If ever there was a girlie burger, this is it. Unabashedly, unapologetically girlie. And yet we’ve seen quite a few guys polish off one without complaint. Funny, that.–David Leite

Turkey Sliders FAQs

Can these turkey patties be grilled?

You may be tempted to consider grilling, but beware the tendency of turkey burgers to crumble more easily than beef burgers—meaning the likelihood of appeasing the grilling gods with a sacrificial offering that falls through the grates is uncharacteristically high. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Bottom line, your best bet is to keep these beauties in a skillet.

What should I serve with turkey sliders?

Fresh salads, like this tomato and labneh or this incredible tomato and feta salad. Grilled corn, peppers, portobellos, or eggplant. Or a simple pasta salad full of fresh veggies tossed in an easy vinaigrette.

A stack of four ground turkey sliders plus one resting on its side with lemon wedges on a cutting board.

Ground Turkey Sliders

4.62 / 13 votes
This ground turkey sliders recipe makes healthy turkey burgers with onion, lemon, and mint. Perfect weeknight dinner for the family.
David Leite
CourseMains
CuisineAmerican
Servings12 servings
Calories151 kcal
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound fresh ground turkey, (a mixture of dark and white meat)
  • 2 tablespoons grated onion
  • Finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lemon, preferably organic (about 2 teaspoons zest and 2 to 3 tablespoons juice)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 slider buns, or 4 regular hamburger buns
  • 1 small lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions 

  • Place all the ingredients except the oil, buns, and lemon wedges in a bowl and mix well with a fork.
  • Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions for sliders or 4 equal portions for burgers. Shape each portion into a patty. Place the patties on a parchment-lined sheet pan or large plate, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
  • Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the skillet, add the patties and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for sliders, 6 to 8 minutes on each side for burgers, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Transfer the patties to a warm serving plate and serve immediately with the buns and the lemon wedges for squeezing over the burgers.
The Burger

Adapted From

The Burger

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 151 kcalCarbohydrates: 18 gProtein: 12 gFat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 36 mgSodium: 220 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 3 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2012 Love Food. Photo © 2012 Mike Cooper. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

These ground turkey sliders are addicting! I made the slider variety, but substituted rosemary for the mint. The onion came out to just shy of a third of a cup. Because my lemon was very juicy, I squeezed about a third of a cup from that as well. I also measured two tablespoons of lemon rind from my lemon. After mixing all the ingredients in a bowl, I began shaping the sliders. The first thing I noticed about them was that the meat mixture was extremely wet. I thought the sliders may not even hold together. At this point, I began to doubt the sliders would even hold together while they cooked. I placed my ground turkey sliders in the fridge overnight and hoped for the best.

The next day, I began the process of cooking them on the stovetop. To my delight, they held together without incident and cooked exactly as the recipe stated. The biggest surprise, however, is how wonderful they tasted. We placed our lemon rosemary sliders on King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls; that’s it, no additional condiment of any kind. They were amazing, like sunshine in my mouth! I added an extra tablespoon of olive oil between each batch of sliders I cooked in the skillet. I would not attempt to grill these, as they would probably fall through the grill grates.

Aside from being a bit underseasoned, these ground turkey sliders were delicious. I used 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped mint, and I would suggest upping the lemon zest and mint, as well as salting and peppering the exterior of the patties immediately before searing. I made 4 slider-size patties for the kids and 4 adult-size patties. Note that cooking time for the full-sized turkey burgers will depend on how thick you make them. I opted for thinner, wider patties and they took about 5 minutes per side. I served the burgers on sesame-seed buns with sliced tomatoes, homemade lemon mayo, and a light, tangy slaw on the side. It was a real fan favorite and made for a lovely weeknight dinner

This ground turkey slider recipe came together quickly for a weeknight dinner. I enjoyed the lemon and mint combo with turkey. I used about 3 tablespoons onion and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest. I got about 5 patties and cooked each side for about 6 minutes. I served these with garlic aioli and think some feta would have also made a nice addition but didn’t have any on hand. Will definitely try this again on the grill this summer.

Loved these ground turkey burgers! They’re a refreshing and bright change from a traditional burger. I ground a mix of 50% white and 50% dark meat in the food processor. I found when everything was mixed together it was a little wet for forming the burgers. After setting up in the fridge for an hour, they cooked for 8 minutes on each side in a grill pan to make sure they were cooked through. They were still moist and tender. Two tablespoons mint was enough and added a bright flavor. The lemon was surprisingly the dominant flavour but wasn’t overpowering. The family has requested we do these again when we can finally use the barbeque outside. I think next time a little fresh chili pepper chopped in will enhance the lemon and mint. Definitely a keeper for grilling season.

This was a very easy sliders recipe to follow. The only problem I had with it was how soft the meat mixture was at the end. Making the patties was tough as they would easily break apart. I decided to freeze them right away. Once frozen they kept their shape nicely during grilling. I cannot imagine trying to make them and grilling them on the spot.

The taste of the ground turkey sliders was very nice and light. A perfect burger for summer or at least warmer days, as these will not fill you up as much as your typical beef burger. When I grated the onions, I decided to place them on a paper towel to fully remove all of their juices and I ended up with 1 1/2 tablespoons grated onions. For the lemon, I ended up with 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. As I did not have enough mint at home I decided to do 1 tablespoon mint and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

I made this as burgers not sliders. The turkey I purchased was already ground, so I chose the 85/15 for a little higher fat ratio than ground turkey breast. I followed the recipe exactly except I made 3 patties, each about 6 ounces, and let them sit overnight in the refrigerator. The next day I heated my cast iron skillet until hot over a medium-high flame and cooked the burgers 6 minutes on each side.

The reviews after the first bite varied, as my sons were expecting a standard burger, but everyone quickly admitted the flavor combination really works. We all agreed it would even be better as a slider appetizer—complex flavors in a light bite everyone would enjoy and without the need for additional toppings.

I was really surprised with how juicy and tasty these turkey burger sliders were. They’re a snap to assemble and they set up well in the fridge after 24 hours. I fried them fridge-to-pan over medium heat for 11 minutes on each side to get them browned nicely on the outside and cooked through. (My burgers were large as I doubled the recipe to make 6 burgers.)




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Yum. Made as written the first time, but last night I added about 1/2 cup crumbled feta to the mixture & doubled the amount of mint and lemon zest (left out lemon juice). Let burgers marinate all day before cooking. Topped with tzatziki, red onion, and tomato. Thanks for the recipe!