Do you love the delicious taste of homemade burgers, but wish you could put a new twist on a classic fave? This Thai Turkey Burger just might be your new favorite homemade burger recipe.

Overhead angle view of Thai turkey burger on crumpled brown paper with cilantro garnish — This Thai turkey burger is not your typical turkey burger! Juicy and flavorful, this burger will be a hit at any backyard barbecue!

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Burgers are delicious all year long; there's just something about juicy grilled meat, crisp veggies, and your favorite toppings that make them almost everyone's go-to classic dinner.

Whether you're enjoying classic American bacon cheeseburgers, the gourmet taste of bleu cheese burgers, or the southern flavors of Crock Pot Barbeque Burgers, burgers are delicious.

But these Thai turkey burgers take it to a whole other level that will make your mouth water. The classic goodness of a burger meets the light yet slightly dusky taste of turkey meat on the grill with a sweet yet spicy Asian twist.

Your next backyard BBQ menu is doing to wow your friends and delight your family. Just like Mushroom Swiss Burgers, these Thai burgers are a unique and gourmet take on the classic dish.

Why I love this homemade burger recipe

Turkey burgers are a great foundation for this zesty, Thai inspired homemade burger recipe. Lower in fat than a traditional beef burger with a slightly milder flavor that really showcases your crisp, fresh slaw and homemade Thai sauce, they are just right for this recipe. Just be sure to cook them all the way; unlike beef, well done is the only acceptable option.

The magic happens in the cool crispness of Asian slaw and the tangy sweetness of Thai glaze.

The simple Asian inspired cole slaw is easy because you can start with a mix of bagged, mixed broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage. The dressing is soy sauce (or you can use Coconut Amino's if you're avoiding soy), lime juice, and vinegar.

Try to use a slaw mix with the purple cabbage if you can find it, as the combination of flavors really punches the overall tastes in this homemade Thai turkey burger recipe up a notch.

The savory Thai sauce will remind you of peanut chicken. The flavor of red curry, the savory peanut butter, the tang of lime, and the sweetness of honey converge to make this backyard burger a decadent and luxurious experience. Who knew burgers could be so yummy?

Front angle view of Thai turkey burger nestled on a bed of lettuce and piled high with peanut sauce and Asian-style slaw. — There is nothing dry or flavorless about this Thai turkey burger! It's a juicy, tasty patty piled high with colorful, delicious textures and flavors.

The best part is that even though the flavors border on elegant, you're still enjoying the classic burger on a bun experience that's just right for summer evenings, family gatherings, casual BBQs, and grilling season.

Sweet, refreshing, flavorful, and just a bit smoky, this Asian inspired burger is the perfect twist on your favorite homemade burger recipe.

Feeling adventurous? Check out this recipe for smoked burgers. Slow smoking is the key to these juicy, delicious burgers!

How To Make This Homemade Burger Recipe

Turkey Burger Patty Ingredients

Gather your ingredients for the burger patties: ground turkey, onion, garlic, red curry paste, and dried cilantro. The onion and garlic can be fresh, or you can use frozen onion and jarred minced garlic if you like to keep things super-easy!

Overhead view of ground turkey, onion, garlic, curry paste, and dried cilantro. — Gather your ingredients to make the burger patties.

Step 1.

Place the burger patty ingredients in a medium bowl.

Overhead view of burger patty ingredients in a white bowl ready to be mixed together. — The burger patty ingredients are ready to be combined.

Step 2.

Mix well!

Overhead view of ground tukey mixed with onion, garlic, curry paste, and dried cliantro — Mix all the burger ingredients together before forming into patties.

Step 3.

Form the ground turkey mixture into 4 patties, and place on the grill.

Overhead view of 4 formed patties place on the grill top, ready to be cooked! — The turkey burger patties are ready for cooking!

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

While the turkey burgers are cooking, gather the ingredients for the peanut sauce: chunky peanut butter, honey, red curry paste, lime juice and soy sauce. The lime juice can be fresh or from a bottle.

Overhead view of honey, chunky peanut butter, red curry paste, lime juice, and soy sauce. — Gather your ingredients to make the peanut sauce.

Step 4.

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl.

Overhead view of the finished peanut sauce in a small white bowl — The peanut sauce is the shining star of this homemade burger recipe!

Slaw Ingredients

Gather your ingredients for the Asian-style slaw: broccoli slaw (or shredded cabbage), rice vinegar, soy cause, and lime juice. Try to pick colorful broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage for the prettiest burger presentation!

Overhead view of rice vinegar, broccoli slaw, soy sauce, and lime juice. — Gather your ingredients to make the Asian-style slaw.

Step 5.

Place the slaw ingredients together in a medium bowl and toss to thoroughly combine.

Overhead view of colorful broccoli slaw with carrot and red cabbage shreds in a medium white bowl. — The broccoli slaw balances this homemade burger recipe out with a nice crunchy texture and tangy flavor!

Step 6.

The burger patties are ready once they are cooked to well-done (use a meat thermometer to make sure the centers are at least 165 degrees F)

Overhead view of delicious looking burgers cooking on a grill top with attractive grill marks — These Thai turkey burger patties are almost done!

Tips for making this Homemade Burger Recipe perfect every time

You can substitute rice vinegar for the rice wine vinegar. Rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are actually the same thing.
Don't overcook the burger. Use an electronic meat thermometer and check often once they start to look cooked on the outside.
Make sure you preheat the grill so that you will get a nice sear on the outside to seal in those juices. Plus, your patties won't be as likely to stick to the grill.
Cook on medium high heat. If the heat is too high, the outside will get dry while the inside is not cooked. If the heat is too low, you will need to cook it for too long and the meat will dry out.
Don't skip the onion in the patties. They are a huge help in keeping those turkey burgers from drying out.

Variations for this homemade burger recipe

Feel free to use beef instead of turkey if you prefer! It will definitely give you a different, yet still delicious result.
You can use bagged shredded cabbage instead of the broccoli slaw.
If you like some heat in your burgers, add some sriracha sauce in either the burger mixture or the peanut sauce mixture (or both). I like to add it in the peanut sauce mixture because it is easy to test the level of heat and add more if needed.
Add more purple cabbage to the slaw if you want a more colorful crunch.
Add some chopped scallions to the slaw for an even bigger flavor experience.

Side angle view of Thai turkey burger on a bun topped with peanut sauce and Asian-style slaw — This homemade burger recipe will blow you away with all the complementary tastes and textures!

Related Recipes

Interested in more ground turkey recipes? Try this amazing Ground Turkey Pasta with Broccoli. It's perfect for any busy weekend!

Or for a different ground turkey casserole option, you can check out my Ground Turkey Alfredo Casserole.

Or for something a little different, make these easy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs (oven directions also provided).