I don’t care if it is “grilling season” or not. In my house, it always is, and these are a family favorite. Ground turkey mixed with diced sweet peppers, onions, and a bit of cumin and coriander, grilled until cooked through and topped with guacamole. These babies come together in about 25 minutes and work well when you want burgers but don’t want beef.
The sweet peppers keep the turkey from drying out on the grill, which is always the risk with lean meat. Mix everything by hand, form into patties, and cook for 6-8 minutes per side. The guacamole goes on top with fresh cilantro, and you’re done.
Nothing is really complicated here. Just solid burgers that won’t fall apart on the grill and taste delicious without requiring a lot of fuss. 
Sweet Pepper Grilled Turkey Burgers:
Make the Guacamole
Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth with some chunks.
Add the lime juice, red onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, salt, and cumin if using. Stir and taste. Cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface and refrigerate.
Make the Burgers
Put the turkey, onions, peppers, garlic, egg, and lime juice in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, coriander, and cumin. Mix again until everything is distributed evenly.
Form into 6 patties about ¾ inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each one to make a small indent.This keeps them from puffing up on the grill.
Grill
Heat the grill to 400°F and spray the grates. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side until they reach 165°F internally.
Put each burger on a bun, top with guacamole and cilantro, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Turkey is lean and dries out fast. Don’t press on the burgers while they cook or you’ll squeeze out all the moisture.
The egg and breadcrumbs hold everything together. Without them, these will fall apart.
Make the indent in the center of each patty before grilling. It actually works.
If you don’t have a grill, use a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
The guacamole can be made a couple hours ahead. Just press plastic wrap directly onto it so it doesn’t turn brown.
Mini sweet peppers are sweeter and have thinner walls than regular bell peppers. Use those if you can find them.
These freeze well uncooked. Stack them with parchment paper between each patty and freeze for up to 3 months.
Don’t overmix the turkey. Once everything is combined, stop. Overworking makes the burgers tough.
Sweet Pepper Grilled Turkey Burgers
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Juicy turkey burgers get a flavor boost from sweet peppers and a zesty lime dressing. Top with your favorite guacamole for a satisfying summer meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup white onions, diced
- 1/2 cup sweet peppers, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 burger buns
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cumin (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped for serving
Instructions
- Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth with some chunks. Add the lime juice, red onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, salt, and cumin if using. Stir and taste. Cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface and refrigerate.
- Put the turkey, onions, peppers, garlic, egg, and lime juice in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, coriander, and cumin. Mix again until everything is distributed evenly.
- Form into 6 patties about ¾ inch thick. Press your thumb into the center of each one to make a small indent.
- Heat the grill to 400°F and spray the grates. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side until they reach 165°F internally.
- Put each burger on a bun, top with guacamole and cilantro, and serve.
Notes
- Turkey is lean and dries out fast. Don’t press on the burgers while they cook or you’ll squeeze out all the moisture.
- The egg and breadcrumbs hold everything together. Without them, these will fall apart.
- Make the indent in the center of each patty before grilling. It actually works.
- If you don’t have a grill, use a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- The guacamole can be made a couple hours ahead. Just press plastic wrap directly onto it so it doesn’t turn brown.
- Mini sweet peppers are sweeter and have thinner walls than regular bell peppers. Use those if you can find them.
- These freeze well uncooked. Stack them with parchment paper between each patty and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Don’t overmix the turkey. Once everything is combined, stop. Overworking makes the burgers tough.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 100
If you liked this, you are going to love these favorite burger recipes:
Katsu Fried Chicken and Rice Burger
The Funghi Sublime: Lisa Dahl’s Award-Winning Burger Recipe
Guacamole Burgers with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I substitute for the ground turkey in this recipe?
You can use ground chicken or lean ground beef as alternatives, but keep in mind that the cooking times may vary slightly.
Why do I need to press my thumb into the center of each burger patty?
Pressing your thumb into the center helps prevent the burgers from puffing up while they grill, ensuring they cook evenly.
Can I use different types of sweet peppers in the turkey burger mixture?
Yes, you can use any color of sweet pepper, like red, yellow, or orange, depending on your preference.
Super good, my husband isn’t huge on turkey, wondering if this can be made with ground chicken??
Yes, absolutely. In fact, ground chicken is generally a little juicer than turkey, so this will turn out great!
Very fresh, I didn’t overmix the patty, so it was really light. Delicious!
I couldn’t find mini peppers, can I use regular bell peppers??
Absolutely, Lottie, you totally can. They are a little tougher than mini peppers though, so cut them a little smaller to make up for that. Will work perfectly!