Air Fryer Burgers (turkey + beef)

These air fryer burgers come out so juicy and cook through with no oil necessary! A great way to cook your burgers when you want to keep your kitchen cool.

I've always loved cooking my burgers in a frying pan, particularly turkey burgers, as it keeps them nice and juicy. But after trying them in the air fryer, I'm not sure I can cook them any other way now! They are juicy, require no oil, and are cooked through so quickly!

These air fryer burgers can use ground beef or ground turkey, either way they come out so delicious, with an ever so slight crisp edge, and soft, tender and juicy on the inside.

Serve these burgers up with this cucumber salad or a side of air fryer potato wedges for a delicious meal!

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Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these air fryer burgers. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

Ingredient notes

• ground beef- we tested these air fryer burgers with lean ground beef as well as ground turkey, and both were great. It's possible that other types of ground meat would work as well! When using ground turkey, make sure to avoid extra lean or ground turkey breast as they can come out drier.
• egg- the egg is required to help the burger stick together; we have not tested an egg-free version of this recipe, but if you give it a try, we'd love for you to leave us a comment below!
• breadcrumbs- helps to bind the meat and form the patties; ground beef required less breadcrumbs than ground turkey. Gluten-free breadcrumbs should work just fine.

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Step by step directions

1. Mix- In a bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, worcestershire, salt and egg. When completely combined, add the breadcrumbs and mix until integrated evenly.

TIP- over-mixing can yield dense patties; fold the mixture in gently or mix using your hands.

2. Form patties- Divide the mixture into four, then take ¼ of the mixture into the palm of your hand. Work it into a 3-4 inch diameter circular patty that is of even thickness across. Do not exceed 1 inch in thickness. Repeat until you have four patties.

TIP- pressing an indentation into the middle of the burger helps prevent the burgers from puffing up in the middle (which in turn helps them cook through evenly)

3. Cook- Pre-heat the air fryer to 400ºF for at least 5 minutes, then add the burger patties to the basket. Cook for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Check the internal temperature has reached 160°F before removing from the air fryer.

TIP- we tested these air fryer burgers in a basket- style Cosori XL air fryer and an oven-style Instant Pot Vortex air fryer oven, and found cook times to be remarkably similar in each. When using an oven-style air fryer, use the lowest rack.

Preparing ahead

Fridge

• raw patties may be stored in a covered dish in the fridge for up to 24 hours
• after cooking, patties may be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
• to reheat, cook in a covered frying pan for 3-4 minutes per side, until heated through

Freezer

• raw patties may be frozen on a baking sheet for 2-3 hours, then transferred to a freezer bag or meal prep container. Separate patties using strips of wax or parchment paper

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Tips for the BEST burgers

• use a digital thermometer- burgers can go from juicy to dry quickly, and the only way to know if they are cooked through is to check the internal temperature has reached 160°F
• handle carefully- raw patties are somewhat delicate until they are cooked (particularly turkey patties).
• do not over-mix the patty meat- a great way to ensure your meat mixture is *just* mixed is to do it by hand
• choose the best meat- avoid 'lean ground turkey' or 'turkey breast' when using ground turkey. For ground beef, we used lean ground beef.
• toast your bun- toasting the buns with a little butter before serving adds so much delicious flavor and improves the texture of soft buns

Serve it with