How to cook butterball turkey burgers on stove

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

One of my favorite things to whip up for dinner when I’ve had a long day is a frozen turkey burger.

I often have a package in the freezer ready to go for just such occasions. It’s a quick and easy dinner that’s pretty hands-off, healthy, and filling.

Since I live alone, I’ll either cook up one little patty, or I’ll prepare about 4 at a time so that all I have to do later in the week is quickly reheat it.

Most folks will be prepping dinner or batch cooking for more than just themselves, so I’ve included instructions on how to cook different amounts of turkey burgers at one time.

So, how do you cook frozen turkey burgers in the oven? First, pick a temperature between 375-400°F, then line a baking sheet with parchment and cooking oil, season your patties with salt and pepper, leave some space between them, and bake for 16-20 minutes.

You want to reach an internal temperature of 165°F and the lower the temperature or more patties per baking sheet you have, the longer it will take.

Read on for instructions on how to cook different amounts of frozen turkey burgers in the oven at various temperatures.

How To Cook Frozen Turkey Burgers In The Oven at 375°F

One of the keys to evenly cooking your turkey burgers is to make sure that you leave enough space between each patty for air to circulate. This spacing will allow the burgers to cook evenly and for the edges to crisp up.

Another issue is if they’re too close together on the sheet pan, they may end up steaming instead of crisping, so they can end up with a rubbery, less delicious texture.

It’s pretty easy to space them out though, just leave about 1 inch between each patty.

The amount of patties per baking sheet depends on the size of the pan. If you’re using a smaller baking sheet, you’ll probably only want to put 4 to 6 turkey burgers on it.

The larger-sized sheet pans can hold up to 10-12 turkey burgers with space between them.

Generally, the more burgers per tray, the longer they will take to cook.

Follow these steps to cook your frozen turkey burgers in the oven like a pro:

1. To make it easier to separate your turkey burgers, try to remember to take them out of the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before you plan on cooking them.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
3. Line your baking sheet with some parchment paper.
4. Spray your parchment paper with cooking oil or you can spread about 1/2 a tablespoon of oil over the parchment with your fingers.
5. Separate your turkey burgers and remove any of the paper between them.
6. Spray a little cooking oil on both sides of the turkey burger and then sprinkle a good amount of salt and pepper on each side for seasoning.
7. Arrange your turkey burgers on your baking sheet, making sure that you leave at least 1 inch of space between each patty for even cooking.
8. Place your turkey burgers in the oven for 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes, remove the turkey burgers from the oven, flip them over, and return to the oven. You might want to rotate your baking pan if your oven doesn’t have an even temperature in the back and front.
10. If you’re baking 4-6 patties, then you’ll want to return them to the oven for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F. If you’re cooking 10-12 patties, leave them in for another 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F.
11. Once fully cooked, remove your burgers from the oven. Let them rest for a couple of minutes so that the juices can settle.
12. Place on your bun and cover in your favorite toppings.
13. Enjoy!

How To Cook Frozen Turkey Burgers In The Oven at 400°F

If you want to cook your turkey burgers a little more quickly, then you can bump the temperature up to 400°F. It shouldn’t dry your turkey burgers out and you should get a nice golden crust on the outside of them.

When you’re cooking your turkey burgers you will want to make sure that there is enough space between each burger for air to circulate and evenly cook the patties. I like to leave about an inch of space between the burgers.

The more turkey burgers you have on your baking sheet, the longer it will take to cook them through. I’ll indicate different baking times below for the different amounts of burgers.

If you’re using a smaller baking sheet, then you won’t want to put more than 4-6 burgers on it so that you have that space for even cooking. If you have a large sheet pan, then you may be able to fit up to 10-12 burgers.

Follow these steps to properly cook your frozen turkey burgers in the oven:

1. Remove your turkey burgers from the freezer about 15-20 minutes before you want to cook them. While it isn’t completely necessary, this step will make it easier to separate them.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with cooking spray or spread some cooking oil over it with your fingers.
4. Separate your turkey burgers and remove the paper between them. Sprinkle each side liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Place your turkey burgers on your baking sheet and leave at least 1 inch of space between each burger to allow the air to circulate and evenly cook the patties. 
   • If you have a small baking sheet, don’t place more than 4-6 patties on it. Large baking sheets can hold up to 10-12 patties.
6. Once the oven is heated, place your turkey burgers in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the burgers from the oven, flip them over, and return to the oven. You may want to rotate the pan if you know your oven doesn’t have an even temperature in the front and back.
8. If you have 4-6 burgers you’ll want to cook them for another 6 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F. If you have 10-12 turkey burgers you will want to cook them for another 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F.
9. Once your turkey burgers are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes.
10. Pop your turkey burgers in a bun and top with your favorite toppings.
11. Enjoy!

How To Cook Frozen Turkey Burgers In The Air Fryer

If you’ve got an air fryer at home, then you can cook a frozen turkey burger in no time.

Depending on the size of your air fryer you may only be able to fit one or two burgers at a time, so this method is best for folks who are only cooking for themselves or one other person.

Follow these instructions to cook frozen turkey burgers in the air fryer:

1. If you remember or are able, take your turkey burger out of the freezer 10 minutes before cooking to make it easier to separate. Return the rest of the patties to the freezer.
2. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F.
3. Rub a small amount of cooking oil onto either side of your turkey burger and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place your turkey burger on the grill rack in your air fryer basket.
5. Return the fryer basket to the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes.
6. After 10 minutes, remove the fryer basket, flip your turkey burger, and cook it for another 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the patty and your preferred doneness. You want the internal temperature to read 165°F.
7. Once your burger is done cooking, remove the fryer basket, and let your turkey burger rest for 1-2 minutes.
8. Pop your turkey burger into a bun and top with your favorite toppings. I like mayo, avocado, bacon, and hot sauce.
9. Enjoy!

Up Next: 9 Best Juicers For Beginners

Jaron

Hey, I'm Jaron and I'm a self-proclaimed food expert and author of this website! I'll be honest with you, I started this website because someone told me I couldn't and I needed to prove them wrong. Along my journey, I actually really fell in love with writing about food. I hope you found value from whatever article you read, and if you have any remaining questions, don't hesitate to contact me!

How long does it take to cook a turkey burger on the stove top?

How do you fry Butterball turkey burgers?

How should a turkey burger be cooked?

How do you grill turkey burgers on the stove?