The Best Turkey Smash Burgers

A turkey smash burger on a wooden cutting board in front of subway tile.

This delicious turkey smash burgers recipe is the best I've ever tasted. Turkey patties are smashed onto a hot cast iron skillet to produce a caramelized exterior that's crisp, savory, and delicious. Serve on a toasted bun with your favorite toppings and condiments!

5 from 159 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 18

Servings: burgers

Calories: 423kcal

Equipment

Kitchen Knife
Large Cast Iron Skillet or Stainless Steel Pan
Spatula
Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ onion
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
fresh black pepper
4 hamburger buns

Optional Toppings

American cheese
lettuce
tomato
onion
ketchup
mustard
mayonnaise

Instructions

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Grate half of a medium onion using the smallest holes of a box grater.
Measure two tablespoons of the grated onion, leaving behind any liquid.
Add the ground turkey, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, salt and pepper to a bowl.
Mix the burger mixture well, trying not to overwork the turkey meat.
Divide the turkey into four equally portioned balls.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add a bit of oil and add the burgers. As soon as they hit the pan, smash the burgers flat using the back of a spatula.
Cook for about 4 minutes per side. Flip the burgers halfway through.
Meanwhile, toast the buns.
If adding cheese, add it the last two minutes of cooking.
Remove the finished burgers from the pan, measuring with a meat thermometer to ensure they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Build your burgers, adding your preferred toppings and condiments. Serve right away.

Notes

General

Estimated calories are for one burger and bun with no toppings.
Work in two batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.
To taste for seasoning, cook a tiny bit of the uncooked turkey in the skillet. Taste this piece for seasoning and add more salt if needed before cooking all of the burgers.
To prevent the burgers from sticking to the spatula, you can put a bit of fat on the spatula itself, like a bit of oil or non-stick cooking spray.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge You can refrigerate leftover turkey burgers in an airtight container 3 to 4 days. Be sure to store the buns and burgers separately.
Freezer You can freeze cooked turkey burgers if needed, but they may become overcooked or dry in the process of thawing and reheating. I recommend freezing turkey burger patties raw instead.
Reheat burgers from a pan into the microwave or in a pan with a bit of oil.

Nutrition