Juicy and tender Cheesy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers: a must-make 20-minute dinner! Studded with cheese and seasoned with Ranch, this easy recipe is truly one of a kind.
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Think the air fryer is just for mouth watering vegetables or tater tots?
Think again! Because you're about to have a life changing culinary experience. Bold claim, I know, but I speak from experience!
Let's go back to almost 2 years ago, when I first got my air fryer. Stoked on all the ways I could make vegetables delicious and inspired by the endless options, I browsed online round-ups for creative ways to use an air fryer.
Cinnamon rolls, pizzas, sweet potato fries, and more. I was floored about all the new opportunities to explore.
But the air fryer recipes that caught the most of my attention? Burgers, steaks, steak bites, and more. Once items I only considered for the grill or cast iron pan, my mind started wondering about how the juiciness and tenderness of meat in the air fryer would stack up.
Never one to suppress my curiosity very well (I'm sorry to anyone who meets me for the 300 questions that are likely coming your way), I set out to test the new recipes at my finger tips.
My favorite? Air fryer hamburgers. Though I made simple with just beef, salt, and garlic powder, these burgers were cooked evenly, bursting with flavorful juices, and restaurant-style tender. Swoon. 😍
Years have passed and I still make this basic burgers, but I'll also progressed into a new exciting territory, too: seasoning the burgers and studding them with shredded cheese.
It's like an air fryer cheeseburger without needing to deal with the extra step (or mess!) of melting the cheese.
And, as we're trying to keep an eye on our health around here, I often end up substituting ground turkey for the beef, too. Thanks to the air fryer, the burgers are no worse for the wear, either. Hot circulating air locks in the flavor and moisture of the meat, whereas cooking on the grill can sometimes press it out.
So, today I share with you my favorite burgers in the air fryer: cheesy turkey burgers seasoned with ranch dressing. With the taste of a restaurant beef burger, this 20-minute dinner recipe may just change the way you think about the air fryer ever again.
Ingredients
- Ground turkey - a blend of thigh and breast meat -- or 93% lean -- is best for flavor and juiciness
- Ranch dressing mix - the seasoning mix packets that come in the seasoning or dressing aisle in the grocery story, not the bottled pre-made dressing
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Worcestershire sauce
- Minced yellow or white onion - an ultra-fine mince is best
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
Substitutions
- Ground meat - ground beef, ground bison, and ground chicken can substitute for the ground turkey
- Onion - minced red onion can work in place of the white or yellow, too
- Cheese - shredded white cheddar, provolone, jack, or Monterey jack cheese are all great substitutes for the shredded sharp cheddar cheese
How to make turkey burgers in the air fryer
- With the air fryer rack, tray or basket installed, reheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2-4 minutes
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ground turkey, ranch dressing mix, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, garlic powder, black pepper, cheddar cheese, and salt until combined.
- Shape the ground meat mixture into 3 or 4 patties, according to your preference. Spray both sides of the patties with non-stick spray.
- Place the patties, with at least 1 inch of space between them, on the air fryer rack, tray, or basket. Air fry the burgers at 400 degrees until they are cooked through and the cheese is bubbling.
- Remove the burgers from the air fryer. Tent with foil and rest for 2-5 minutes.
- Serve the burgers on toasted buns with all your favorite fixings!
Recipe pro-tips
- Spray your hands with non-stick spray or coat with olive oil to keep the burgers from sticking to you. Not all ground turkey will stick to you as you shape the burgers, but this is a great way to keep them from doing so if your meat does.
- Spray the burgers with non-stick spray before air frying. This will keep the meat from sticking to the air fryer rack and to help the burgers brown up well. I recommend spraying one side of the burgers after shaping, placing that side down on the air fryer rack or tray, and then spraying the top (unsprayed) side before air frying.
- This recipe makes 3 or 4 burgers, depending on your preference. If you'd like quarter pound burgers, divide the meat into quarters and shape. If you'd like third pound burgers, divide into thirds and shape. I offer air frying cooking times for both sizes in the recipe directions.
Recipe FAQs
If you are cooking the burgers on a rack, tray, or basket that has sufficient air flow around it, you don't need to flip the burgers while cooking. If there isn't sufficient air flow, however, you will want to flip the burgers half way through the cooking time.
Turkey burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit at the center of the burger. The best way to measure this temperature is with a cooking thermometer, but generally the temperature has been reached when the center of the burger is no longer pink.
Serving suggestions
Serve these burgers with your favorite toppings and spreads. Ketchup, ranch dressing, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions are all delicious. You can even top these burgers with a fried egg or cooked bacon.
Serve this salad with any of the following:
- Green salad
- Penne pasta salad
- 5 bean salad
- Roasted broccoli
- Blistered green beans
- Fruit salad
- Instant pot baked beans
Dietary adaptations
The burgers themselves are naturally gluten-free and processed sugar-free.
To also serve them gluten-free, use gluten-free buns. To serve them processed sugar-free, use sugar-free or naturally sweetened ketchup (if using).
Storage directions
Store leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They do not freeze well.
Tools needed to make this recipe
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Large plate
- Air fryer -- preferably with racks or trays
- Heat safe spatula
More air fryer recipes
- Air fryer vegetables
- Air Fryer Italian Sausage
- Air Fryer Beer Brats
- Air Fryer Frozen Egg Rolls
- Air fryer salmon
- Air fryer zucchini
- Air fryer green beans
- Air fryer butternut squash
- Garlic Smashed Air Fryer Potatoes
- Air fryer potato skins
Recipe Card
Cheesy Ranch Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey preferably 93% lean
- 5 teaspoons ranch dressing mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely minced yellow or white onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 3-4 burger buns
- Burger toppings: ketchup ranch dressing, mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, bacon, etc.
Instructions
- With the air fryer rack, tray or basket installed, reheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2-4 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the ground turkey, ranch dressing mix, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, garlic powder, black pepper, cheddar cheese, and salt together with a silicone spatula or your hands until combined.
- Shape the ground meat mixture into 3 or 4 patties, according to your preference. Spray both sides of the patties with non-stick spray.
- Place the patties, with at least 1 inch of space between them, on the air fryer rack, tray, or basket. Air fry the burgers for 6 ½ - 7 minutes if 4 patties or for 8-9 minutes if 3 patties, or until they are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the cheese is bubbling.
- Remove the burgers from the air fryer. Season the burgers with salt and pepper, to taste. Tent them with foil and rest for 2-5 minutes.
- Serve the burgers on toasted buns with all your favorite fixings!
Notes
- The burgers themselves are naturally gluten-free and processed sugar-free. To also serve them gluten-free, use gluten-free buns. To serve them processed sugar-free, use sugar-free or naturally sweetened ketchup (if using).
- Store leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They do not freeze well
- This recipe makes 3 or 4 burgers, depending on your preference. If you'd like quarter pound burgers, divide the meat into quarters and shape. If you'd like third pound burgers, divide into thirds and shape. Air frying cooking times for both sizes in the recipe directions.
- Spray your hands with non-stick spray or coat with olive oil to keep the burgers from sticking to you. Not all ground turkey will stick to you as you shape the burgers, but this is a great way to keep them from doing so if your meat does.
- Ground beef, ground buffalo meat, or ground chicken can substitute for the ground turkey.
