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As an adult with reasonable influence over most events throughout my day, I feel responsible to feed myself with some measure of prudence and respect. The most recent savior of my culinary dignity: Chipotle Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers.

Paleo Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers with Chipotle and Avocado. Easy to make and freeze ahead!

Now, I’m not saying that the occasional dinner trifecta of wine, cheese, and pita chips doesn’t have its place or moment of necessity, but for health reasons, I’ve recently had to start paying closer attention to my diet, specifically the amount of protein I eat on a daily basis. While I might be perfectly content to munch a PB&J in between errands or scoop fresh avocado right from its peel and call it lunch, I’ve learned that making a meal of these quick bites hasn’t been nourishing my body as completely I need.

As dreamy as it sounds to fix myself a hearty seasonal omelet every day for lunch or to be constantly pulling perfectly-seared salmon fillets from our grill, I have neither the time nor the means, and judging by the number of requests I receive for fast, healthy weeknight recipes, wholesome lunches, and budget-friendly, make-ahead meals, I suspect I’m not alone.

Chipotle sweet potato turkey burgers are everything I could hope for in a fast, healthy, and wholly satisfying meal. A blend of lean ground turkey, shredded sweet potatoes, and smoky chipotle spices, they’re ready in less than 30 minutes, packed with protein, offer a serving of veggies, and can be easily made ahead and reheated. Do they have super powers too? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers. Healthy, freezer-friendly, and ready in only 30 minutes! (paleo, gluten free)

Paleo Chipotle Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers with Avocado. High protein, low fat, low carb, and easy to make ahead!

About This Delicious Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers Recipe

Though I love ground turkey as a healthy alternative to ground beef, I’m often hesitant to order turkey burgers, as they can be unapologetically dry. Not so with chipotle sweet potato turkey burgers! The shredded sweet potato does double duty by both binding the burger patties and keeping the turkey juicy and moist. It also adds a subtle sweetness to the turkey burgers that is a scrumptious pairing beside the smoky flavor of the ground chipotle chili powder.

I made the first round of these chipotle sweet potato turkey burgers for Ben and myself for dinner and loved them so much, I immediately made a double batch and individually froze the uncooked patties. Now, any time I’m in need of a fast, balanced, protein-packed meal, I just tap into my freezer supply by either thawing a patty overnight in the refrigerator (when I’m organized enough to plan ahead) or gently warming it in the microwave (when I’m not).

Finally, for those following a paleo diet, this sweet potato turkey burger base recipe is entirely paleo-friendly, and it is gluten free as well. I told you: super powers!

Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers. Low fat, high protein, and paleo!

Toppings for Healthy Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers

  • Cheddar. While you can put any of your favorite toppings on this turkey burger, I insist you top them with sharp, melty cheddar.
  • Avocado. Creamy and perfectly suited for a turkey burger.
  • Salsa. You’ll love the fresh salsa flavors on these burgers.
  • Sour Cream. Greek yogurt would also be tasty here!

For serving, a bun is the classic approach (and Ben’s preference), but I most often enjoy my burger beside simply dressed greens with a little extra salsa…and extra cheese.

More Scrumptious Burger Recipes

Stock your freezer with these Paleo Chipotle Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers and you'll have a healthy meal on hand any time you need it! High protein, low fat, and gluten free!

Chipotle Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers

4.80 from 10 votes
Juicy sweet potato turkey burgers with mild chipotle spices and cilantro. Low fat, high protein, and easy to make ahead! This recipe is also Paleo-friendly and gluten free.

Total: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 -6 burgers, depending upon size

Ingredients
  

For the Burgers:

  • 1 pound ground turkey I used 99% lean
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground chipotle chili pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups grated scrubbed skin-on sweet potato (about 7 1/2 ounces or 2 very small or 1 large)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Extra virgin olive oil for cooking the burgers

For Serving

  • 100% whole wheat hamburger buns toasted
  • Grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • Sliced avocado
  • Prepared salsa
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Place the ground turkey, garlic, chipotle chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Lightly mix with your fingers, just until combined. Fold in the grated sweet potato and cilantro. Form the mixture into patties that are about 1/2-inch thick (4 to 6 patties total).
  • Meanwhile, generously drizzle a cast iron pan or other large, non-stick skillet with olive oil and heat over medium. Once hot, place the patties on the skillet and cook for 2 minutes on the first side, flip then cook 1 additional minute. With a cover for the skillet ready in one hand, pour a little water into the skillet, then cover it quickly, being careful as the oil will sputter. Let the burgers cook steam until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Towards the end of the cooking time, top with grated cheddar cheese, then recover and allow the cheese to melt.
  • Serve the burgers on toasted whole wheat buns, topped with sliced avocado, salsa, and sour cream as desired. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

Uncooked sweet potato turkey burgers can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to three months. Prior to cooking, thaw overnight in the refrigerator (best option) or gently in the microwave (if you forget).

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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48 Comments

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  1. I LOVE turkey burgers, and your recipe looks amazing, Erin! So juicy and flavorful – pinned!! :)

  2. I could not even finish my dinner before thanking you for sharing this recipe! I literally have the second half waiting on my plate! These chipotle turkey burgers are amazing, and my boyfriend wholeheartedly agrees. I am enjoying mine on a toasted whole wheat bun with plain Greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese. The natural sweetness of the sweet potato perfectly pairs with the chipotle spice. 

    1. Whooo hooo! This is a joy to hear Amy. I couldn’t be more pleased that you and your boyfriend are enjoying them so much. Thanks for even interrupting your meal to let me know how they turned out. I hope you love the leftovers just as much!

