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These grilled Greek turkey burgers studded with feta cheese and red onion and dressed with tzatziki sauce are extremely flavorful and juicy!

Not only are Greek turkey burgers delicious, they’re an healthier option when you get that burger craving! This turkey burger recipe is so easy to prep and cook, it deserves a regular spot in your weekly meal plans!

Mixing lean ground turkey with crumbled feta cheese, finely diced red onion, dried oregano, and lemon zest infuses these turkey burgers with distinct Greek flavor. To round it all out, serve the burgers on a grilled bun lathered with a homemade cucumber yogurt sauce and the condiments of your choice.

Once grilling season arrives, we cook outdoors at least two to three times a week — and not just on the weekends. These healthy turkey burgers can be ready in less than 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect weeknight grilling option for us.

Do you love to grill, too? If so, you may enjoy these other go-to weeknight recipes like my Easy Grilled Pork Chop Marinade — take 5 minutes to prep in the morning then let the chops marinate all day while you work.

Or, my most popular Grilled Salmon in Foil with a slightly sweet and smoky flavor that comes out perfect every time.

Greek Turkey Burgers: behind the recipe

The first time I suggested that we grill turkey burgers, John was pretty skeptical. I know this because he raised his eyebrows as he headed out to turn on the grill!

Anyone could understand his hesitancy — all he could think of was a past experience of biting into a turkey burger that was dry and bland.

Greek Turkey Burgers, however, were a different story. That first time we made them he had to admit they were pretty darn tasty! Now, he’s the one suggesting when it’s time to make turkey burgers again!

What’s more, if we can substitute turkey burgers every once in a while I know I feel better about how many burgers we consume during the Summer months.

Key ingredients and substitutions

• Lean ground turkey — be sure the package indicates “lean” ground turkey, otherwise it may include darker thigh and leg meat that adds calories and fat to the meat
• Crumbled feta cheese — you may need to break up some of the bigger pieces with your fingers as you work it into the meat
• Red onion — can be overpowering sometimes, but not so much when they are finely diced and cooked in the burgers. If you’re not a fan, substitute chopped kalamata olives instead.

• Lemon zest — really boosts up the flavor of the burgers
• Plain Greek yogurt — for the healthiest option, go for the fat-free version
• English cucumber — you may also use a regular cucumber, but I think the English cucumber has better flavor for this recipe.
• Fresh mint — you can leave it out of the tzatziki sauce in a crunch, but you’ll miss the freshness it adds.

How to make Greek turkey burgers with tzatziki sauce

STEP 1 | Season the meat

• In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, feta cheese, red onion, a teaspoon dried oregano, lemon zest, and salt. Add a grind or two of freshly ground black pepper, if you like.
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal sized balls and shape into 1/2-inch think patties.

STEP 2 | Grill the burgers & buns

• Preheat the grill to medium high heat and lightly oil the grill grates.
• Place the burgers on the grate over direct heat and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until done.
• Lightly brush olive oil on the split side of the buns, then place them on the grill cut side down and toast for 1 to 2 minutes.

STEP 3 | Prepare tzatziki sauce

• Grate the cucumber with a box grater (I love using my OXO grate and slice set for this task).
• Wrap the grated cucumber in cheesecloth.
• Gently squeeze to remove excess moisture from the grated cucumber.
• In a small bowl, stir the cucumber together with Greek yogurt, freshly chopped mint, and salt.

Step 4 | Assemble the burgers

• Spread tzatziki sauce on the top and bottom bun.
• Add a turkey burger and top it with lettuce, thin slices of cucumber, and red onion, if desired. 

Other condiment suggestions

• Sliced tomato
• Pickled banana pepper rings
• Spinach leaves
• Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade — could be a tasty option in lieu of tzatziki sauce!

Frequently asked questions

Related recipes

• Blueberry Blue Cheese Bacon Burger
• Homemade Greek Salad Dressing
• Gourmet Italian Grilled Burgers
• Fresh & Easy Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad

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First Published: October 3, 2016. Last Updated: April 8, 2021.

Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

Author: Sheila Thigpen

These grilled Greek Turkey Burgers are so flavorful and juicy you'll forget that they are actually healthy, too! Seasoned with Feta cheese and Greek spices.

4.88 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Grilling & Smoking

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 434 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Turkey Burgers

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 4-oz. pkg. crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 hamburger buns split and toasted
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1/2 cup grated English cucumber
• 1 6 ounce fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

 

Turkey Burgers

• Preheat the grill to medium high heat, about 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, feta cheese, red onion, oregano, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Divide into 4 equal balls and shape into 1/2-inch think patties.
• Lightly oil the grill grates and cook burgers over direct heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until done.
• Brush the split side of the buns with olive oil. Grill cut side down for 1 to 2 minutes, until toasted.
• Serve the turkey burgers on grilled buns with tzatziki sauce and desired toppings.

Tzatiziki Sauce

• Grate the cucumber (do not peel). Wrap the grated cucumber in cheesecloth and squeeze gently to remove the moisture.
• Add the cucumber to a small bowl with the yogurt, mint, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Original recipe by Southern Living, 2010

• Don’t skip squeezing out the moisture from the grated cucumber or the sauce will get watery. If you don’t have cheesecloth, layer a couple of paper towels together and use that instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 37gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 926mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword 30 minute recipe, Greek, grilled, red onion, turkey burger, tzatziki sauce

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About Sheila Thigpen

Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer

Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.