Turkey Apple Burgers – Slender Kitchen

Turkey Apple Burgers are a healthy and easy way to make delicious, healthy turkey burgers packed with flavor and never dry!  This quick dinner is good for you and packed with flavor—no more boring turkey burgers around here.

I am always looking for new ways to make turkey burgers, which are a staple in our home. Normally, when I make turkey burgers, I automatically reach for spice to add flavor, but this time, I wanted to do something different and decided to try apples. Apples were the perfect way to add both moisture and flavor. Paired with fresh sage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, it’s a seriously delicious breakfast sausage-inspired burger.

Let’s talk about the toppings because this burger calls for some amazing toppings. Let’s start with the cheese. I recommend a classic sharp cheddar or a creamy brie, which pair great with apples. Afterward, reach for some whole-grain mustard and a touch of cranberry sauce or chutney. So good. Then top it off with crunchy butter lettuce or coleslaw, thinly sliced red onion, and apple slices for an epic burger.

Why We Love Turkey Apple Burgers

• Never dry: Adding shredded apples to your turkey burgers ensures they will never be dry and crumbly, even with lean ground turkey.
• Great for kids: Kids love the sweet flavor of apples in these burgers! If your kids love chicken apple sausage, they will love these turkey burgers. 
• Grain-free and gluten-free: Adding apples to the burgers adds moisture and lightness without needing breadcrumbs, making them naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and egg-free. 

Looking for more delicious turkey burgers? Try these Cowboy Turkey Burgers, Greek Turkey Burgers, or Green Chile Turkey Burgers.

Ingredients and Substituions

• Ground turkey: The base of these burgers is 99% lean ground turkey, but they are also delicious with 93% lean ground turkey or ground dark meat turkey. These burgers are also delicious with ground chicken or ground pork.
• Apples: I love the tartness of green apples paired with the sage and turkey, but you can swap in any apples you like. If possible, shred the apples using a food processor or box grater for best results.
• Seasoning and spices: Kick up the flavors of these burgers with whole grain mustard or swap in Dijon or honey mustard. Then add fresh sage or herb like thyme, rosemary, oregano, or parsley. Finish seasoning the burgers with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, or other spices you like.
• Optional additions: These burgers are naturally sweet from the apples, but if you want even more sweetness, add in a drizzle of maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar. 

Tips for Making this Turkey Apple Burger

• Change the protein: Since always have ground turkey on hand, it was a natural choice for this burger. However, you could also use ground chicken, lean ground pork, or lean bison meat. Ground turkey sausage is also delicious in this recipe, just make sure to cut back on the spices.
• Grate the apples: If you can, I highly recommend grating the apples for this recipe. It takes a few extra minutes but will ensure that you get some apple flavor in every bite and helps add moisture to the entire burger. 
• Thanksgiving inspired: If you love the combination of apples and cranberries, you could also toss in a few dried cranberries. Usually, instead of adding them to the patties, I like to top my burger with a touch of cranberry sauce or chutney.
• Change the herbs: Sage can be a stronger herb, so if you want a mild flavor, use basil or oregano. Rosemary also works but can have a strong flavor.

Servings Ideas: Burgers, Bowls, and More

There are so many ways to serve these burgers! Here are our top three.

• Classic burgers: Toast up your favorite hamburger bun—we love brioche buns for these. Add a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, some onions (pickled, grilled, or caramelized onions), crunchy lettuce or slaw, extra apple slices, and some grainy mustard mixed with mayonnaise. 
• Burger bowls: Make these into delicious burger bowls with crunchy lettuce, quinoa or rice, cherry tomatoes, pickles, shredded cheddar cheese, red onion, and homemade burger sauce.  Make these bowls extra special with some baked sweet potatoes. 
• Burger salad: Keep things light and low carb, and use these turkey patties in a burger salad packed with tons of veggies. Then add some homemade Thousand Island dressing on top.

Side Dish Ideas

These burgers pair great with homemade fries, grilled vegetables, salads, and more.

Storage, Freezing, and Leftovers

These burgers freeze well, so I recommend keeping some extras in the freezer for a quick future meal. 

• Freeze raw burgers: To freeze the burgers raw, place them on wax paper or wrap each individually in plastic wrap so they don’t stick together, then store them in a large, freezer-safe Ziploc bag.
• Freezer-cooked burgers: To store cooked burgers, let them cool completely. Once cooled, place them on a baking sheet or plate and freeze for 1 hour. Then, you can add them to a Ziploc bag wrapped individually or with wax paper between each burger. Cooked burgers can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.