Healthy Meal Prep Turkey Burger

Finding a healthy, satisfying lunch option that won’t derail your weekly meal prep routine can feel like an uphill battle. After all, nutritious meals are hard to come by when you’re juggling work deadlines, school pickup schedules, and the endless cycle of planning what to eat next, and it gets even trickier when you’re trying to keep everyone in the family happy.

Fortunately, these meal prep turkey burgers hit all the right notes: they’re packed with lean protein, freeze beautifully for busy weeks ahead, and work perfectly with whatever toppings and sides you already have in your fridge.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For the best turkey burgers, you’ll want to look for ground turkey that’s around 85-93% lean, which gives you a good balance of flavor and moisture without being too greasy. Avoid the super lean 99% fat-free ground turkey since it tends to make dry, tough burgers that nobody wants to eat. If you can find ground turkey that includes both dark and white meat, that’s your best bet since the dark meat adds extra flavor and juiciness. When you’re at the store, check the package date and choose the freshest option available, and don’t be afraid to ask the butcher if they have any ground turkey that was prepared that day.

Options for Substitutions

This meal prep turkey burger recipe is pretty adaptable to what you have on hand:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. Just keep in mind that turkey and chicken are leaner, so they might need a bit more seasoning or a splash of olive oil to keep them moist.
• Russet potatoes: Red potatoes or sweet potatoes work great too. Sweet potatoes will give you a slightly different flavor and might cook a bit faster, so keep an eye on them.
• Scallions: If you don’t have scallions, try finely diced yellow onion (about 1/4 cup) or even chives. You could also skip them entirely if onions aren’t your thing.
• Romaine lettuce: Any sturdy lettuce works here – butter lettuce, iceberg, or even spinach leaves. For a low-carb option, you can use large lettuce leaves as burger wraps instead of buns.
• Dried dill: Fresh dill is always nice if you have it (use about 1 tablespoon), or you can substitute with dried oregano or Italian seasoning for a different flavor profile.
• Cayenne pepper: Too spicy? Cut it in half or leave it out completely. Want more heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the turkey mixture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking ground turkey burgers is not adding enough seasoning or moisture, since turkey is naturally leaner than beef and can easily turn out dry and bland – make sure to mix your spices thoroughly and don’t skip the scallions, which add both flavor and moisture.

Another common error is overcooking the patties, so use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F and remove them immediately to prevent them from becoming tough.

For your potato wedges, skipping the salt water soak will result in soggy fries instead of crispy ones, so give them the full soaking time and pat them completely dry before seasoning and baking.

Finally, don’t press down on the burger patties while they’re cooking – this squeezes out all the juices and leaves you with dry, compressed burgers instead of juicy ones.

What to Serve With Turkey Burgers?

These turkey burgers are perfect for meal prep since they’re already packed with seasoned potato wedges and fresh veggies! If you’re eating them right away, the burger buns make it a complete meal, but for meal prep, I love serving them over a bed of mixed greens or quinoa for a lighter option. You can also pair them with some roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or carrots to round out your meal prep containers. For a fun twist, try wrapping the burger in a large lettuce leaf instead of a bun, or serve it alongside some sweet potato fries for extra flavor.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These turkey burgers are perfect for meal prep! Store the cooked patties in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to keep the potato wedges separate from the burgers so they don’t get soggy, and store all the fresh toppings like lettuce and tomato in their own containers.

Freeze: You can freeze the cooked turkey patties for up to 3 months in freezer-safe bags with parchment paper between each one. The potato wedges freeze well too, but I’d skip freezing the fresh veggies since they don’t hold up as well.

Warm Up: To enjoy your meal prep burgers, just heat the patties in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or microwave for about 60 seconds. The potato wedges crisp up nicely in the oven at 400°F for 5-7 minutes, or you can use an air fryer for 3-4 minutes.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 33-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-115 g

Ingredients

For the potato fries:

• Nonstick spray
• 1 cup warm water (for soaking)
• 1 tbsp salt (for soaking)
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into wedges or half-moons
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the turkey patties:

• 16 oz ground turkey
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

For assembling and serving:

• 8 romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 roma (or plum) tomato, sliced
• 3 burger buns (optional)

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet

• nonstick spray

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.

This will ensure your fries come out crispy and won’t stick to the pan.

