This recipe for grilled southwest turkey burgers is a healthy alternative to beef and uses vibrant ingredients like peppers and cumin to give it lots of extra spicy flavor.
Turkey burgers can be really dry, and I guess that's part of the reason they are not as tasty as beef burgers. Since we love Mexican and southwest flavors, I thought I could doctor up some ground turkey, to make a healthy, yet tasty, southwest grilled turkey burger.
I was thinking about meatloaf without the extra bread. Adding peppers, onions, and chili seasoning to give this burger a ton of extra flavor.
Spray the grill with vegetable oil before turning it on to make sure the burgers don't stick.
Then, grill the burgers on each side for about 5 minutes or until they are cooked through.
This recipe uses a pound of turkey. But, when you add in the onions and peppers it makes four, nice sized burgers.
These taste great on a traditional burger roll but also in little pita pockets.
You can also make it low carb by skipping the bun and using a couple of large lettuce leaves instead.
Sides to serve with Southwest Turkey Burgers:
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
- Southwest Rice and Black Bean Casserole
- Smokey Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread
Traditional toppings are perfect for these burgers. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles are the norm. You can even use ketchup, mayo or mustard if you'd like. However, there are many other options to consider.
Condiments to serve with Southwest Turkey Burgers
- Sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Guacamole
- Red Salsa
- Salsa Verde
- Pickled jalapeno slices
- Manchego or Pepper Jack Cheese
Why not make a topping bar with all the many options and let everyone create their own fabulous burger.
P.S. If you are a big fan of Mexican and/or Southwest flavors, you might also enjoy my Chicken and Black Bean Casserole recipe.

Southwest Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped peppers hot or mild or both
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 1 large clove of garlic grated
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 t chopped basil leaves cilantro would be good too
Instructions
- Heat grill on high.
- Combine all ingredients and pat out four burgers
- Grilled on high heat for about 5 minutes on each side.
- Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Carole West
Yum - right on with my menu minus the bread. Love food with a southwest style and I just happen to have a bundle of cilantro handy so trying this over the weekend. Thanks!
Patti Estep
Great! I think you'll love them Carole. Enjoy.