Jamaican Jerk Turkey Burgers (2024)

Step up your burger game with these tender and juicy Jamaican Jerk Turkey Burgers! They're ready in under 25 minutes and are delicious year-round.

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Today we’re taking the best of two worlds to make a new favorite: Jamaican Jerk Turkey Burgers

Lightly spicy and fully flavored, Jamaican jerk enhances turkey like a dream. We finish the juicy burgers off with a saucy, yet lighter mayo-based sauce that will keep your mouth watering for hours.

I'm taking a break from the delicious summer sweets and treats I posted last week and going a bit more savory this week.

Well, savory and spicy and creamy, that is.

That's right-- Jamaican flavors are the star of the show today. They're smoky, warm, complex, sweet, and herbal all in one-- promising to bring a flavor party to almost any dish you add them to.

And ground turkey is a perfect protein for Jamaican jerk seasoning, too. It has enough depth of flavor to anchor the jerk seasoning but not too much to steamroll it.

Throw in a few more complimentary flavors and spices -- we're talking orange zest, dried parsley, minced onion, and soy sauce-- and you have a ground turkey mixture that makes for one addicting burger.

And this is all even before we throw our creamy burger sauce on this magical creation. Minced onion, olive oil mayo, orange juice, parsley, and a little spice come together with a flavorful, yet balanced spread that complements the burgers without overpowering them.

Take one bite and you'll see. Of course, it's no summer dessert, but it's not bad for a juicy burger.

These turkey burgers are...

• Juicy
• Tender
• Spicy
• Citrusy
• Creamy
• Fully flavored
• Saucy
• Ready in under 30 minutes
• Lower in saturated fat
• Rich in protein
• A great way to change up your dinner menus
• Perfect for leftovers
• Possibly one of my best turkey burger recipes!

Say "goodbye" to bland and dry burgers with these jerk turkey burgers! With my juicy burger grilling tips (below!) and flavorful seasonings, these burgers will be a hit with the whole family.

Turkey burger ingredients:

For the burgers:

• Ground turkey -- 93% lean or lower is best for this recipe; otherwise, the burgers dry out easily and lack that depth of flavor
• Salt
• Minced sweet onion -- mince those puppies as small as you can!
• Grated orange zest -- adds a touch of natural sweetness to the burgers
• Soy sauce or liquid coconut aminos -- use coconut aminos if you are gluten-free!
• Dried parsley
• Panko breadcrumbs -- these are flaky breadcrumbs that are commonly used in Japanese cooking. They are commonly found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Amazon, and most major grocery store chains here in the states. Please note: You don't want standard American breadcrumbs in this recipe.
• Jamaican jerk seasoning blend -- more on where to find this or how to make it below!
• Brioche hamburger buns -- so rich and flavorful!
• Sliced tomatoes & romaine lettuce

For the burger sauce:

• Olive oil mayonnaise -- Best Foods or Hellman's is my preferred. It's super creamy while not being loaded with fat or calories.
• Minced sweet onion -- adds depth without too much bite to the sauce
• Dried parsley
• Orange juice
• Ancho chili powder -- adds just the amount of heat you want with a touch of smokiness to round out the sauce

Recipe substitutions:

Onions -- use standard white or yellow onions if you don't have sweet. The mayonnaise sauce may have more of a "bite" to it, however.

Breadcrumbs -- keep it gluten-free by using rice panko breadcrumbs (more info on where to find them below!).

Fresh parsley -- use triple the amount of fresh parsley in place of the dried herb if you have it on hand or prefer it.

Chili powder -- a pinch of cayenne pepper can be used in place of the ancho chili powder, but it will add more heat to the sauce.

Mayonnaise -- traditional or avocado oil mayonnaise can be used in place of the Hellman's/Best Foods olive oil mayo. Doing so will add fat and calories to the recipe, however.

What is jerk seasoning and where do you find it?

Jerk refers to a method of cooking (called "jerking) where you puncture the protein or meat with a wooden skewer, fork, or knife in order to penetrate the meat with the seasoning.

Jerk seasoning, or spice, is most frequently used for jerk recipes. It is a Jamaican spice blend full of complex flavors -- allspice, dried onion and garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and other seasonings.

I love my Jerk Seasoning Blend from Savory Spice shop. You can order it online or drop into a store near you. There are some delicious jerk seasoning blends on Amazon, Whole Foods, or most major United State grocery stores, however. Feel free to shop around and see which you like the best!

