A juicy, stuffed Turkey Cheeseburger (known as a Juicy Lucy) is delicious and easy! Instead of topping your turkey burger with cheese, the cheese is stuffed in the center so it stays melted and gooey.
Turkey Juicy Lucy
I love a good turkey burger on the grill in the summer, especially with cheese and all the toppings. These turkey burgers stuffed with cheese are simple to make, just two ingredients – ground turkey and cheese, not counting salt and pepper. Serve it on a bun or a lettuce wrap and top it with your favorite burger toppings.
Why You Should Stuff Your Burger
I love eating turkey burgers and cheeseburgers, so I’m all about this turkey juicy lucy! Grill them, air fry them or cook them on a skillet or grill pan. A little cheese might escape while cooking, but that’s totally fine! Even my husband who prefers a traditional beef cheeseburger, loved them. Check out my tiktok video here.
There are a few reasons why you might want to stuff your burger like a Juicy Lucy:
- Melty, gooey cheese center: This is the star of the show! The cheese melts throughout the patty, creating a delicious burst of flavor. Regular cheese on top can’t compete with that!
- Surprise factor: Biting into a Juicy Lucy and seeing that molten cheese core is a fun surprise!
- Classic Midwestern experience: If you’re ever in Minneapolis, the birthplace of the Juicy Lucy, trying one is a must-do for any burger enthusiast. But if you’re not, now you can make them yourself.
The not-so-bad downside:
- Messy to eat: Get the napkins ready for some cheese that dribbles as you bite in. It’s all part of the Juicy Lucy experience!
How To Make a Juicy Lucy
Here’s the step by step instructions and a video (see exact recipe in the recipe card below):
- Fold each slice of cheese into quarters to create 4 short stacks.
- Divide the ground turkey into 8 equal balls then flatten into 1/4 inch thick patties.
- Place a stack of cheese in the center of 4 patties and top with the remaining 4 patties. Pinch the edges to seal, then push the up the sides so they are an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Place patties and oiled grill and cover, cook about 6 minutes per side over medium heat, or until the center is cooked through. Transfer to buns with toppings and be sure to let it cool before biting into the center so you don’t burn your mouth.
Cheese Options for Turkey Cheeseburgers
Because the cheese is stuffed in the burger, it melts best. Play around with different cheese options. Anything that melts would be great such as Swiss cheese, Fontina, Colby-Jack, Mozzarella, Havarti, etc.
Helpful Turkey Cheeseburger Tips and Variations
- For perfect ground turkey cheeseburgers – be gentle when working the turkey mixture, just like meatballs, overworking can make them tough.
- Juiciest turkey burgers – You need a little fat, avoid the leanest 99% ground turkey breast meat, I prefer the 93% for the juiciest burger.
- Swap the protein – use ground beef, buffalo, lamb or chicken if you prefer.
- Go Keto – leave the bun out and serve it over a bed of lettuce or make a lettuce wrap.
Turkey Cheeseburger Toppings
Top your stuffed turkey cheeseburgers with your favorite toppings! Some suggestions are:
- shredded lettuce
- avocado or guacamole
- red onions
- pickled onions
- caramelized onions
- sauteed mushrooms
- ketchup or mayo ketchup
- mustard
- BBQ sauce
- special sauce
- bacon
What are your favorite burger toppings?
Serving Suggestions:
- You can go the traditional route and serve this turkey cheeseburger with sweet potato fries, French fries, or onion rings.
- For side salads try this Potato salad, macaroni salad, Italian Pasta Salad or corn salad.
- For low carb side dish options try this grilled asparagus, creamy cucumber salad, coleslaw, cabbage slaw, or this green salad.
How to Freeze Stuffed Turkey Cheeseburger
Turkey cheeseburgers are perfect for meal prep because you can freeze them raw. Store them in the freezer in a zip-locked bag with pieces of parchment in between so they don’t stick together. Then when you’re ready to serve them, thaw them in the fridge overnight and cook them according to the instructions.
Once cooked, leftover turkey burgers will last up to 4 days refrigerated.
More Turkey Burger Recipes To Try
- Greek Turkey Burgers with Feta
- Juicy Turkey Burgers with Zucchini
- Naked Turkey Bruschetta Burger
- Buffalo Turkey Cheeseburgers
- Classic Turkey Burger Recipe
Juicy Lucy (Stuffed Turkey Cheeseburgers)
Ingredients
- 4 slices part-skim cheddar cheese slices, or 2% American cheese (0.7 ounces each)
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 4 hamburger rolls, I use Martins whole wheat 100 calorie potato rolls
- 4 Iceburg lettuce, leaves
- red onion, sliced into rings and separated
- ripe tomatoes, sliced
- sliced pickles
- ketchup and mustard, optional, or your favorite condiments, if desired
Instructions
- Set grill to medium heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- Fold each slice of cheese into quarters to create 4 short stacks.
