy, flavorful, and ready in about 10 minutes. If you think turkey burgers are always dry and bland, this recipe will change your mind.
The secret is adding a little mayonnaise right into the meat mixture. It sounds simple, but it makes a huge difference in keeping the burgers moist and tender.
Smoked paprika and pepper jack cheese give these burgers a nice kick without being too spicy. Just enough to make them interesting.
Serve them on toasted brioche buns with your favorite toppings, and you have a meal that feels like it came from a restaurant. But way easier and faster.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
They Stay Juicy – The mayonnaise mixed into the meat adds fat and moisture so these turkey burgers never turn out dry.
Lighter Than Beef – Ground turkey is leaner than beef so you get a satisfying burger without feeling weighed down after eating it.
Perfectly Melted Pepper Jack – That last minute of air frying gives you bubbly melted cheese with a little kick of heat in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb Ground Turkey
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
- 4 Brioche Burger Buns
- Lettuce (for serving)
- Tomato Slices (for serving)
- Red Onion Slices (for serving)
- Cooking Spray
How To Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. The mayonnaise adds fat and moisture that keep these turkey burgers juicy instead of dry. Mix gently until just combined.
Step 2
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 3/4-inch thick. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent puffing during cooking.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Spray the basket with cooking spray and place the patties inside in a single layer with space between them.
Step 4
Air fry for 5 minutes, then carefully flip each burger. Air fry for another 4 minutes.
Step 5
Place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each patty and air fry for 1 more minute until the cheese is melted and bubbly. The internal temperature should reach 165F.
Step 6
Toast the brioche buns in the air fryer for about 1 minute if desired. Assemble the burgers with lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion. Serve immediately while hot and juicy.
Tips
The Mayo Is the Secret – Don’t Skip It
Turkey meat is very lean compared to beef, which means turkey burgers dry out fast in the air fryer. The mayonnaise in this recipe adds fat and moisture directly into the patty so it stays juicy after cooking.
Without it, you’ll likely end up with a dry, crumbly burger that’s hard to enjoy. Two tablespoons mixed into the meat makes a huge difference and you won’t taste the mayo at all in the final burger.
If you don’t have mayo, you can use a tablespoon of olive oil instead. It won’t bind quite as well, but it’ll still add the fat you need.
Don’t Overwork the Meat
When you’re mixing everything together, use your hands and gently fold the ingredients in until they’re just combined. You should still see some texture in the mixture.
If you keep mixing and squeezing the meat over and over, the proteins tighten up and you’ll get a dense, rubbery burger instead of a tender one. Think of it like you’re loosely bringing everything together, not kneading dough.
Same thing when shaping the patties. Form them just enough to hold together and stop. The less you handle them, the better the texture will be.
Make the Dimple Deeper Than You Think
Turkey burgers puff up a lot more than beef burgers in the air fryer because the hot circulating air cooks them from all sides at once. If you skip the thumb dimple or make it too shallow, you’ll end up with little ball-shaped burgers instead of flat patties.
Press your thumb into the center of each patty and make a noticeable indent. It should look like the center is too thin, but trust the process. As the burger cooks, it’ll rise and even out into a perfect flat shape.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
- Air Fryer Greek Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Crispy Panko Onion Rings
- Air Fryer Meatloaf Minis
Frequently Asked Questions
Why add mayonnaise to the turkey burger mixture?
Turkey is a lot leaner than beef, which means it can dry out really fast in the air fryer. The mayonnaise adds extra fat and moisture directly into the meat, so your burgers stay juicy and tender on the inside instead of turning out tough and chalky.
You won’t taste the mayo at all once the burgers are cooked. It just blends right into the meat and does its job behind the scenes. It’s a small addition that makes a huge difference.
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- 1 1/4 lb Ground Turkey
- 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
- 4 Brioche Burger Buns
- Lettuce (for serving)
- Tomato Slices (for serving)
- Red Onion Slices (for serving)
- Cooking Spray
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. The mayonnaise adds fat and moisture that keep these turkey burgers juicy instead of dry. Mix gently until just combined.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 3/4-inch thick. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent puffing during cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Spray the basket with cooking spray and place the patties inside in a single layer with space between them.
- Air fry for 5 minutes, then carefully flip each burger. Air fry for another 4 minutes.
- Place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each patty and air fry for 1 more minute until the cheese is melted and bubbly. The internal temperature should reach 165F.
- Toast the brioche buns in the air fryer for about 1 minute if desired. Assemble the burgers with lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion. Serve immediately while hot and juicy.