  3. Will give this recipe to my daughter she loves sweet potatoes….and I may try it myself….sure sounds good…..thanks

  4. Made these  tonight for supper. I couldn’t believe how moist the sweet potatoes made the burgers as turkey burgers can be a bit dry.  Have added to my favorites.  Thanks so much.

    1. Lori, I am so happy to hear that!! Now I am craving these again for dinner tonight :) Thanks for trying the recipe and letting me know how it turned out for you!

    1. Hi Meghan! If your food processor has a grater attachment, that works really well. Otherwise a box grater (like what you would use for cheese) is perfect too.

  5. Wow Erin these were great. Just made them for supper tonight. I have another turkey burger recipe but they always seemed so dry. These are incredibly moist. I knew they were a winner when my brother came back for seconds. They can be so well adapted to a diabetic diet as well. Thank you so much for posting this recipe it’s now my go to turkey burger recipe and I hope you don’t mind if I pass it on to as many people as possible so everyone can share how good a turkey burger can tasre

    1. Cathy, I am ecstatic to hear how much you loved this recipe! I’d also be both grateful and humbled if you shared it with anyone and everyone! Thanks for spreading the turkey burger love :)

  6. ERINNNN,
    Your turkey burger game is strong. I literally just finished eating and I’m in love with this recipe. I will absolutely be making it again. Thank you!!

  7. Very excited to try these! I know you mentioned that they’d last uncooked in the freezer for 3 months – how long would they keep in the fridge (cooked or uncooked)?

    1. Kay, I think these would be safe uncooked in the fridge for 2 days (as long as the meat is fresh and they are well-wrapped) or cooked for 3 days. I hope you love them!

  8. Hi Erin!

    As my family and I continue to gradually improve our diet, your recipes are our go-to source for inspiration. These burgers came to mind instantly a few weeks ago when we were hosting a dinner guest on short notice who has to adhere to a restricted diet – but turkey and sweet potatoes were allowed. We were all blown away at how delicious these burgers are. We’ve made them 1-2 times a week since.

    We’re going to make them on the 4th of July and were wondering if you could suggest an adaptation for cooking them on the grill? We were thinking maybe tented in foil? What do you think?

    1. Angela, this means so so much to me! I can’t say enough how happy I am that my site is helping you enjoy a better diet <3. I'd actually still cook them in a skillet, but use one that is grill-safe, such as a cast iron skillet. It's important to be able to cover them to seal in the moisture. If you decide to play around with the grill, I'd love to hear how it goes!

  9. Making these tonight and serving them (sans bun) with a salad! After reading the comments, I’m so excited! Will report back!

  10. Ok well these will now be officially on our regular rotation!! My husband couldn’t stop commenting how “very tasty” they were! I served them without a bun, with a salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, avocados, cranberries, and a quick homemade balsamic dressing, and it all tied together very nicely. I wolfed it down so fast! Thanks so much for this recipe!!!5 stars

    1. I’m glad they were a hit, Rachael! Thanks for giving the recipe a try and taking the time to leave this review too.

    1. Hi Margaret! I haven’t changed the ingredients for this recipe, so I hope you still enjoy it if you try it again!

  11. This is by FAR our favorite turkey burger recipe! HUGE hit for the last 6 years—but I can never seem to make these patties stick together when flipping them. (?) Don’t get me wrong, we eat them no matter HOW they come out, but I can’t figure out why they don’t stay together. I’ve tried adding an egg, some almond flour, tiny sizes, bigger sizes…it’s a mystery—BUT as I said, we eat them no matter what because they are that delicious! Any ideas?5 stars

    1. Hi Heather! So glad you enjoy the burgers, sorry to hear you are experiencing that problem. I haven’t had it myself but maybe you could try to refrigerate them a little before cooking? Maybe that would help you?

  12. Oh my goodness, these are terrific!! I used the leanest turkey I could find and left out the salt on orders of my husband’s cardiologist. Really excellent to satisfy the craving for a juicy flavorful burger but don’t want all the fat. Double batch being made and frozen. I could see using different seasonings to change them up too (poultry seasoning and a cranberry relish could be a Thanksgiving Burger…)5 stars

  13. This is one of my VERY FAVORITE burgers now and I do not eat a lot of meat! So easy to make and so DELICIOUS!! OMG! I only use 1/4 tsp Chipotle because I enjoy the Spice and not too much! I just made a double batch and Freeze them all with wax paper or parchment paper between them. I put them in a used English muffin or bagel bag and put inside the new stronger Foodsaver bag. (so the bag does not get dirty and I can use it again without washing!) They cook up Perfect even if Frozen and taste much better than cooking first and freezing! I tried each way. When frozen, I just cook on both sides for two minutes to brown, before adding the couple tablespoons of water and cooking covered for 5 minutes. Cooks up perfect and I have with a salad or on a salad or with other steamed veggies. You could have on a bun too if you wish. Lots of FLAVOR without all the work…because I shred the sweet potato in my food processor on the smaller shred size and then put in the blade to make the shred a little shorter. Only takes me about three minutes after they are peeled and cut up to shred and chop a little. I now use an old plastic burger press with plastic wrap around each piece so the burger falls right out onto the plates after I press them, which I stick into the freezer until hard, about two hours. Now I have 9 – 12 burgers depending on the size ,for meals for myself! A lot for such a little effort! THANKS for this Yummy Easy Recipe!!5 stars

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