- Divide the ground turkey into 8 equal balls then flatten into 1/4 inch thick patties.
- Place a stack of cheese in the center of 4 patties and top with the remaining 4 patties. Pinch the edges to seal, then push the up the sides so they are an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Place patties and oiled grill and cover, cook about 6 minutes per side over medium heat, or until the center is cooked through. Transfer to buns with toppings and be sure to let it cool before biting into the center so you don't burn your mouth.
The burgers were good, but not worth the hassle. The turkey stuck to everything. My husband liked the burger, so I may make them again, but I might have him make them.
Yum! Easy to make and delicious! Will be making this again and again and again!
This turkey burger was excellent! It was surprisingly delicious and satisfying. I toasted the bun in the toaster, added a slice of tomato, pickles and sugar free BBQ sauce and what a treat! My husband loved it too. I will make this again!!
I’m admittedly not the biggest ground turkey fan, but these were a nice alternative to a hamburger to cut down on red meat. I baked some air fryer French fries I made from potatoes I had. Very filling.
Delicious! Love your recipes.
loved that melty middle!
Really enjoyed these and they were delicious as leftovers too! Only change I made is how I spell the name- Juicy “Luci”. 😂🤣 Thanks for another winner Gina!
Lol! Glad you enjoy them!
Very Good!
I love all the turkey burger recipes, so I took the skinny taste turkey burger ( web site one that had panko, worchesterchire etc) and added the cheese in the middle. I am not sure what I did–but suspect I didn’t flatten them enough and then as a result I cooked them longer, and it was those extra couple minutes when the cheese all came out and was at the bottom of my air fyer, as I choose to air fry them. The flavor great, nicely cooked–but a cheese escape! So if any suggestions–crimp more–maybe flatten more,..will try again, I chalked it up to first time trying to do them. I decided no harm, saved a few calories!
Delicious! I loved this burger and will be making it frequently!
We’ve been making these for years – is my kids favorite way of having them! But why the name change?
We’ve made these for years and they’re a family fav! Recently, my daughter was diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity and suddenly I’m researching and learning how to cook all over again. I noticed these were not marked as GF and they should be if using the right GF bun. It would be a shame for someone to miss out bc they’re not flagged as GF 🙂
great idea thanks!
Love these! Can I freeze them to send with my son to college?!?
Sure!
I can’t for the life of me get these burgers to stick together. What’s the secret?
I think is possibly the easiest and quickest recipe to make on Skinnytaste, it’s also one of the best! Everyone in my family loves them!
Thanks Christa!
These burgers were fabulous! Will be making these all summer.
Made these last night with pepper jack cheese! Delicious.
I’ve never seen the type of bun you mention. I’m in California. I can’t find anything similar.
Slider buns are around 100 calories
We dont have those in WA either but Amazon has them.
I used Arnold’s Thins…yum!
Can the George Forman grill be used to make these turkey cheese stuffed burgers?
Sure!
How long would you make these in air fryer? How long would you cook in each side. Thanks
5 minutes on each side 400F.
I made this tonight in the air fryer. It was delicious!
Hi. Is the whole wheat bun in included in the points? Thank you.
Sorry, but I forgot to mention that I used ground chicken instead of ground turkey, b/c that’s what I had in my freezer at the time. Next time, I will definately make them with ground turkey. Either way, IMO, these are a tastier & healthier alternative to beef burgers. Thank you very much.
EXCEPTIONAL Burgers! We here are SO DONE w/beef burgers, especially since there’s a healthier & tastier alternative available. To suit our palates, I added a sprinkle each of dried thyme & Rosemary into the chicken mixture, and used the outer leaves of Baby Romaine lettuce – since it stays pretty crispy, & doesn’t release water when it comees into contact with the hot burgers, as Iceburg lettuce tends to do. These were super yummy! Thank you 😍
These burgers were so delicious! My husband didn’t even realize it wasn’t red meat until after we finished the meal. My grill time was longer than the recipe stated – probably 8-10 min per side. But I didn’t flatten the burgers very much so that may be why. The cheese stayed put in the middle and was glorious. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
These were really good! My son had seconds and had no idea it was turkey and not beef. Even though I thought I sealed the burgers well, the cheese did leak out the sides. Not a big deal and didn’t affect the flavor at all! This recipe is a keeper.
