These Air Fryer Turkey Burgers are so tasty and the perfect appetizer for game day or whip them up for an easy dinner idea. These Pesto Turkey Burgers crisp up in the air fryer in just minutes and are full of flavor!
These sliders make the best finger food. They are so yummy from the turkey burger to the pesto, fire roasted red peppers and melted gooey cheese. Best thing is, they only take 25 minutes to make!
If you love slider recipes, try my Roast Beef Sliders, Breakfast Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls, Chopped Italian Sliders, and Turkey Sliders with Cranberry too!
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Why You'll Love These Air Fryer Turkey Burgers:
- They are so easy to prep.
- These mini burgers cook in the air fryer in just minutes.
- The recipe makes 12 sliders, so it's fantastic finger food for parties.
- It's delish and full of Italian flavors.
For more air fryer recipes, try my air fryer salmon, air fryer acorn squash and italian sausage in the air fryer.
Ingredients:
Ground Turkey, Panko, Egg, and Spices -Combine to form the mini turkey burgers for the sliders. Egg and Panko hold the burgers together and the spices add flavor to the mix.
King's Hawaiian Rolls-The original package is a personal favorite for its hint of sweetness. These soft buns slice perfectly in half and are the exact size we need for sliders.
Pesto- Green Sauce that combines basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil for a luscious flavor. The pesto spreads onto the sliders and coats the warm mozzarella. YUM! This homemade pesto recipe is so good, or you can use store bought to save time.
Roasted Red Peppers-Adds an extra boost for the taste buds and makes an ideal combination with the Italian Flavor.
Mozzarella-Milky cheese that is warmed up in the oven and makes the perfect finishing touch!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations and Substitutions:
If you don't love ground turkey, feel free to substitute the meat with ground chicken or ground beef.
Not crazy about Hawaiian rolls? Use regular slider rolls. You can usually find these near the hamburger buns and can still slice through them how I did in the recipe instructions.
Love tomatoes? Add a slice onto each slider!
If you want traditional sliders, try mixing 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons of mustard and spreading on the top of the slider buns, instead of the pesto. Top sliders with American or Cheddar Cheese and red onion and pickle.
Feeling extra? Top the buns with garlic butter before baking. To do so, melt 3 tablespoons of salted butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add in 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for a minute. Remove from skillet and brush over the top of the slider buns. Then bake!
For side dishes to pair with these turkey burgers, try my Baked Beans with Ground Beef and Pesto Tortellini Salad.
How to Make Pesto Turkey Burgers:
Step 1: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, egg, panko, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mix with hands only until combined. Don't over mix or they will get really sticky on your hands. Form into small balls and flatten, like a flattened meatball. You need 12 of them. You might have a little extra meat, and that's ok.
Step 2: Once air fryer is preheated, add in the burgers close to each other so you can fit them all in. Air fry for 8 minutes (if thin) to 10 minutes (if thicker), flipping half way through. Make sure they are fully cooked by checking that the internal temperature of the meat reads 165 degrees. (It will depend on the thickness of your sliders and the air fryer to how fast they will cook). If they aren't quite done, cook them in 2 minute increments until they reach 165 degrees.
Step 3: Remove the Turkey burgers from the air fryer and preheat the oven 350 degrees.
Step 4: Slice the Hawaiian rolls into a top and bottom portion. Transfer to cookie sheet. Spread the pesto on the inside of the top portion.
Step 5: On the bottom, layer the turkey burger, roasted red peppers and top each one with mozzarella.
Step 6: Cover with pesto top. Bake at 350 for 5 to 8 minutes until the buns are warm and the cheese is a bit gooey.
Step 7: Slice into individual sliders. Enjoy!
Expert Tip:
Ground turkey can be sticky to work with. Try not to handle it more than needed.
Love Turkey Recipes? Try my Lentil Turkey Soup, Turkey Roll Ups and Asian Turkey Meatballs.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! Cooking turkey burgers in the air fryer is one of the quickest ways to cook them. They turn out nice and crispy in no time at all!
Absolutely! All of these meats work great for sliders and would be excellent choices.
You need to let the ground turkey thaw completely for the best tasting sliders.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake the sliders. Place the raw turkey burgers on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees.
Storage:
These taste best fresh. I did have a few leftover, and I stored them in foil. The next day, I warmed them up in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. The buns get a bit soggy, but they were still really delish!
Big on Burgers? Try my Blackstone Smash Burgers, Ground Chicken Burgers, and Fried Chicken Burgers too!
More Air Fryer Recipes To Try:
If you tried this Turkey Burger Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders 1x
Description
These Air Fryer Turkey Burgers are so tasty and the perfect appetizer for game day or whip them up for an easy dinner idea. The turkey burgers crisp up in the air fryer in just minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 egg, whisked
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or italian breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 package of original King's Hawaiian rolls, 12 count
- 5 tablespoons pesto, store bought or homemade (recipe below)
- ½ of a (10 ounce jar) roasted red peppers, sliced
- 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese, cut into squares the size of the sliders
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, egg, panko, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix with hands only until combined. Form into 12 small balls and flatten, like a flattened meatball. You might have a little extra meat, that's ok.
- Once air fryer is preheated, add in the burgers close to each other so you can fit them all in.
- Air fry for 8 minutes (if thin) to 10 minutes (if thicker), flipping half way through. Make sure they are fully cooked by checking that the internal temperature of the meat reads 165 degrees. (It will depend on the thickness of your sliders and the air fryer to how fast they will cook). If they aren't quite done, cook them in 2 minute increments until they reach 165 degrees.
- Remove from the Air Fryer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls into a top and bottom portion. Transfer to cookie sheet.
- On the top, spread the pesto sauce.
- On the bottom, layer the turkey burger, roasted red peppers and top each one with mozzarella.
- Cover with pesto top. Bake at 350 for 5 to 8 minutes until the buns are warm and the cheese is a bit gooey.
- Slice into individual sliders.
Notes
Ground turkey can be sticky to work with. Try not to handle it more than needed.
Link to homemade pesto: https://simplymadeeats.com/2501/vegetarian-pesto/
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Rich says
Love these! Perfect for football.