Spinach Turkey Burgers
Juicy burgers are a summer staple, and with barbecues and backyard bashes on the horizon, you need a patty that is packed with delicious, umami flavor… and nutrition! Add bulk and benefits to your burger with chopped leafy greens—Swiss chard, kale, arugula, spinach—you name it.

I’m using ground turkey meat in this recipe, but you can easily swap for ground beef or plant-based crumbles. Warm up the grill and pass the toasted buns! Pro tip: If the burgers are too wet and moist to pick up with a spatula and add to a skillet or grill (I’ve provided instructions for both below), place them in the freezer for a few minutes to firm. They will be easier to work with!
Try these Greek Burgers with Feta and Roasted Red Pepper!

Spinach Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, 90 to 93 percent lean
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, finely chopped*
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
- Whole grain buns, English muffins, or roasted Portabello mushroom caps, optional
- Lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, pickles, ketchup or BBQ sauce, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix until just combined, then fold in the chopped spinach until evenly distributed. Use your hands or a spatula to gently mix—taking care to not overwork the mixture. Shape into 6 large patties.
- Liberally coat a large skillet with nonstick oil spray (or drizzle on 1 to 2 teaspoons oil) and warm over medium-high heat. Place 3 or 4 patties in the skillet. Mist the tops with oil spray and sprinkle them with salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then carefully flip, scraping the bottom to keep them intact. Next, lightly sprinkle the browned tops with salt and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165˚. *See notes below for grilling instructions.
- Reapply oil spray to the skillet and repeat with the remaining burgers.
- Serve the burgers on toasted whole-grain hamburger buns or roasted Portabello mushroom caps with your choice of toppings.

Easy
Delicious
Nutritious
Hi DB! You’ve summed this recipe up perfectly. Glad you’re enjoying it, and just in time for summer grilling season.
—Team Joy
These were so good and easy to make! I prepped them on Sunday and heated them up for a quick dinner on Monday along with air fried potatoes and steamed broccoli. Everyone loved them on toasted English muffins.
Hi Cathy. So happy you all enjoyed them! Sounds like a perfect Monday dinner 🙂
—Team Joy
I have this receipt is delicious.
Hi Chris. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for your comment!
—Team Joy
Can you recommend a healthy brand of buns for this recipe? Making these for sure.. but never know what buns to use for burgers. So many have not so good ingredients.. thank you
Hi Lisa, here are a few hamburger buns that Joy recommends:
• Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Burger Buns
• Rudi’s Wheat Hamburger Buns
• Ozery Family Bakery Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns
• 365 Whole Wheat/Whole Grain English Muffins
Hoping you love the recipe as much as we do!
—Donna
Thank you so much for your lovely recipes they are so easy and are easy to copy into my recipe file as well. You are totaly awesome to share your recipes. I’m new to this sort of eating so I was pleased to find them.
Rose
Hi Rose and welcome! We’re so happy to have you here. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, and we’re glad you’re finding Joy’s recipes easy to prepare! If you enjoyed Joy’s Spinach Turkey Burgers, be sure to check out some of her other burger recipes, including Peach Caprese Burgers, Fajita Burger and Greek Burgers with Feta and Roasted Red Pepper.
—Donna
This was another winner for me and the guys in the family.
It was so easy to just incorporate a little spinach into an ordinary turkey patty.
Thanks for sharing your genius work!
Hi Beth, we’re so happy to hear that you and the guys enjoyed the recipe! Joy was smiling ear to ear reading your comment—you made her day! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and for being a part of our community…we’re so grateful to have you here!
—Donna
So good, my husband who is meat guy, loved the turkey burgers. We are going to try the Greek turkey burgers next weekend! Also love the sweet potatoes!
Hi MK, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and we’re so glad both you and your meat-loving husband enjoyed the burgers! Hoping the Greek Turkey Burgers are as big a hit!
—Donna
You talked about grilling, yet burgers are made in a pan?
Hi Ginny, great catch (we’re so sorry we missed this!)—we’ve updated the recipe to include the formal grilling instructions in the notes section at the bottom! If you decide to give the recipe a try, please let us know what you think!
—Donna
It really was delicious!! I’ll make it again!!
So happy you enjoyed these burgers, Rose!
These burgers were delicious !
Hi Amy, so glad you enjoyed the burgers, and thank you for sharing your comments! We’re so grateful to have you here!
—Donna
Made a change to ground chicken but otherwise another winner! Added to my favorite recipes
Hi Lisa, yay! So excited you enjoyed this enough to add to your “favorite recipes” list! And ground chicken is great, too! Thanks for sharing your comments with us!
—Donna
These sound wonderful! I have a question. I want to freeze two. Shall i freeze them cooked or not cooked?
Hi Marcia! You can freeze these either way, but here’s what I recommend for the best results:
My favorite option: Freeze them cooked. Let the burgers cool completely, then wrap each one tightly and place in a freezer bag. They’ll keep beautifully for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet, air fryer, oven or even microwave until warmed through. Easy and delicious!
You can also freeze them uncooked. Form the patties, place them on a parchment-lined tray, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge and cook as directed.
Bottom line: If you want maximum convenience, cooked is the way to go. If you prefer freshly cooked burgers, freezing them raw works just fine too! xx
5 stars! Easy and delicious!!!
Ahhh, so happy you’re enjoying these burgers, Hope! Thanks for sharing this wonderful review!! xx
The burgers were delicious!
Wondering if I can make this into a meatloaf–any suggested tweaks?
Thank you so much, Eileen! Joy hasn’t tried it, but in theory, this recipe should work beautifully as meatloaf! Just follow the recipe as written, then mix in about ¼ cup breadcrumbs or quick oats to help it hold together. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or shape it into a loaf on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for about 40–50 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F in the center. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. If you give it a shot, let us know how it turns out!! — Eliza (Team Joy)