Now this one was a real winner. We actually grilled these outside last night in 40 degree weather, but it was fun to have a taste of summer. Loved keeping the cheese inside. I sprayed a pan and cooked up a few slices of onion for us to have with these. We also had some cauliflower to use up so that was our side instead of potato. I ate my burger with an O’Doughs gluten free 100 calorie bagel and the whole thing was really yummy.
This was delicious! I made it for the first time tonight, but used ground chicken as that’s what I had.
This was a hit for my children. I made my sons (111 & 12) make them so they were fun to make as well. They were tasty, juicy & healthy! We’re having them again tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe?
What kind of grill are you referring to when you mention grill in a lot of your recipes? Charcoal or a little portable grill?
Thank you!
I have a gas grill, but you can use whatever you have!
could you airfare these?
sure
These are one of our favorites! I really deal the sides up and the cheese doesn’t ooze out, we grill them. I do have a question, it says 3 green points. Is that correct?
These turkey burgers were soo juicy and tasty!!! I will definitely be making them again.
Has anyone successfully frozen these raw and then cooked them? Trying to meal prep for the week!
I made 3 fresh ones on the grill and the cheese oozed out upon biting it. I froze one one, and defrosted it. Cooked it in my regular skillet on the stovetop. It was so much better that way. I also used ground chicken.
We just had the same problem so looking for a solution.
Did anyone ever figure out how to prevent the cheese from oozing out? I’m going to bake them tonight as I don’t have a cast iron skillet or grill. So want to know the best way to do this without that happening. Defeats the purpose of making them this way if the cheese comes out.
Also can I make this on a normal pan on my stove if it’s not cast iron?
Oh my goodness!! These were absolutely delicious! These will definitely become a regular. My husband and I both LOVED them so much….and super easy. And, I had no trouble with the cheese oozing out at all. We live in a condo, so we do not have a grill. I did this on my iron cast griddle and they turned out perfect!
This recipe is so simple, but so delicious. My entire family loved them! I need to remember to put cheese in the middle of the burger more often. 🙂
These were so good!! Due to corona virus affecting my availability of groceries, I made a few edits. I used goat cheese in 2 and laughing cow (well, happy cow from Aldi) cheese wedges in 2. I cooked them in a pan for 6 mins per side. I also used sourdough bread slices as the roll. And added sautéed onions and a homemade light mayo/sriracha sauce.
They were so so so good! Best recipe I’ve made in a while. I served them with oven roasted green beans for a healthy and delicious dinner!
Sounds great!
So yummy! Really enjoyed these, my shop was out of Turkey so I mixed beef and chicken minces worked just as well.
I’m confused about the points counts. Not sure how this could possibly be only 3 points on Green, which is the plan with the fewest O pt foods. Maybe Green points are accidentally swapped with Blue or Purple??
Same
I was wondering this too! 3 points for the burger and bun??
Typo– updated. 🙂
My question, too! Seems like blue and green are backwards. Will have to run through the calculator
Yum! Another successful Skinnytaste recipe. I mashed fresh garlic with the kosher salt and mixed it into the meat along with the black pepper before forming my patties. Subbed the cheddar for pepper jack cheese, so good. Since I don’t own a grill I baked them at 400 for 25 mins as another commenter mentioned. I did lose some cheese out of a couple patties but still amazing! Can’t wait to try again
Great idea to add seasonings to the turkey – it can be bland otherwise.
Thank you for adding your baking times and temp!
I made these last night, SO GOOD!! I will be making them again soon, thank you for the recipe 🙂
I made these last night for the first time using 99% fat free ground turkey and they were so delicious!! It felt like an indulgence without the guilt! I will definitely be making these again.
Yummy!
I made them inside in a Pampered Chef grill pan (it’s too hot to grill in AZ!) over medium heat and they were perfect. I followed the recipe cooking 6 minutes per side.
My adult sons didn’t think I was feeding them “diet” food with this one 🤣
Without a bun, MyPlate calculates one burger at 218 calories if anyone is GF like me!
Thanks again!
I live in an apartment and don’t (can’t) have a grill. How would I cook this in an oven without it drying out?
I’m going to try these in the air fryer! 7-8 minutes per side 🙂
I baked them in the oven at 400 for about 25 minutes!
Oh my goodness these were so delicious! For myself I used one piece of cheese between 2 burgers and it was perfect. My boyfriend scarfed down two burgers. I cooked them in the air fryer and they came out juicy and the cheese did not ooze out. I’m having the other one for lunch tomorrow with oven roasted asparagus. 😀
Loved this! I couldn’t keep the cheese inside the burger. If anyone knows the trick let me know. 🙂
What brand Turkey meat did you use?
Brilliant! Have made these four times and counting!
Really delicious! I had some trouble with keeping the cheese inside the burgers, but it was still very yummy!
Does the nutritional information include the bun or just the burger?
