There are so many different types of burgers it's almost ridiculous. The type of meat, the sauce, the toppings, the choices for each are endless. My favorite is the classic burger but once in a while the cravings strike for a healthier option. A healthy burger might sound like an oxymoron but with a little creativity, you can create a delicious one like this Greek turkey burger. Stuffed with feta cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes and finished with tzatziki, this burger definitely hits the spot.
Greek Turkey Burger
Ingredients
Tzatziki
- ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
- 1 garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup cucumber grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- salt and pepper
Burgers
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves chopped
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Prepare the tzatziki. Cut the cucumber in half and scrape out the seeds using a spoon. Grate the cucumber, season with ¼ teaspoon salt, and let sit for 10 minutes in a colander. Squeeze out excess moisture. Combine the cucumber with yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the burgers. Mix together ground turkey, garlic, salt, pepper, sun dried tomatoes, feta, and chopped spinach. Shape into 4 patties. Cook on the grill, stove top, or in the oven until the juices run clear.
- Assemble burgers with spinach, sliced tomatoes, and tzatziki. Serve.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
As far as burgers go, this Greek turkey burger is yet another simple one. If the sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, make sure to drain them before combining them with the turkey. The ground turkey is already moist so you don't even need a binder to hold the patties together.
People ask me all the time, how do you taste the burger before cooking them? The answer is so simple! Just take a small piece of the meat and cook it on the stovetop. I always make sure to taste the meat before forming the patties to make sure the seasonings are correct.
I usually grill my burgers but because it's an indoor grill, the kitchen becomes extremely smokey. To avoid this, I just chose to cook the burgers in the oven, 350 for 10 minutes, and finished them in the broiler for 1 minute.
For the tzatziki, Greek yogurt is a great choice because of its thick consistency. I've made tzatziki before with plain nonfat yogurt and it became very runny from the water in the cucumbers (even after you squeeze the excess water out). Full fat yogurt works better because it's thicker but Greek yogurt is the best choice.
This is my second time making this Greek turkey burger; people raved about how delicious these were, asking me to make them again. The patties are incredibly juicy and moist with some tang from the sun-dried tomatoes. The tzatziki also gives a tartness and refreshing quality to the burger. Healthy and delicious, what more can you ask for?
For more Greek food inspiration check out these Halal chicken skewers!
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