Turkey Burgers Cranberry Sauce (Printable)
Tender turkey patties paired with zesty cranberry sauce for a delightful flavor combination.
# What You Need:
→ Turkey Burgers
01 - 1.1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1 egg
06 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
07 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
→ Cranberry Sauce
11 - 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
12 - ¼ cup orange juice
13 - ¼ cup sugar
14 - 1 tsp orange zest
15 - Pinch of salt
→ For Serving
16 - 4 burger buns
17 - Lettuce leaves
18 - Sliced red onion
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine cranberries, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and sauce thickens. Set aside to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, onion, garlic, parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
03 - Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a patty.
04 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Lightly toast burger buns if preferred.
06 - Place lettuce on bottom bun half, add turkey patty, spoon cranberry sauce over, top with red onion slices, then cover with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Turkey stays impossibly juicy when you don't overwork the meat—this version taught me that lightness is the secret.
- The cranberry sauce tastes like a celebration but takes barely ten minutes, making weeknight dinners feel special without the fuss.
- It's naturally dairy-free, but tastes so rich and satisfying that no one notices what's missing.
02 -
- Don't overwork the turkey mixture—the moment everything is mixed together, stop; your hands instinctively want to keep stirring, but that's when you lose the tender texture that makes these different from dense, rubbery burgers.
- The indent in the center of each patty prevents puffing; I learned this the hard way when my first batch came off the skillet looking like hockey pucks.
- Orange zest in the cranberry sauce is non-negotiable—without it, the sauce tastes flat and one-dimensional, but with it, everything comes alive.
03 -
- Make the cranberry sauce a day or two ahead and store it in the fridge; the flavors deepen and meld, making it taste even better than when freshly made.
- If you're doubling this recipe, keep the mixture in a cool bowl between batches so the turkey doesn't warm up and lose its tenderness during cooking.