Healthy Flaxseed Turkey Burgers
These healthy turkey burgers are simple, nourishing, and made from real ingredients. Instead of breadcrumbs, this recipe uses ground flaxseed for a natural binder. It adds fiber, healthy fats, and keeps the burgers tender and juicy. Flaxseed Turkey burgers are packed with protein and rich flavor. Serve them on fresh sourdough buns or wrap them in crisp lettuce for an easy, wholesome meal your whole family will love.
We raised our first round of 12 turkeys in 2025, so naturally I have been working on turkey recipes. These turkey burgers are definitely one of our favorite ways to use our abundance of turkey meat! Cooking and grilling burgers outside on my Blackstone griddle is my favorite way to welcome warmer temperatures.
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Jump to RecipeServing Ideas
- On a freshly baked fresh milled + sourdough bun
- Wrapped in butter lettuce with sliced avocado and homemade pickles
- Over a big salad with olive oil + lemon dressing
- Chopped for burger bowls
We like to top burgers with seasonal foods. In the summer lettuce and tomatoes. In the winter sprouts, pickles, red beets, sauerkraut, fermented jalapenos, etc.
The best part of burgers is being creative with the sides! We love eating seasonally so our sides change with the seasons.
Why Use Ground Flax?
- Adds fiber for digestion
- Natural binder (no breadcrumbs needed)
- Contains plant-based omega-3 fatty acids
- Keeps burgers moist without processed fillers
Ingredients
- Ground turkey – I grind it myself using turkey breast
- Ground flaxseed – for maximum benefits I buy the whole flax seeds and grind it myself with our coffee grinder
- Egg
- Onion – finely chopped
- Garlic – minced
- Parsley
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Oregano
- Liquid smoke – optional, but is my secret to adding a rich slightly smokey flavor
Liquid smoke adds a rich slightly smokey flavor!
Equipment/Ingredients I Use
- Flax Seeds
- Liquid Smoke – be careful what brand you buy, a lot of them have caramel color. This brand has simple ingredients and you can look up online to see their process of how they make it.
- Coffee Grinder
- Meat Grinder
- Blackstone Griddle
Making Flaxseed Turkey Burgers
Mix the flax binder
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 5 minutes to gel slightly. This helps hold the burgers together naturally.
Chop
While the flaxseed is gelling, chop the onion and mince the garlic.
Combine ingredients
Next, in a large bowl, gently mix the turkey, flax mixture, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and liquid smoke. Mix until just combined.
Form patties
For standard size burgers, divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties about ¾-inch thick. Alternatively, for kid-sized burgers or sliders, divide into smaller portions.
Cook
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, cook patties for 5–6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Alternatively, grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. My go-to is cooking them on my Blackstone griddle.
Rest
Finally, let the burgers rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juices.
Grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side
Tips for the Best Turkey Burgers
- Mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make turkey burgers dense and tough instead of tender.
- Press your thumb into the middle of each patty. This helps the burgers cook evenly and prevents puffing.
- If the heat is too high, the outside can dry out before the inside cooks through. Steady medium heat keeps them juicy.
- Give the burgers a few minutes after cooking. This way, the juices stay inside instead of running out.
- A flat top, like a Blackstone, gives an even cook and a great sear.
Healthy Flaxseed Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey preferably pasture-raised
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp finely minced onion
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp liquid smoke optional, but adds depth
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 5 minutes to gel slightly. This helps hold the burgers together naturally.
- While the flaxseed is gelling, chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Next, in a large bowl, gently mix the turkey, flax mixture, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and liquid smoke. Mix until just combined.
- For standard size burgers, divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties about ¾-inch thick. For kid-sized burgers or sliders, divide into smaller portions.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, cook patties for 5–6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- OR grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. My go-to is cooking them on my Blackstone griddle.
- Finally, let the burgers rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juices.
Notes
- Mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make turkey burgers dense and tough instead of tender.
- Press your thumb into the middle of each patty. This helps the burgers cook evenly and prevents puffing.
- If the heat is too high, the outside can dry out before the inside cooks through. Steady medium heat keeps them juicy.
- Give the burgers a few minutes after cooking. This way, the juices stay inside instead of running out.
- A flat top, like a Blackstone, gives an even cook and a great sear.
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