Turkey Smashburger

Why This Recipe Works

After making my beef burger recipe, I got a real passion for exploring different versions of homemade burgers.

To be honest, I don’t like to overcomplicate my recipes, and of course, homemade hamburgers are VERY easy to make already. But I wanted to keep the simplicity of a burger while taking the flavor to another level.

Of course, the secret to creating the BEST burger is about testing. It took some serious trial and error to figure out how to lock in the moisture and create truly juicy hamburger patties EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. You want to feel and taste EVERYTHING with the yummy, melty cheese once you take the first bite.

As a cook, I love the feeling of making something THIS GOOD from scratch, and it goes so well with some potato wedges.

What is a Smash Burger?

A smashburger is a style of burger made by pressing balls of ground beef into a large cast-iron skillet. They usually have the BEST crispy edges, and you end up with a thin patty that cooks so fast, needing only 3 minutes in the skillet. Crazy, right?

The toppings are simple: a classic slice of American cheese, and stick to double portions to keep it like authentic street food.

Ingredients

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• Ground Turkey: Standard ground turkey retains enough fat to hold its shape when formed into a smashed burger patty. You can replace this with ground chicken, beef, or your favorite protein!
• Hot Honey: Hot honey provides a thick, sticky sweetness with a slow heat that balances the garlic. If you need a substitute, use regular honey mixed with a pinch of dry cayenne pepper.
• Brioche Buns: Brioche is the BEST option when we talk about hamburger buns. If you cannot find brioche, potato rolls are the only substitution I recommend. Avoid hard artisan rolls.
• Low-Fat Greek Yogurt: Using a heavy mayo dressing for the slaw makes the entire burger feel complete with the sauce and cheese. The yogurt brings a fresh flavor that cuts through the savory meat. You can substitute with sour cream, but Greek yogurt gives the best thick texture that will not water down your cabbage.

Karina’s Tip: My favorite toppings are always the classics: A slice of good quality cheddar cheese, fresh cos lettuce, and thick slices of dill pickle. But you can personalize your burger with mushrooms, onion, or whatever you have at home!

Note: See the recipe card for the full list of measurements and ingredients.

Best Meat for Burgers

You can use ground beef; just be sure it has a high fat content, like 20% or more.

Since I love burgers, I love to see more quality options for my body. A turkey burger was my choice for this recipe because lean ground turkey is much lower in fat and calories, but the protein is basically the same.

With Thanksgiving coming, I thought it was a great idea to have some unstuffed options this year.

You can also prepare the burger patty mixture a day before, so you can cook everything at the same time you are preparing your stuffed turkey or your Thanksgiving dinner.

How to Make a Smash Burger

Let’s be honest, there is no complicated science behind building a burger. This is more about how we build the burger and the three different stages:

• The Hot Honey Aioli Sauce
• Coleslaw
• Turkey Patty

Smash Burger Sauce

The key to a REALLY good burger is the burger sauce. That’s why hamburgers like the Big Mac are so popular, just for their signature dressing (which I recreated in my burger bowl, btw).

Now it is time to make the Hot Honey Aioli, a quick 30-second sauce that makes every bite EXPLODE.

Mix the grated garlic, lemon juice, light mayo, hot honey, and a pinch of salt. If you’re a fan of spicy, not-that-hot things, this sauce is the perfect replacement for classic BBQ sauce.

Fresh Coleslaw

This is when the veggies shine. It is completely optional, but PLEASE, you have to try it. Mix the shredded red and green cabbage, carrot, more lemon juice, low-fat Greek yogurt, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Tip: You can prep the slaw 24 hours in advance.

Smash Burger Technique at Home

When it comes to making smash burgers, the technique is EVERYTHING.

First, I gently combine the ground turkey with onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. This is the base for the homemade patties.

Because I want a pure, juicy patty, there is NO egg or filler in this mixture. I want a true burger, not a meatloaf.

Once I form the mixture into small balls (since I want to have a medium burger), it is time to cook. To get those lacy edges, place the turkey balls on the hot griddle and press them down firmly.

You can use a burger press/burger weight to get them super thin.

Let them sear undisturbed for about 3 minutes. When it is time, use a sturdy metal spatula to flip the burger, making sure to scrape up all that delicious crust from the pan.

Then, add a slice of good quality cheddar cheese right in the center of each patty.

How to Cook: Smashburger on Grill vs. Skillet

I have options when it comes to making my favourite burgers.

While the smash technique in a hot cast-iron skillet creates those lacy and crispy edges we all crave, but you can also adapt this recipe for an outdoor cookout.

The goal is always the same: keeping those juicy burger patties intact without drying out the lean turkey. Since turkey cooks differently than high-fat beef, managing your heat is crucial.

Here is a quick guide to ensure you get the best results no matter which method you choose:

How to Assemble

Then, assembling. You can put your burgers together any way you like, but I truly believe the order matters.

Since we are working with double portions, I like to follow everything in exact layers: Bottom bun → aioli sauce → lettuce & pickles → patty → cheese → patty → cheese →coleslaw → aioli sauce → top bun.