These Mediterranean Turkey Burgers are bright, herby, and work equally well on the BBQ or in the air fryer. Made with chicken, garlic, lemon zest, cheese, and fresh basil, plus a few Mediterranean staples like oregano and red onion. Serve them in a warm pitta or bun with your favourite sauce and a simple tomato and cucumber salad for a full, satisfying meal.
What You Need
👉 For more concise ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card.
Turkey
I used 500g of turkey mince.
Garlic
I use 2 cloves of garlic. You can add a little more if you love garlic!
Lemon zest
A tablespoon of lemon zest gives the burgers a lovely fresh flavour without adding too much liquid to the mixture.
Parmesan or feta
Either works well here. Parmesan gives the burgers more of an Italian flavour, whereas feta takes them in a slightly more Greek direction.
Red onion or shallot
You only need a small handful. Chop it fairly finely so you don’t end up with large pieces of onion in the burgers.
Oregano
Half a teaspoon of dried oregano adds that familiar Mediterranean flavour.
Fresh basil
Add a small bunch of finely chopped fresh basil.
Olive oil
A tablespoon goes into the burger mixture, with another tablespoon if you’re cooking the burgers in a frying pan.
You’ll also need some salt, freshly ground black pepper and whatever you fancy serving with the burgers.
Making Mediterranean Style Turkey Burgers
Add the turkey mince to a large bowl with the finely chopped or grated garlic, finely chopped red onion or shallot, lemon zest, Parmesan or feta, oregano, salt and black pepper.
Add the finely chopped basil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then gently mix everything together until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Try not to overwork the mince, stop mixing as soon as everything is combined, as this will help keep the burgers tender.
Divide the mixture into 4 portions, depending on how large you want your burgers, and shape each one into a patty.
The mixture should hold together well, but if yours feels a little too loose to shape, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and gently mix them through.
Place the burgers on a plate, cover and chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes. This helps them firm up and makes them easier to handle when cooking.
How To Cook Mediterranean Style Turkey Burgers
You can cook these burgers in the air fryer, in a frying pan or on the BBQ.
In The Air Fryer
Place the turkey burgers in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one.
Air fry at 180°C for around 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the burgers and your particular air fryer.
In A Frying Pan
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the burgers and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until golden on the outside and completely cooked through.
On The BBQ
Cook the burgers over a medium-hot BBQ, turning during cooking so that they brown evenly on both sides.
Cooking times will vary depending on the heat of the BBQ and the thickness of the burgers.
Whichever method you choose, make sure the turkey burgers are completely cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of at least 74°C in the centre before serving.
What To Serve With Mediterranean Style Turkey Burgers
I love these served in warm pittas with tzatziki and a simple tomato and cucumber salad. The fresh flavours work really well with the lemon, garlic and herbs in the burgers.
You could also serve them in burger buns with lettuce, tomato and red onion, or skip the bread and serve them with a larger Greek-style salad.
For something more substantial, add air fryer chips, potato wedges, couscous or roasted Mediterranean vegetables on the side.
Making Them Ahead
You can prepare and shape the turkey burgers earlier in the day, then cover them and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
The chilling time also helps them firm up, making this a handy recipe to prepare ahead for a BBQ.
Parmesan Or Feta?
Both work really well with turkey, so you can use whichever you prefer.
Feta gives the burgers a salty, tangy flavour that works particularly well with the lemon and oregano, while Parmesan adds a slightly more savoury flavour.
As both cheeses are salty, keep this in mind when seasoning the burger mixture.
Tips For Juicy Turkey Burgers
Using 7% fat turkey mince along with a little olive oil helps keep these burgers juicy.
Try not to overmix the mince, and avoid cooking the burgers for longer than necessary. A meat thermometer is useful for checking them, once the centre has reached 74°C, they’re ready to serve.
Mediterranean Style Turkey Burgers
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Ingredients
- 500 g turkey mince
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 25 g Parmesan grated, or feta, crumbled
- Small handful red onion or shallot finely chopped
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Small bunch fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil divided
Instructions
- Add the turkey mince, garlic, red onion or shallot, lemon zest, Parmesan or feta, oregano, salt and black pepper to a large bowl.
- Add the chopped basil and 1 tbsp olive oil. Gently mix everything together until just combined, taking care not to overwork the mince.
- Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape into burger patties. If the mixture is too loose to hold its shape, mix in 2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs.
- Place the burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
- To air fry: Place the burgers in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 180°C for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through.
- To pan fry: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the burgers for around 5–6 minutes on each side.
- To BBQ: Cook over a medium-hot BBQ, turning during cooking, until browned and cooked through.
- Whichever method you use, check the burgers are completely cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of at least 74°C before serving.
Notes
- Parmesan or feta: Either works well. Feta gives the burgers a saltier, tangier flavour, while Parmesan adds a more savoury flavour.
- Binding: The burgers should hold together without a binder, but if the mixture feels too loose, add 2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs.
- Don’t overmix: Gently mix the ingredients until just combined to help keep the turkey burgers tender and juicy.
- Cooking times: These will vary depending on the thickness of the burgers and your air fryer, pan or BBQ. Always check they have reached at least 74°C in the centre.
- Make ahead: The burgers can be shaped earlier in the day, covered and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.
- Serving: Try them in warm pittas or burger buns with tzatziki and a tomato and cucumber salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.