These jerk turkey burgers are packed with bold Jamaican jerk seasoning, diced jalapeño, and fresh mango, then piled high with a sweet and spicy jalapeño-mango guacamole that's good enough to eat on its own.
Turkey burgers get a bad rap, but they shouldn't. They're lower calorie than beef, and because ground turkey is a blank canvas, it soaks up bold seasonings like jerk in a way beef never could. If you love big flavor (and you're here, so you do) turkey is your friend. (Though if you're a beef purist, my Smashburgers with Charred Serrano-Blue Cheese Butter will make you very happy too.)
For the jerk seasoning, grab a good store-bought blend or make your own with my Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasonings recipe. Either way, you're looking at a burger that's smoky, spicy, a little sweet, and seriously hard to put down. Let's get into it.
Spiced Jerk Burger Ingredients
- FOR THE GUACAMOLE
- 1 avocado
- Juice from 1/2 small lime
- 3 tablespoons loosely packed cilantro
- ¼ cup diced mango or more to taste
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (use bell pepper for a milder version)
- Salt to taste
- FOR THE JERK BURGERS
- 1 pound ground turkey (or use ground chicken or pork)
- 3-4 tablespoons jerk seasoning or more to taste
- 1 medium jalapeno, diced
- 1/4 cup diced mango
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil as needed
- FOR SERVING
- 4 buns
- Bib lettuce leaves
How to Make Jerk Burgers with Jalapeno-Mango Guacamole (Step by Step)
- FOR THE GUACAMOLE: Peel and pit the avocado and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a fork until fairly smooth.
- Adjust for salt and refrigerate until ready to use.
- FOR THE BURGERS: Add the ground turkey, jerky seasonings, jalapeno, mango, shallot, egg and breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Hand mix, but do not over mix or the burgers can become mealy.
- Form the burgers into 4 quarter pound patties, about 1-inch thick patties.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the burger patties. Sear a couple minutes per side on medium high heat, then cover and cook until they are cooked through completely, about 10 minutes at medium heat.
- Serve on buns with bib lettuce, then top with a heaping pile of guacamole.
Boom! Done! They look wonderful, don't they?
Recipe Notes
I got these jalapeno peppers straight from our garden, which is so great this time of year, with the garden just beginning to produce a number of peppers for us. No, the mango did not come from the garden. I must move to warmer climes, I suppose.
Patty's Mom was kind enough to give us a bag full of bib lettuce from HER garden, which is also exploding with veggies. The bib lettuce is a nice addition, laid gently at the bottom of the burger, giving just a tad bit of crunch.
Let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy your turkey burgers!
More Spicy Burger Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Jerk Turkey Burgers with Jalapeño-Mango Guacamole
Ingredients
FOR THE GUACAMOLE
- 1 avocado
- Juice from 1/2 small lime
- 3 tablespoons loosely packed cilantro
- ¼ cup diced mango or more to taste
- 1 jalapeno pepper diced
- Salt to taste
FOR THE TURKEY BURGERS
- 1 pound ground turkey (or use ground chicken or pork)
- 3-4 tablespoons jerk seasoning or more to taste
- 1 medium jalapeno diced
- ¼ cup diced mango
- 1 small shallot diced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs or more as needed
- Olive oil as needed
FOR SERVING
- 4 buns
- Bib lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Make the Guacamole first. Peel and pit the avocado and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a fork until fairly smooth.
- Adjust for salt and refrigerate until ready to use.
- FOR THE BURGERS, add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Hand mix, but do not overmix or the burgers can become mealy. If the meat mixture is too loose/wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs to firm it up slightly.
- Form the burgers into 4 quarter pound patties.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the burger patties. Sear a couple minutes on each side, then cover and cook until they are cooked through completely, about 10 minutes.
- Serve on buns with bib lettuce, then top with a heaping pile of guacamole.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 3/25/26 to provide new information. The recipe was not changed.
Terry says
Made these today as written. The wife and I really enjoyed them. The mango softened the heat to make the spicing perfect, and turkey was the perfect protein for this dish. Thanks for sharing!
Mike H. says
Happy to hear it, Terry. Thank you!
Stacy Stewart says
Hi Mike,
I am not a mango fan, but these burgers sound great. Anything you would suggest substituting? Maybe just the gaucamole.
Thanks, you are always helpful and my husband and I love your recipes.
Stacy
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Stacy! Yes, you can easily skip the mango. Any of your favorite guacamole will be delicious here. Or you can use something like a tasty herb or spiced mayo. But I vote for guac! Enjoy!!