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Colder weather isn’t so bad when it means food this good. Whip up these Fall Apple Turkey Burgers for a meal that uses all of the delicious flavors of the season!
Get ready for the best turkey burger recipe ever
Regulars of the Erin Lives Whole blog know that I am all about autumn cooking, especially with recipes that involve apples or pumpkin. Usually those recipes come in the forms of pies, cookies, cupcakes, and other baked goods, but today we’re ditching the oven in favor of something a bit more filling and savory: fall apple turkey burgers.
Yep, you read that right. These turkey burgers contain shredded honey crisp (or whatever flavor you prefer) apples and are absolutely fall wrapped up into a meal. They’re warm, cozy, and full of incredible flavor in each bite!
This meal is one for keeping on rotation for guests, as it’s a seemingly impressive feat that honestly doesn’t take too much kitchen skill. Just mix your ingredients and go! It’s an easy recipe that anyone can enjoy. And trust me, anyone who dives into one of these burgers will undoubtedly enjoy it.
Ingredients in fall apple turkey burgers
For the ingredients, we’ll be using 7 items with the option to add in cheddar cheese. There’s a separate ingredient list for the caramelized onions that uses yellow onion, avocado oil (or butter), and salt! Remember when I said this recipe was easy? Now you can see why. I like to keep things simple with as few ingredients as possible!
Burgers:
- Ground turkey
- Apple (I used honey crisp)
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Dried Thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional: Cheddar Cheese
Caramelized Onions:
- Yellow onion
- Avocado oil (or butter)
- Salt
And save some extra sliced apple for topping the burger!
Tools used to make this recipe
Fall apple turkey burgers couldn’t be simpler. In terms of kitchen tools, you’ll only need a large mixing bowl, a large skillet (and the accompanying lid), and a spatula.
For measuring, just grab cups to measuring out 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tbsp.
How to make fall apple turkey burgers
It’s actually easy to make this recipe for turkey burgers from scratch, even though we’re incorporating an ingredient as unexpected as apples. For these patties, we’ll just mix everything together and then cook them on the stove. Then, assemble and enjoy!
First, add the turkey to a bowl. Using a box grater, shred the apple and onion into the turkey meat.
Add the garlic thyme, salt, and pepper and mix everything until well combined. I use my hands to ensure that everything is well incorporated.
Next, form the mix into patties. Use about 1/2 cup meat for each.
Heat a large skillet with 2 tbsp of avocado oil over medium low. If adding cheese, you can do it now.
Cover for 5 minutes so that the inside cooks. Repeat until all of the burgers are cooked.
While the burgers are cooking, prepare the carmelied onions. In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp of avocado oil or butter.
Once hot, add the sliced onions and salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring every minute or so until carmelized. After about 5 minutes, reduce the heat to low. The whole process will take about 10-15 minutes.
Assemble the burgers with slices of apples and caramelized onion on top.
Dipping sauces to pair with turkey burgers
You know me – I’m all about delicious sauces! I often joke that the food is just a vehicle for the sauce (especially when we’re talking BBQ sauce). For these burgers, there are a number of sauces you can slather onto the buns to add great intense fall flavor!
- BBQ sauce (duh)
- Honey mustard
- Blue cheese dressing
- Dijon mustard
You can also check out recipes for sauces that use maple syrup. I have a good feeling that something like that would taste so good on these burgers. Plus, it’ll be totally autumn-worthy!
How to store fall apple turkey burgers
When it comes to storing these burgers, you can keep them in the fridge for up to one week. If you’d like to save a batch for down the road, freeze ’em for up to 3 months!
More fall-friendly entrees
Cozy up with some more of my fall favorites. All are inspired by the warm tastes of fall and use ingredients like apples, sweet potatoes, and cabbage.
- Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole
- Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan)
- One Pan Cabbage and Potato Skillet
- Healthy Apple Chicken Sausage Stuffing
Fall Apple Turkey Burgers
Colder weather isn’t so bad when it means food this good. Whip up these Fall Apple Turkey Burgers for a meal that uses all of the delicious flavors of the season!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 large apple, I used honeycrisp
- 1/4 yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- *optional* cheddar cheese slices
Caramelized Onions
- 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
More sliced apple for topping!
Instructions
- In a bowl, add turkey. Using a box grater, shred apple and onion into turkey meat.
- Add in garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and mix until well combined (I use my hands).
- Form into patties, I used about 1/2 cup of meat for each.
- Heat a large skillet with 2 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat, and once hot, add burgers.
- Cook for 5 minutes, flip, then turn the heat to medium low. *if adding cheese, now is the time* Cover for the next 5 minutes so the inside cooks. Repeat until all burgers are cooked.
- While burgers are cooking, prepare the caramelized onions. In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil or butter.
- Once hot, add in sliced onions and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring every minute or so until caramelized. After about 5 minutes, reduce heat to low. The whole process will take 10-15 minutes.
- Assemble your burgers with slices of apples and caramelized onion on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Store in fridge for up to one week or freezer for 3 months.
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