Step 2: Soak and Dry the Potato Wedges

• 1 cup warm water (for soaking)
• 1 tbsp salt (for soaking)
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into wedges or half-moons

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water in a medium bowl.

Add the cut russet potatoes and enough extra water to cover them completely.

Let the potatoes soak for at least 15 minutes.

After soaking, drain the potatoes and pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel.

This soaking step helps remove excess starch, making the fries crispier when baked.

Step 3: Season and Bake the Potato Wedges

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• drained and dried potato wedges (from Step 2)

In the same bowl used for soaking, combine garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the dried potatoes, then use your hands to toss and coat the wedges evenly with spices and oil.

Spread the seasoned potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure none of them touch for optimal crisping.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping the fries after 15 minutes, until they are crisp and lightly browned.

Step 4: Prepare and Shape the Turkey Burger Patties

• 16 oz ground turkey
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin

While the fries are baking, combine the ground turkey, thinly sliced scallions, salt, pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin in a large bowl.

Mix until just combined, then form into 3 large patties using your hands.

I like to toss in a pinch of any extra spices I feel like for a twist—you can do the same if you want to experiment!

Step 5: Cook the Turkey Burger Patties

• 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
• formed turkey patties (from Step 4)

Heat a skillet over medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it heat for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the formed turkey patties (from Step 4) to the pan and cook for about 7-9 minutes per side, flipping as needed, until fully cooked through.

I found mine took a little longer than expected, so don’t be afraid to flip them a couple of times for an even sear.

Step 6: Assemble the Burgers and Serve

• 8 romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 roma (or plum) tomato, sliced
• burgers (from Step 5)
• baked potato wedges (from Step 3)
• 3 burger buns (optional)

Place each cooked turkey patty on a romaine lettuce leaf, then top with sliced red onion and tomato.

Add the baked potato wedges (from Step 3) to the plate or alongside the burgers.

If using buns, add the patties, lettuce, onion, and tomato between the burger buns as desired.

Let everything cool for about 30 minutes before refrigerating if storing.

Eat within 4 days and add your favorite garnishes or sauces before eating.

I like to add a dollop of spicy mayo or some fresh herbs just before serving for an extra kick!

Healthy Meal Prep Turkey Burger

Delicious Healthy Meal Prep Turkey Burger recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 4

Calories 1125 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the potato fries:

• nonstick spray
• 1 cup warm water (for soaking)
• 1 tbsp salt (for soaking)
• 2 russet potatoes, cut into wedges or half-moons
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the turkey patties:

• 16 oz ground turkey
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

For assembling and serving:

• 8 romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 roma (or plum) tomato, sliced
• 3 burger buns (optional)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. This will ensure your fries come out crispy and won't stick to the pan.
• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water in a medium bowl. Add the cut russet potatoes and enough extra water to cover them completely. Let the potatoes soak for at least 15 minutes. After soaking, drain the potatoes and pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. This soaking step helps remove excess starch, making the fries crispier when baked.
• In the same bowl used for soaking, combine garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the dried potatoes, then use your hands to toss and coat the wedges evenly with spices and oil. Spread the seasoned potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure none of them touch for optimal crisping. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping the fries after 15 minutes, until they are crisp and lightly browned.
• While the fries are baking, combine the ground turkey, thinly sliced scallions, salt, pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin in a large bowl. Mix until just combined, then form into 3 large patties using your hands. I like to toss in a pinch of any extra spices I feel like for a twist—you can do the same if you want to experiment!
• Heat a skillet over medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it heat for another 1-2 minutes. Add the formed turkey patties (from Step 4) to the pan and cook for about 7-9 minutes per side, flipping as needed, until fully cooked through. I found mine took a little longer than expected, so don’t be afraid to flip them a couple of times for an even sear.
• Place each cooked turkey patty on a romaine lettuce leaf, then top with sliced red onion and tomato. Add the baked potato wedges (from Step 3) to the plate or alongside the burgers. If using buns, add the patties, lettuce, onion, and tomato between the burger buns as desired. Let everything cool for about 30 minutes before refrigerating if storing. Eat within 4 days and add your favorite garnishes or sauces before eating. I like to add a dollop of spicy mayo or some fresh herbs just before serving for an extra kick!