Turkey Burger Sliders
These turkey burger sliders are individual mini burgers, not a pull-apart tray. Each has a browned patty, melted cheddar, and fresh tomato, red onion, and ruffled lettuce on a soft bun with a toasted cut side. A little mayonnaise adds moisture to the turkey mixture, while gentle shaping and a thermometer help keep the small patties from drying out.
Yield: 12 sliders; serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as an appetizer. Time: About 20 minutes prep, 10 to 14 minutes cooking, and 30 to 35 minutes total.
Ingredients for Turkey Burger Sliders
- 1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey (680g)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (30g)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 soft slider buns, split
- 6 slices cheddar cheese, halved (about 100g)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, divided between the cooking surface and buns, or neutral oil for the cooking surface and butter for the buns
- 1 medium ripe tomato, cut into 12 thin slices
- 1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
- 12 small ruffled pieces green leaf lettuce
- 12 short wooden cocktail picks, for serving
Optional: About 1/3 cup mayonnaise, burger sauce, or honey mustard for spreading lightly on the buns. American cheese can replace the cheddar.
How to Grill Turkey Burger Sliders
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat a clean outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high direct heat. Slice the tomato and onion, separate the lettuce, and set out the buns, cheese, and picks. Blot especially juicy tomato slices.
- Shape the patties: Gently mix the turkey, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper just until combined. With damp hands, divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into patties about 2 1/2 inches wide, slightly wider than the buns to allow for shrinkage. Press a shallow indentation into each center. If they are too soft to handle, chill them briefly.
- Grill: Lightly oil the hot grates or pan. Add the patties with at least 1 inch between them, working in batches if needed. Cook uncovered and undisturbed for about 3 to 4 minutes, until browned underneath and easy to release. Flip once; cook about 3 to 4 minutes more without pressing on them. Begin checking the center of a patty after about 6 minutes total.
- Melt the cheese and check doneness: During the final minute of cooking, add half a cheddar slice to each patty. Close the grill lid or briefly cover the grill pan to melt the cheese. Insert an instant-read thermometer sideways into the center of a thick patty. Remove the patties when they reach 165°F (75°C); browning and cooking time alone cannot confirm that ground turkey is done.
- Toast the buns: Rest the patties on a plate for 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly oil or butter the bun cut sides and toast them cut-side down until golden with a few deeper brown patches, about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely; small buns brown quickly.
- Assemble: Spread sauce lightly on the buns, if using. Layer each bottom bun with a cheesy patty, tomato slice, red onion ring, and ruffled lettuce piece. Add the top bun and secure with a short wooden pick. Serve promptly, and remove the picks before eating.
How to Keep Turkey Slider Patties Juicy
Use 93% lean turkey when available, and mix only until the seasonings are distributed. Equal-sized patties with shallow center indentations cook more evenly; damp hands make the sticky mixture easier to shape without packing it tightly.
Let the patties release from the grill before flipping, and do not press them with a spatula. Patty thickness and grill heat affect the timing, so use the thermometer to catch them at 165°F rather than cooking longer for extra browning.
Grill Pan and Skillet Option
A grill pan or cast-iron skillet works in place of an outdoor grill. Use medium-high heat and leave space between patties so they brown rather than crowd the pan. Cover only briefly to melt the cheese, and check the center for 165°F.
Serving, Make-Ahead, and Leftovers
Arrange the sliders close together on a platter with their picks in place. Coleslaw, cucumber salad, or fries make simple sides. For another appetizer on the table, add Turkey Crescent Bites with Green Chiles.
To get ahead, shape the patties, cover them, and keep them refrigerated until ready to grill. Add the lettuce and tomato just before serving; assembling too far ahead softens the toasted buns and wilts the lettuce.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container, keeping fresh toppings separate when possible. Reheat the patties and buns separately on a baking sheet in the oven, then add fresh toppings. If you have extra ground turkey for another meal, try Ground Turkey Stir Fry with Broccoli and Rice.
Nutrition
Approximate per slider: 250 calories, 16g protein, 12g fat, and 20g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g: 220 calories, 14g protein, 11g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Estimates include the core ingredients but not optional sauce; values vary with bun size and the turkey and cheese used.
Equipment
- Outdoor grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Spatula
- Wooden cocktail picks
Ingredients
For the Turkey Patties
- 1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey (680g)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (30g)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
- 12 soft slider buns, split
- 6 slices cheddar cheese, halved (about 100g)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, divided between the cooking surface and buns
- 1 medium ripe tomato, cut into 12 thin slices
- 1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
- 12 small ruffled pieces green leaf lettuce
- 12 short wooden cocktail picks
Optional
- About 1/3 cup mayonnaise, burger sauce, or honey mustard, for spreading on buns
- Butter, for toasting the buns
- American cheese, in place of cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat a clean outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high direct heat. Slice the tomato and onion, separate the lettuce, and set out the buns, cheese, and cocktail picks.
- Gently mix the ground turkey, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- With damp hands, divide the turkey mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a patty about 2 1/2 inches wide and press a shallow indentation into the center.
- Lightly oil the hot grill grates or pan. Grill the patties, working in batches if needed, for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until browned underneath and easy to release.
- Flip the patties once and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Begin checking the internal temperature after about 6 minutes total cooking time.
- During the final minute, top each patty with half a slice of cheddar. Close the grill lid or briefly cover the pan until the cheese melts.
- Remove the patties when the center reaches 165°F (75°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Lightly oil or butter the cut sides of the slider buns. Toast cut-side down for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown.
- Spread the buns lightly with optional sauce. Layer each bottom bun with a cheesy turkey patty, tomato slice, red onion ring, and lettuce.
- Add the top buns, secure with cocktail picks, and serve promptly.
Tips
- Use 93% lean ground turkey for juicier patties.
- Mix the turkey only until the seasonings are distributed to avoid tough patties.
- Use damp hands to shape the sticky turkey mixture without packing it tightly.
- Make patties slightly wider than the buns because they shrink as they cook.
- Do not press the patties with a spatula while cooking.
- Use a thermometer and remove the patties at 165°F (75°C).
Variations
- American Cheese Sliders: Replace the cheddar with American cheese for a softer, classic burger-style melt.
- Skillet Turkey Sliders: Cook the patties in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat instead of an outdoor grill.
