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It wouldn’t be #DDGrillWeek2026 without a burger recipe and I’m coming to y’all with maybe one of my favorites ever. These Jalapeño Cheddar Turkey Burgers are so much more flavorful than you could ever imagine and they come together in under 40 minutes.
I know I sound like a broken record but this is seriously my favorite week of the year. For me, it really feels like the kickoff to summer and months of delicious grilled foods to come. I wanted to come up with a burger recipe that wasn’t overly complicated but that would still be surprising and delicious and this one seriously delivers.
I know a lot of people are skeptical of ground turkey (including my husband, Clayton!) but I promise these burgers are so flavorful and not at all dry. The two key ingredients — cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers — are used not once but twice in this recipe. Shredded cheddar and finely minced jalapeños are folded into the burger patty mixture; once the patties are formed and grilled, each one is topped off with slices of sharp cheddar cheese plus pickled jalapeños.
They’re out of this world good and I’m so excited for y’all to try them!
Ingredients:
- Ground Turkey
- Mayonnaise
- Jalapeño Peppers
- Red Onions
- Fresh Cilantro
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Tamari
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Neutral Oil, For Grilling
- Smoky Barbecue Sauce
- Nacho-Sliced Pickled Jalapeños
- Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Brioche Burger Buns
- Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
Step-by-Step:
step one: Make the Burger Patties
In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, mayonnaise, diced jalapeños, red onions, cilantro, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, tamari, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, then form into 4 equal-sized burger patties. Set aside.
step two: prep the grill
Preheat the grill over medium-high heat (about 400°F). Dip a wadded paper towel in neutral oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grates. Be careful not to use too much oil to avoid starting a flare-up—a little goes a long way here. Place the burgers on the grill and cook on one side for 5 minutes until browned and they easily lift off the grates.
step three: grill the burgers
Flip the burgers, and using a pastry brush, brush about 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce on top of each of the burgers. Cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until the burgers are fully cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
step four: add the toppings
Place some pickled jalapeños on top of each burger, then a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. Cover and cook until the cheese has just melted, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes while you toast the buns.
step five: Toast the Buns
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast over medium heat until golden on the buttered side. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
step six: assemble the burgers
Spread a layer of barbecue sauce on the bottom buns. Top with the grilled turkey burgers, then add a little extra barbecue sauce, if desired. Finish with shredded iceberg lettuce and place the top buns over everything. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQS:
I love both of the shredded and sliced options from Tillamook—the flavor is great and the product melts up super well! Plus, it’s easy to find in pretty much every grocery store.
You can use Worcestershire sauce, which has an even more robust, beefy flavor, or soy sauce.
The meat should be a little ‘wet’ feeling compared to traditional beef patties; however, this helps keep the turkey meat from drying out. If your meat is too ‘wet’ to form into 4 equal-sized patties, add 1 tablespoon of tapioca flour to help bind the meat. This will all depend on the fat ratio of your turkey meat. I use 98% lean and don’t need to add any tapioca.
If you’re looking to up your grill game this season with an epic burger recipe, I hope you’ll give these Jalapeño Cheddar Turkey Burgers a try! Once you’ve made the recipe, leave a comment below and let me know what you think!
looking for more grilling recipes? try these!
Grilled Green Goddess Chicken Thighs with Summer Salad
Grilled Ribeye Tacos with Crispy Cheese Tortillas
Hoisin Glazed Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Chipotle-Coffee Smoked Chuck Roast
Jalapeño Cheddar Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup seeded and finely diced jalapeños (from about 1 large jalapeño)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons smoky barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
- nacho-sliced pickled jalapeños
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 brioche burger buns
- shredded iceberg lettuce
Instructions
Make the Burger Patties:
- In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, mayonnaise, diced jalapeños, red onions, cilantro, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, tamari, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, then form into 4 equal-sized burger patties. Set aside.
Grill the Burgers:
- Preheat the grill over medium-high heat (about 400°F). Dip a wadded paper towel in neutral oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grates. Be careful not to use too much oil to avoid starting a flare-up—a little goes a long way here. Place the burgers on the grill and cook on one side for 5 minutes until browned and they easily lift off the grates.
- Flip the burgers, and using a pastry brush, brush about 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce on top of each of the burgers. Cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until the burgers are fully cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Place some pickled jalapeños on top of each burger, then a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. Cover and cook until the cheese has just melted, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes while you toast the buns.
Toast the Buns:
- Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast over medium heat until golden on the buttered side. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
Assemble the Burgers:
- Spread a layer of barbecue sauce on the bottom buns. Top with the grilled turkey burgers, then add a little extra barbecue sauce, if desired. Finish with shredded iceberg lettuce and place the top buns over everything. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
THE BEST! And husband agrees too 🙌
Your recipes are godsend! Thanks
So glad you loved it.
This is the BEST turkey burger we have ever had! So delicious. Keeping the recipe in the meal rotation for our family.
Amazing! Thank you for the review!!
These are absolute fire!!! Not too spicy! Make them immediately! Great job on this one!
Thank you for this awesome review!! Glad you enjoyed this!!
These were so good! We all loved them and will definitely make them again!
Glad to hear it!! Thanks for the review!
I’ve never eaten a turkey burger that I really liked until these! They are so juicy and deliciously flavored. The whole family loved them. 100/10 and we will be making them again soon!
Ps – I only made these because I’ve never made a Defined Dish recipe that missed. Thank you for so many amazing recipes.
The BEST review! Thanks for giving this one a try, so glad you loved it.
Phenomenal burgers! Who knew ground turkey could taste so exceptional. The recipe is bomb. We will make again and again for a new favorite. The texture is so good too. Thank you making it an even more memorable Memorial Day. 😍
Ok stop- these burgers are insane. I’ve made more Defined Dish recipes than I can count, each more amazing than the last but this one is top 10 of all DD recipes for my family. Make it! You won’t be disappointed. For sure going on our summer rotation.
so glad you love!!!! we are obsessed too.
These were excellent! I was nervous they might be too spicy or dry and that was not the case at all. They were flavorful with just the right amount of spice and very juicy. I will definitely be making these again.
New to ground turkey, but this looks good enough to try. Which brand of healthy ish barbecue sauce do you recommend?
This Barbecue sauce is the best- it’s the brand that I founded and it’s absolutely phenomenal and a must have this summer: https://getsidedish.com/collections/all-products/products/uncle-ronnys-bbq-sauce?variant=47453807542424
Incredible! Just made these and was blown away. So much flavor. The bbq sauce adds a great balance. Going on permanent summer rotation.