Turkey Reuben Burger – “The Rachel Burger”

If you like a traditional Turkey Reuben Sandwich, then you are sure to LOVE a Turkey Reuben Burger! All of the same elements of the beloved sandwich, in one EPIC burger!

Thick juicy ground turkey burgers and gooey Swiss cheese on top of crispy buttered buns slathered in Thousand Island dressing and topped with Frank’s Kraut – completely out of this world scrumptious!

Can you smell it? Summertime is in the air, and that means longer sunny days, and food is not only cooked outside but eaten outside too! I love the season of cookouts and lazy days by the water. It’s time to close the stove down and fire up the grill. Summertime is here!

This post is sponsored by Frank’s Kraut, but my lifelong love and opinion of their delicious sauerkraut are all my own.

Turkey Reuben Burger

In case you haven’t noticed, I am obsessed with anything ‘Reuben.’ I have been working with Frank’s for years and if there’s a way I can add their amazing kraut to my recipes, I will. This recipe is no exception. Add this turkey burger with kraut to your menu now that barbecue season is among us. 

Be sure to check out my Traditional Reuben Sandwich as well as my Turkey Reuben Sandwiches recipe!

Turkey Burger

There’s nothing complicated about making turkey burgers. All you have to do is substitute lean ground turkey for beef and you’re all set. Use your usual hamburger ingredients, add the bun, a slice of cheese, and of course some kraut and you are good to go. 

If you’ve never added sauerkraut to your burger you’re missing out! The flavor it adds to all grilled foods is in one word, amazing.

If you love this recipe for homemade turkey burgers, you are sure to love these too: Reuben Burger,  Kraut Burger, or Pastrami Burger With Kraut (pictured above).  

What Is Sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage and it adds a slightly sour taste and crunchy texture to our food. It also has many health benefits. With so much focus on gut health these days, you’ll be glad to know that that scoop of sauerkraut you’ve been adding to your foods can play a role in keeping your gut healthy too. It is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and sauerkraut also contains probiotics which may help support the absorption of nutrients by the body.

The Rachel Burger

If you love Turkey Reuben Sandwiches, also known as “The Rachel” to its counterpart “The Reuben,” you are going to love this Turkey Reuben Burger. Instead of turkey slices, these burgers use ground turkey breast that’s transformed into a lean turkey burger. But instead of dressing the burger traditionally, you will pile on traditional Reuben sandwich toppings.

Ingredients for Turkey Reuben Burger

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

To Make the Burger:

• Turkey: This burger uses ground turkey. 
• Egg: Any type of egg can be used, slightly beaten, to bind the burger.
• Bread crumbs: I used seasoned bread crumbs for more flavor and to help hold the burgers together.
• Spices: I used a combination of celery seed, caraway, salt, and pepper to flavor.
• Thousand Island Dressing: You can use store-bought or make your own. 
• Green onions:  Use the white part in the burger patties and reserve the green tops for serving.

To Dress the Burger:

• Hamburger buns: Use your favorite hamburger buns.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter for the buns.
• Swiss cheese:  Swiss cheese is typical for a Reuben sandwich or burger. 
• Frank’s Kraut: I used Frank’s Original Kraut but any variety will taste great.
• Thousand Island Dressing: I used more dressing to top the burger.
• Green onions: Use the tops, the green part, to top the burger.

Keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this turkey Reuben burger.

How to make this turkey burger recipe

In just a few simple steps you can be chowing down on this Turkey Reuben burger.

In a bowl, combine the burger ingredients.

It will look like this once it is mixed.

Divide into four equal parts, then form four patties. 

Grill or pan-fry the burgers until the internal temperature of the burger is 165 degrees F.  Add sliced Swiss cheese and cook until the cheese melts. 

While the burgers are cooking, butter the insides of the buns and grill them until golden brown. 

Place a burger atop the bottom toasted bun. Add a mound of Frank’s Kraut to the top of the cheese.

Drizzle with Thousand Island Dressing and sprinkle with green onions.  Add the top bun and dig in!

Leftovers of this turkey hamburger recipe will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can freeze the burgers, without toppings, for up to 3 months. Flash freeze on a cookie sheet and transfer to an airtight container. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this recipe for ground turkey burgers make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Swap the hamburger buns for bread slices like slices of rye bread, or pumpernickel bread, and have yourself a Turkey Reuben Patty Melt!
• Instead of the Island salad dressing use Russian dressing. 
• If you’ve run out of bread crumbs you can also use oats.
• Make open-faced burgers instead of traditional burgers, and eat with a knife and fork. Serve bun-less to lower the carbs.
• Pan-fry the burgers instead of grilling to enjoy them year-round!

FAQs about the Rachel burger

1. Are turkey burgers healthier? Turkey burgers are a good option if you are looking to reduce your consumption of red meat. 
2. What holds turkey burgers together? Both the egg and the breadcrumbs help hold the turkey burger together. 
3. What to use to keep turkey burgers from falling apart? To keep a turkey burger from falling apart you can use the same ingredients you’d use for a ground beef burger; breadcrumbs, eggs, or oats. 
4. How to prepare a turkey burger? You can prepare a turkey burger the same way you’d prepare a traditional burger. Combine the ground meat with an egg, breadcrumbs, and spices.
5. Is sauerkraut good on burgers? Yes, sauerkraut is great on burgers adding both flavor and texture. 
6. How long does it take to grill a burger? To grill a hamburger it can take about 3-4 minutes per side or 6-8 minutes in total so that is cooked medium doneness. If you prefer your burger medium rare cook for a minute or two less or if you like your burger well done cook for 5-6 minutes per side. If you are preparing thin or thick burgers note this will affect the cooking time. In addition, all grills are different so watch your burgers carefully as they cook.  

Tips & Tricks

• For a spicier burger mix some red pepper flakes into the ground turkey. 
• Spray your grill or medium skillet with cooking spray so the burgers don’t stick. 
• Use cooked turkey breast instead of ground turkey, leftover turkey works well. 

More Recipes to Love

If you are a fan of burgers you may like these Red, White & Bleu Burgers, these Open Faced Pizza Burgers, or these Blackened Salmon Burgers With BLT Slaw .

Check out more recipes that help you Grill Out with Frank’s Kraut: BBQ Hot Dogs & Kraut, Grilled Polish Sausage & Kraut, Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with Sauerkraut Stuffing, Smoked Hot Dogs & Kraut, or these Grilled Bratwurst Meatball Kabobs.

See ALL Of my Sauerkraut Recipes

Before we get to the recipe, I would like to offer up a HUGE thank you to Frank’s Kraut! This burger recipe was the beginning of what is now an eight-year relationship of making recipes that use their most excellent sauerkraut! 

MORE SAUERKRAUT RECIPES TO LOVE

Follow along with Frank’s Kraut on their social media to get delicious recipes all year long.  Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all things sauerkraut! Grab some kraut for yourself on their website!

Loaded with flavor, and texture and easy to pull together, I guarantee you’ll be making these turkey Reuben burgers all summer long.