Pizza Burgers (turkey burgers)

At a glance

What stands out: Pizza burgers, made with ground turkey, are packed with all the good stuff you love about pizza. There’s nothing boring about these burgers! Pizza burgers are juicy, tender, and so flavorful, due to all the pizza fixings.

How long it takes: 30 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: broiler, rimmed baking sheet, large bowl, grater
Servings: 4

From-scratch Turkey Burgers

We love making turkey burgers. Ground turkey has a less assertive flavor than beef, so it’s straightforward to add your own special signature to the meat by adding different seasonings and/or toppings. Today we're bringing you something a little different, a pizza burger recipe, with a taste of Italy. (Be sure to try our Caprese turkey burgers, too!)

A standby Pizza Burgers

If you love pizza, you’ll love these burgers. Pizza burgers take everything good about pizza and stuff it all into a burger: pepperoni, cheese, sauce, and fresh basil. (we may have a pizza fixation. We just counted and there are 34 posts on our site that feature some variation of pizza.)

So much flavor! You’ll love these juicy turkey burgers, seasoned with garlic, oregano, and onion, and studded with bits of spicy pepperoni and Parmesan cheese. And we don’t stop there! These are pizza burgers so they are topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil, just like your favorite pizza.

Broiled, not grilled. Don’t worry if your grill happens to be covered with snow; these burgers are broiled in the oven. From-scratch turkey burgers tend to be softer and you’ll find that broiling is an easier option than grilling. Clean-up is a breeze because you broil them on foil. You can also make them in your air fryer (try air fryer turkey burgers).

What goes in

• Ground Turkey: There are different types of ground turkey, just like ground beef. We usually recommend 85/15 (that is, 15% fat content) because the burgers just taste better with a little fat. If you prefer, go to 93/7 but we wouldn’t recommend fat free (ground turkey breast) because it makes a pretty dry burger.
• Pepperoni: Just a little bit of pepperoni (1 ounce) goes a long way to flavor the burgers. If you prefer, buy turkey pepperoni. Sliced pepperoni keeps for a long time in the fridge and can be used to add extra pizzazz to sandwiches, casseroles, and yes, pizza.
• Onion: A small yellow cooking onion is reliable for this recipe. You don’t need a lot of onion and it’s grated so there won’t be large pieces in the burger. Finely chopped green onion is a good substitute.
• Egg: The egg works as a binder, along with the panko. It helps hold the burger together, and keeps it tender and moist.
• Panko Bread Crumbs: Panko is coarser than regular bread crumbs. If you happen to substitute regular bread crumbs for the panko, use a bit less. For a gluten-free option, substitute rolled or speedy oats or a gluten-free bread crumb. From-scratch breadcrumbs are straightforward to mix, too, and you can use day-old bread.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grated or finely shredded cheese adds lots of flavor to the burger mix and a bit of saltiness, too.
• Dried Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper: These simple seasonings give the burgers an Italian flair.
• Pizza Sauce: Instead of ketchup, these burgers are topped with pizza sauce. Any type of pizza sauce is fine, including from-scratch pizza sauce. Marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce will work as well.
• Mozzarella Cheese: What’s a pizza without cheese? if you prefer, substitute fresh mozzarella.
• Fresh Basil: Use large basil leaves as a flavorful substitute for lettuce on your burgers. If fresh basil isn’t available, a few baby spinach leaves or lettuce will do just fine although you’ll miss that lovely basil.

How it comes together

Get started. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for straightforward clean-up. The burgers are broiled in the oven, so get your oven preheating on high, too. The rack should be in the upper third of your oven.

Prep ingredients. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the ground turkey, pepperoni, panko,, seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Peel the onion and grate it over the bowl, so you catch both the onion and the juices.

Combine. If you aren’t squeamish about getting your hands getting sticky, go ahead and mix it all up with your fingers. It’s a standby way to get things thoroughly blended together. You don’t want to overmix the meat mixture or the result will be tough burgers. When it looks like it’s coming together, it’s time to stop squishing it.

Form the mixture into four patties. Make the burgers a little thinner in the centers. The burgers need to be cooked all the way through and thinner centers mean that the burgers will cook more evenly.

Broil. Place the burgers on the pan you prepared and place them under the broiler, flipping them once. The internal temp of the burger should be 165°F with an instant read thermometer, and the meat no longer pink inside.

