Juicy Turkey Burgers No Buns

Finding a satisfying, low-carb dinner that actually fills you up can feel like an impossible task. After all, cutting out bread and other carbs often leaves you hungry an hour later, and things get even trickier when you’re trying to feed a family that expects their meals to be both tasty and filling.

Luckily, these turkey burgers without buns hit the mark perfectly: they’re packed with protein and flavor, easy to customize with your favorite toppings, and hearty enough to keep everyone satisfied without weighing them down.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

When shopping for ground turkey, you’ll typically find options ranging from 85% lean to 99% lean, and the fat content makes a big difference in your burgers. I recommend going with 85% or 90% lean ground turkey since the fat helps keep your patties moist and flavorful – the super lean 99% stuff can turn out pretty dry. You can use either ground turkey breast or a mix that includes dark meat, but the mix will give you juicier results. Make sure your ground turkey is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in the fridge too long, as turkey can spoil faster than beef.

Options for Substitutions

This turkey burger recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Ground turkey: You can easily substitute with ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. Just keep in mind that turkey and chicken are leaner, so they might need a bit more careful cooking to avoid drying out.
• Egg: If you’re out of eggs, try using 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs or rolled oats to help bind the patties together. You could also use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water).
• Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works here, or you can swap in finely diced celery, mushrooms, or even grated carrots for crunch and flavor.
• Iceberg lettuce: Butter lettuce, romaine hearts, or even large cabbage leaves make great bun alternatives. Pick something sturdy enough to hold your burger without falling apart.
• Zucchini: Yellow squash, eggplant slices, or portobello mushroom caps work as great side alternatives. Just adjust cooking time as needed since different vegetables have different textures.
• Fresh parsley: Dried parsley works fine (use about 1 teaspoon), or try fresh cilantro, chives, or green onions for a different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with turkey burgers is overcooking them, which turns these lean patties into dry hockey pucks – use a meat thermometer and pull them off the heat at 165°F to keep them juicy.

Don’t skip chilling your formed patties in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before cooking, as this helps them hold together and prevents them from falling apart on the grill or pan.

Another common error is pressing down on the burgers while they cook, which squeezes out all the moisture and flavor – just let them be and flip only once when they release easily from the cooking surface.

Make sure your cooking surface is properly preheated and lightly oiled to prevent sticking, and if you’re grilling the zucchini slices, brush them with olive oil and season well since they can taste bland without proper seasoning.

What to Serve With Turkey Burgers?

Since these turkey burgers are served lettuce-wrap style, they pair perfectly with crispy sweet potato fries or regular baked potato wedges for that satisfying crunch you’re missing without the bun. A fresh cucumber and tomato salad with a light vinaigrette makes a great side that won’t weigh you down, especially since the burgers already come with grilled zucchini. You could also whip up some coleslaw or serve them alongside roasted vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, or Brussels sprouts. For something a bit heartier, try pairing them with quinoa salad or a simple green salad topped with avocado slices.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Cooked turkey burgers keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. I like to keep the lettuce wraps and toppings separate so everything stays fresh and crisp. The zucchini slices are best stored in their own container too.

Freeze: These turkey patties freeze great for up to 3 months! You can freeze them either cooked or raw – just wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap, then pop them all in a freezer bag. Raw patties are super convenient for quick weeknight dinners.

Reheat: To warm up cooked patties, just heat them in a skillet over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, or microwave on medium power for 30-60 seconds. If you froze them raw, cook straight from frozen – just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 65-75 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 25-30 g

Ingredients

For the turkey patties:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp dijon or classic yellow mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)

For the grilled zucchini:

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For assembly:

• Large iceberg lettuce head
• Red onion slices

Step 1: Prepare the Turkey Burger Mixture

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp Dijon or classic yellow mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, Dijon or classic yellow mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped fresh parsley, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix everything well until evenly incorporated.

Once combined, divide the mixture into 4-6 burger patties using your hands.

I like to make the patties a little larger than the bun so they shrink to the perfect size as they cook.

Step 2: Cook the Turkey Burgers

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)
• turkey burger patties from Step 1

Heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the formed turkey burger patties from Step 1.

Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F for well-done burgers.

Once done, transfer to a plate and let them rest for a couple of minutes before assembling.

Step 3: Season and Grill the Zucchini

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, toss the sliced zucchini with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer and grill for about 2 minutes per side, until nicely browned and tender.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

For an extra touch, I like to grill a few extra slices for snacking while assembling the burgers.

Step 4: Assemble the Lettuce Bun Burgers

• large iceberg lettuce head
• turkey burgers from Step 2
• grilled zucchini from Step 3
• red onion slices

To build each burger, start with a large iceberg lettuce leaf as the base.

Top with a turkey burger from Step 2, then grilled zucchini from Step 3, and slices of red onion.

Add any extras or sauces as desired.

Finish by topping with another iceberg lettuce leaf, gently pressing to hold the burger together.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

I find it easiest to wrap the burger in parchment paper for a less messy, handheld experience.

Juicy Turkey Burgers No Buns

Delicious Juicy Turkey Burgers No Buns recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 975 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the turkey patties:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp Dijon or classic yellow mustard
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)

For the grilled zucchini:

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For assembly:

• large iceberg lettuce head
• red onion slices

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, Dijon or classic yellow mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped fresh parsley, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix everything well until evenly incorporated. Once combined, divide the mixture into 4-6 burger patties using your hands. I like to make the patties a little larger than the bun so they shrink to the perfect size as they cook.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the formed turkey burger patties from Step 1. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F for well-done burgers. Once done, transfer to a plate and let them rest for a couple of minutes before assembling.
• In a small bowl, toss the sliced zucchini with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer and grill for about 2 minutes per side, until nicely browned and tender. Remove from the pan and set aside. For an extra touch, I like to grill a few extra slices for snacking while assembling the burgers.
• To build each burger, start with a large iceberg lettuce leaf as the base. Top with a turkey burger from Step 2, then grilled zucchini from Step 3, and slices of red onion. Add any extras or sauces as desired. Finish by topping with another iceberg lettuce leaf, gently pressing to hold the burger together. Serve immediately and enjoy! I find it easiest to wrap the burger in parchment paper for a less messy, handheld experience.