Turkey Reuben Burgers – Easy, Healthy Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
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Turkey Reuben burgers are a lighter, juicier twist on the classic Reuben sandwich. Made with lean ground turkey, shredded onion, and topped with tangy sauerkraut, melty Swiss cheese, and creamy Russian dressing—this easy dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.
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What you’ll love about these reuben turkey burgers
Here’s what you will need
Ingredient List
Missing an Ingredient? Find a Substitute!
How to make Reuben turkey burgers
Perepare the ingredients: Shred the onions with a box grater or food processor. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
STEP 1: In a bowl, combine ground turkey, shredded onion, salt, and pepper. Gently mix.
STEP 2: Form the turkey mixture into 4 patties and place them into a hot skillet coated with olive oil.
STEP 3: Cook for 5 to 8 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
STEP 4: Once cooked, top each burger with sauerkraut and a slice of Swiss cheese. Cover the skillet for a minute to melt the cheese. Remove the burgers from the pan and serve on rye bread or your favorite rolls.
Tips for making the best turkey reuben burgers
- Don’t overmix the meat—handle gently for juicy burgers.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
- Let burgers rest a few minutes before serving.
- For probiotic benefits, add raw sauerkraut after cooking.
Be sure to check out the full recipe below
Serving suggestions
Serve these healthy turkey burgers with a little bit of homemade Russian dressing smeared on slices of rye bread or a rye bun.
These juicy turkey burgers also taste great with a side of spinach salad, buffalo cauliflower bites, and homemade zucchini pickles or sweet and spicy refrigerator pickles.
Make it a meal prep win by doubling the batch and freezing the extras.
How to store leftovers
Leftover room temperature turkey burgers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container or frozen for up to three months. Reheat leftover burgers in a skillet, oven, or microwave, and add the sauerkraut and cheese.
Recipe variations
These flavorful turkey burgers are so versatile; feel free to adjust the ingredients to make your version!
Open-faced – Serve on one slice of bread for fewer carbs.
Sliders – Make the patties smaller and serve them on slider buns for appetizers.
Lettuce wraps – Swap buns for crunchy romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
Spicy twist – Add chopped jalapenos or a dash of hot sauce.
Caramelized onions – Add a spoonful of caramelized onions on top of the burgers with the sauerkraut and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but the tangy crunch is part of the classic Reuben flavor, try using slaw it you are not a fan.
Sure! Swiss is traditional, but provolone or mozzarella will work too.
Yes, just grill them over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side until cooked through.
Yes! You can form the patties and refrigerate them up to a day in advance.
Yes, you can finely mince the onions if you prefer to not shred them.
Yes, you can, but they add some moisture to the burgers. If you skip them, add a teaspoon of oil to the meat before forming the patties.
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Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Easy Skillet Turkey Burgers with sauerkraut
Equipment
- cast iron skillet or heavy skillet or grill pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 4 tablespoons sauerkraut
- 4 thin slices organic swiss cheese
- 5 slices Rye bread or your favorite rolls
Instructions
- Shred the onions using a hand grater or mince them with a knife and place them into a mixing bowl with the ground turkey.
- Combine the onion and meat together and form into four 1/4 pound patties
- Pre-heat the oil in a pan over medium – high heat
- Once the pan is hot, add the burgers to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes until they begin to turn brown
- flip the burgers over and cook for three minutes longer, top with sauerkraut and cheese
- cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes more until the cheese has melted and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees f
- Serve the burgers on toasted rye, or sourdough or your favorite burger roll
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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I love lightened up versions of family favorites. Thanks.
You are welcome Wendy!
Love the healthy spin on it. I’ve been trying to serve more ground turkey dishes to my family, and these look great!
Thanks Jolene!
I love that this is on top of a turkey burger. I’m not a huge fan of corned beef so this is totally the way I’d prefe rit.
Thanks Nichole!
I love anything with kraut- always have. So all these fermented recipes make me happy.
I can eat kraut right out of the jar!
Love this idea as both easier and healthier than corned beef.
Thank you!
The Reuben is my absolute favorite sandwich of all time! I would have to put a generous amount of thousand island dressing on mine too. 🙂
Thousand Island works too! I don’t eat mayo though so I’m happy with mustard!
What a great “healthy” take on a Reuben! This sounds delicious.
Thanks Karen!
Now, I can totally eat a Reuben every day for lunch without feeling guilty!!! Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck – Colleen
Thanks!
I love this idea! I shouldn’t check stuff like this out when I’m hungry because now I’m craving a bite (or ten!)
I know how that feels carlee, I try to not looks at food pictures when I’m hungry!
Sounds delicious. I never make reubens at home, but I need to. This recipe is perfect for shaking up my lunch game.
I love when comfort foods get a healthy twist! Yummo!
These burgers sound delicious! Love caraway seeds and saurkraut!
My burgers are so boring compared to this one. Looks fantastic.
This burger sure is mouth watering! If I used some garlic with the turkey to make the patty do you think it was alter the flavor of the recipe too much? Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to make this at home!
Hi Sam! I would think a little bit of garlic would taste great with this! Enjoy!
LOVE the idea of turning a reuben into a burger! That makes it so much easier for some reason. I can definitely do this for dinner without the bread. Thanks for the idea!
Love turkey burgers and even better that you made it a reuben! Such a perfect spring/summer recipe.
Thanks Jean, and we love grilling!
Loving all that fabulous cheese on top! What a great looking burger!
Thanks Linda
i love a good turkey burger and i love ruebens! win/win!
thank you Cynthia!
Wow, such a great idea! I would never have thought to put sauerkraut and swiss on a turkey burger to make a Reuben burger. My hubby will love this on some rye buns!
What a hearty sounding burger! Loving the sauerkraut and caraway seeds in there!