Cooking Tip

From-scratch turkey burgers are softer than ground beef patties and tend to fall apart when you grill or pan fry them. Whichever method you choose, make sure the first side of the burgers is well-cooked before you flip them. The burger will taste better too! (This hint holds true for most foods that are flipped.)

Add toppings. Take the burgers out of the oven but leave the broiler on. Spread a little pizza sauce on each burger, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and briefly broil again until the cheese is melted.

Assemble burgers. Butter and toast four hamburger buns, if desired. It does make a difference when you do that simple step. Place the burgers on the buns (go ahead and add a little sauce to the bottom bun, too, if you like!) and top with several fresh basil leaves. Think of the basil as lettuce, so go ahead and put a bunch on.

Serve. Enjoy! Don’t forget dessert! A from-scratch snickerdoodle cookie or oatmeal cookie is always a good idea. These blueberry crumb bars are pretty memorable, too.

Ways to change it

• Not a fan of ground turkey? Make this recipe with ground beef or ground chicken.
• Shortcut option: Cook store-bought frozen turkey burgers according to package directions and top with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
• Gluten-free: Substitute rolled or speedy oats (or GF breadcrumbs) for the panko. Serve the burgers without buns or on a gluten-free bun.
• Skip the bun: A pizza burger can easily be a fork and knife meal. Omit the buns and serve with a salad, or with pasta, or roasted broccoli.
• Try a different flavor option. Pretty much anything goes on a turkey burger. Think outside of the box a little. While the usual condiments (ketchup, mustard, etc.) are fine, try adding flair with less common toppings. How about a taco burger with southwestern seasonings, guacamole, salsa, and cotija cheese or a fajita burger with grilled onions and peppers? Make a Greek burger, seasoned with oregano and garlic, and topped with tzatziki.

Ground Turkey Meatballs

Did you know that you can use ground turkey to make rich meatballs, too? Try baked Italian-style turkey meatballs or Greek meatballs.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Refrigerator: Prep the burgers (without toppings) a day ahead. Form into patties, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. You’ll have dinner on the table in about fifteen minutes.

Freezer: The uncooked patties can be frozen for up to 2 months. Place a layer of waxed paper or parchment paper between each one so they don’t stick together, and put into a freezer safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results.

Keeping leftovers

Leftover burgers: Wrap the leftover burgers well (without the buns) and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cooked burgers without toppings can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: If your leftover burgers already have the toppings added, reheat them in the microwave. If the burgers aren’t topped with the sauce and cheese, it’s best to heat them in a toaster oven or air fryer until heated through, add toppings, and heat briefly until the cheese melts.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #13 or Meal Plan #48. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list.

Browse Meal Plans

Pizza Quesadilla

This picture has nothing to do with the burgers but it’s been awhile since we posted a picture of E (and we just can’t help myself).

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 ounce sliced pepperoni, finely chopped, about ⅓ cup
• 1 small yellow onion, grated or finely diced (grate over bowl to catch juices)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper

Topping:

• ¼ cup pizza sauce, more if desired
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 12 to 18 large basil leaves (they will be standing in for lettuce)

Method

1. Preheat oven broiler (High) with the oven rack in the top third of the oven. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean up.
2. Combine turkey, pepperoni, onion, egg, Parmesan, bread crumbs, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Use your hands to blend it together. Don’t over-mix, just make sure everything is well distributed.
3. Shape into patties about ½ inch thick (make them slightly thinner in the middle) and place on prepared sheet pan.
4. Broil on high for 6 to 7 minutes or until browned, flip burgers over, and continue to cook for about 4 to 6 minutes or until burgers are cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).
5. Top each burger with a tablespoon of sauce and a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Broil for an additional 1 minute or until cheese is melted.
6. Place burgers on buns (toasted if desired) and top with fresh basil leaves and more pizza sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-free: Substitute rolled or speedy oats for the panko bread crumbs. Serve the burgers on gluten-free buns or serve without a bun.

Cheese option: Slices of fresh mozzarella can be substituted for the shredded mozzarella cheese, if you prefer.

Make ahead: Uncooked burger patties made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated or they can be frozen up to two months. Place waxed paper or parchment paper between each burger before placing in a freezer safe container or bag. Thaw overnight for best results.

Nutrition: The information below is calculated for a burger with the toppings, but does not include the bun.

Recipe updated 3/3/2022.