Yes the bun too.
Can these be made in advance and frozen?
I have not tried
These are easily the best Turkey burgers. You are a genius.
I’ve made these twice now on a George Foreman grill but I can’t for the life of me get the cheese to stay on the inside! It just melts right out. Any tips? The burger is still super yummy and moist though. I love it topped with Trader Joe’s Ghost Chile BBQ sauce!
Update: Third time’s the charm, I guess! Made these again tonight, and I have no idea what I did differently, but it was nice and gooey on the inside!
I incorporated chopped up jalapeño into the ground turkey and I stuffed my burger with goat cheese, it was amazing!! I put American in the boys’ burgers and they loved it (and loved the jalapeño too!). Yummy, definitely keeping this recipe ready for bbqs!
Awesome, juicy burger! Thanks, G – you did it again!
Thank you!
Why don’t your nutritional facts show sodium amounts? Many people have sodium restrictions
It is listed, 766.
Oh-my-goodness!!! My husband and I had these for dinner tonight and they were BEYOND. These burgers were not dry in the least bit and dare I say I would choose these over a real beef hamburger? This burger was decadent and feels like you went out for a burger but from the comfort of your own home.
I also served this with the Grilled Corn Salad with feta which was a perfect compliment to this summer dish!
https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-corn-salad-with-feta/
This turkey burger is amazing! I’ve made it 3 times since you posted it, for my family and they all love it. Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes and meal prep ideas. They truly help get us through the week.
These are delicious. I’ve gotten good at making great variations of turkey burgers. My favorite is this recipe and adding a package of hidden valley ranch powder. Served on grilled portobellos! Thanks for sharing such fabulous tasting recipes. I follow your blog with every post.
Thanks Diane!
Is it possible to make ahead and freeze? Do you do raw and freeze or cook and freeze? How would that work?
Can these be frozen before cooked?
AHhhhmazing!!!!
Awesome!
Delicious and easy. A win-win.
This was fantastic! Super easy to make. For those who may be hesitant that turkey burgers are too dry you need to make the inside-out burger! We used salt and pepper and some Montreal seasoning and a mild cheddar as our cheese. With some good toppings this burger is truly wonderful.
Thank you for all of the healthy and delicious recipes, they make changing to a healthy lifestyle easier and delicious!
Jucy Lucy’s!! (Play on the word “juicy”) We don’t have a lot of iconic culinary foods here in Minnesota, so what we have we make fun of and embrace. They’re a big deal here. We even had them served as late-night food at our wedding. If you publish a future recipe like this and refer to it as Jucy Lucy I’m certain you will make a Minnesotans’ day 🙂 Thanks for sharing
Jay Jay…thank you for the reference. I am in St. Paul, and you are on the mark with the Jucy Lucy. There are many ways to prepare them, and I think THe Blue Door Pub does a great job of mixing it up. If anyone is curious, Google The Blue Door Pub in Minneapolis’ menu for alternative ideas.
What is the calorie count without the bun?
Love this recipe! Is the green smart points 3? I see in the notes it also says each turkey burger is 6 Points. Thanks!!!
No, points have been corrected and updated.
Looks great!
One tip – I’ve made the ground beef version of these, the Jucy Lucy (they’re popular in Minnesota), and you need to let the burgers sit for about five minutes after removing them from the grill so that you don’t burn your mouth on molten cheese.
Could I make these in the air fryer? If so what temp and how long?
Sure, 400F not sure of the time. I will test again this week.
Ive had trouble in the past with turkey burgers falling apart on the grill. Any suggestions?
We just had the same problem so looking for a solution.
Ewww…dyed orange cheese slices. There are plenty of cheddar slices in the market that do not have dye. White cheddar, please. The turkey burger, otherwise, looks yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
I think the dye -annotto- is safe. It’s been used for centuries. Maybe I’m wrong 🤷♀️ I just googled it. I mean, we aren’t talking cheese whiz here lolol
Correct, I cook with annato all the time. It’s derived from the seeds of the achiote tree.
The color difference is from a plant extract. https://www.thespruceeats.com/white-vs-yellow-cheddar-cheese-2355816
Like I tell my children, just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean you should say “Ew”.
Trader Joe’s makes a light havarti. Maybe try that!
Oh my goodness does this ever look good !!! Showed it to hubby and can’t wait to fix it for us. THX for this.
Ms. K
Where is the link to pin this recipe to Pinterest?
Hover over the photo and you will see the P
Can you put it in the air fryer?
yes!
can we bake them? I do not have a grill.
You can cook them in a skillet or grill pan.
Gina,
How long you think it will cook on a skillet or grill pan? I don’t have a grill either!
Same time.