Can you make jerk seasoning?

Yes, you can definitely make your own Jamaican jerk seasoning for this recipe if you would rather do that! Jo -- over at Jo Cooks -- has a fantastic recipe for a homemade jerk seasoning blend.

Use the same amount of your homemade spice blend as you would use a pre-made or store-bought in the recipe. 🙂

What buns are best for burgers?

How do you make these burgers gluten-free?

To make these burgers gluten-free, use coconut liquid aminos instead of soy sauce, rice panko breadcrumbs, and gluten-free hamburger buns.

You can find coconut aminos and rice panko bread crumbs at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and some major grocery store chains here in the United States. Canyon Bake House and Udi's make some pretty decent gluten-free hamburger buns, too.

How to make these turkey burgers:

First, we'll mix up and shape our burgers and whip together our burger sauce. Then we'll grill the burgers, toast, the buns and dinner will be ready in under 25 minutes! Read the directions below for how to make these Jamaican Jerk Turkey Burgers:

1. Heat your grill up to medium or medium-high heat, or to around 400 degrees. Clean your grill grates off with a grill brush.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground turkey, salt, minced sweet onion, orange zest, soy sauce or liquid aminos, teaspoon dried parsley, panko breadcrumbs, and jerk seasoning together with a large wooden spoon or your hands until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the ground meat.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, minced sweet onions, dried parsley, orange juice, and ancho chili powder until combined. Set aside.
4. Divide the meat into four equal portions and shape into burger patties about ½ inch thick.
5. Add the burgers to the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes, turning the burgers every 2-3 minutes, or until the burgers are cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the grill on.
6. Remove the burgers from the grill and cover them with aluminum foil or a large bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes.
7. While the burgers rest split the buns and toast them on the grill for 20-45 seconds on each side, or until the buns are toasted and have light grill marks.
8. Remove the buns from the grill and turn the grill off. Brush the bottom bun with 1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise. Place a burger, tomato slice, and romaine leaf on top before covering with the top of the bun and serve hot!

Tips for grilling the best turkey burgers:

Follow these few pro-tips to make the best & juiciest turkey burgers:

1. Pre-heat your grill and brush down the grates before adding the burgers -- this will make sure the heat is as even as possible and will prevent the burgers from sticking to the grill.
2. Keep an eye on your grill's "hot spots" -- most grills have at least one or 2 hotspots. As your burgers cook, notice if any are cooking faster than others and either move the burgers away from that spot or rotate the different burgers through it so they cook evenly.
3. Don't press down on the burgers with your grill spatula -- even if it's tempting, don't press down on the burgers while they cook. This will squeeze out those tasty juices we want to keep inside the meat!
4. Flip the burgers every 2-3 minutes -- it will feel like it goes by quickly, so you want to keep an eye on how long you cook the burgers. Turn the burgers every 2-3 minutes so they don't burn or cook unevenly.
5. Let the burgers rest before serving -- 5 minutes of resting will let the burger juices redistribute within the patty, making the burgers juicier than if you didn't let them rest. To keep the burgers warm, loosely cover them with foil or a large bowl.

Can you also grill these burgers on the stovetop?

Yes, you can also grill these burgers on the stove top!

For best success, use a cast-iron skillet or a stovetop grill pan sprayed with non-stick spray over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for 7-10 minutes, flipping every 2-3 minutes, or until the burgers are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

What tools do you need to make these burgers?

• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Microplane zester
• Measuring spoons & cups
• Grill or stovetop grill pan
• Grilling utensils

What can you serve with these burgers?

There are so many different ways to serve these burgers. Depending on the season and how hungry you are, you can serve your burgers with the following

• Fruit: canteloupe, orange slices, or watermelon
• Quinoa salad
• Cuban black beans
• Potato chips
• Hummus & veggies
• Pasta salad
• Green salad

More turkey and burger recipes you might like:

• Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
• Turkey Sloppy Joes
• Instant Pot Turkey Chili {+ Video!}
• Easy Turkey Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Turkey Carnitas

Other quick and tasty dinner recipes:

• Cuban Sheet Pan Chicken
• Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
• Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
• Chicken and Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry
• Healthy Macaroni and Cheese (Stovetop or Baked!)
• Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken and Rice

Looking for drink pairings? Serve these burgers with my Pomegranate Sea Breeze co*cktails.

If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!