Mediterranean Ground Turkey Burgers

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These Mediterranean turkey burgers are a different take on the classic meat/cheese/bun formula. They are a healthy alternative full of Mediterranean flavors, using sun-dried tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, creamy feta cheese and other delicious fillings for a comforting meal you don’t need to feel guilty about.

A Healthier Burger with Mediterranean Flavors

I love my burgers, but sometimes they aren’t the healthiest. If I’m craving a good burger, then this recipe is my go-to!

They are so easy to make and have many health benefits. Turkey is a filling, lean meat that’s an excellent choice on the Mediterranean diet, like in this Herb-Roasted Turkey Tenderloin. It gives you so much of the protein you need and you can use the rest of the burger to add extra veggies and get some more nutrients in.

If you want another healthy meat burger, try these Alaskan Salmon Burgers.

The simplified tzatziki sauce is made with Greek yogurt and adds an extra protein kick. Greek yogurt contains almost double the amount of protein compared to natural yogurt. It also balances the whole burger really well and adds some freshness to it.

Since ground turkey is typically much leaner than ground beef (like found in these delicious smash burgers), so crumbling some feta into the burger patties makes them even juicier and adds a lovely creamy flavor to the patties.

Why You’ll Love Them

  • Ready in just 25 minutes – quicker than ordering takeaway or buying a prepackaged burger in your supermarket.
  • Good source of lean protein – one pate that contains about 100g/3.5oz turkey contains 29g of protein, or 58% of your recommended daily value.
  • Easy to adapt – the herbs and spices, burger toppings, cheese and burger buns can all be changed up for different tastes.
  • Reduce your red meat – on a Mediterranean diet, it’s recommended that you reduce your red meat intake. Ground Turkey is an excellent alternative – whether it’s these turkey burgers or this ground turkey & sweet potato skillet, they make for a great, healthy dinner.

Ingredients (+ Substitutions)

There are 4 main components to this burger: the ground turkey patties, the buns, the tzatziki sauce and the extra burger fillings. 

1) Burger Patties

  • Ground turkey
  • Egg
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Breadcrumbs 
  • Dried basil
  • Feta cheese
  • Parsley

These consist of turkey, herbs, vegetables and cheese. The egg acts as a binding agent for the other ingredients. The sun-dried tomatoes give some lovely Mediterranean flavors, but be sure to chop them up beforehand.

You can finely chop fresh basil instead of using dried basil and goat’s cheese is a nice substitute for feta if you don’t have that.  

For the breadcrumbs, if you have a food processor or blender, then you can make enough breadcrumbs from 1 medium slice for 2 people. 

2) Tzatziki Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp dill
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt

We’ve made a quick version of the tzatziki but it still comes out really nicely. This means we’ve omitted the cucumbers since the drying part can take a while. With this sauce, all you need is to add the spices, salt and a squeeze of lemon juice and you’re sorted.

Generally, I use a ratio of 2 tablespoons per burger – 1 tablespoon for each inner side of the bun. We’ve also used garlic powder (but you can cut and crush 1 garlic clove instead) and dill.

Dried mint is also a nice alternative if you don’t have dill on hand. Try to use fresh lemons for the juice though, since bottled lemon juice isn’t quite as nice

3) Brioche Buns

You can choose whatever bun takes your fancy. Brioche buns work really well (or make your own with this quick brioche bun recipe) or if you can find a roll that’s big enough, then ciabatta rolls work delightfully too.  

4) Extra Burger Fillings

  • Thin slices of cucumber
  • Pinch of paprika
  • Thin slices of red onion

The world is your oyster when it comes to the fillings. Cucumber works well with the rest of the ingredients and red onions are often found in Mediterranean cuisines. These don’t require any cooking and this makes it easy to assemble the burger quickly.

However, feel free to sautee some peppers or mushrooms if you want to keep it healthy, some chilis if you’re going to spice it up, or some lettuce for something more traditional – whatever works for you!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the tzatziki sauce: add the Greek yogurt, dried mint, garlic powder, lemon juice and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside in the fridge.

Step 2 – Make the turkey patties: Combine the ground turkey, egg, feta cheese, basil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped parsley, breadcrumbs and salt in a mixing bowl. Do this for a few minutes until everything starts sticking together, or add everything to a food processor and blend thoroughly.


Step 3 – Form patties from the mixture: Make them flatter and wider than usual because they will shrink up and in as they cook. Once formed, set aside.

Step 4 – Cook the burgers: heat a pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Fry the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side for a total of 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

Step 5 – Prepare the burger: whilst the burgers are cooking, cut the brioche bun in half and toast until slightly browned. Spread the tzatziki sauce, then add the cucumber slices, a pinch of paprika, then the turkey patty, then the red onion, then the other half of the bun also covered in tzatziki sauce. Serve with your favorite fries or salad.

Cooking Notes

  • Turkey patties will usually need about 5 minutes to cook, but this may change a bit depending on their thickness. They should be a tad pink, but not overly pink. If you use a thermometer, the internal temperature of the burger should reach 165F/74C.
  • Use your thumb to make a shallow indentation in the middle of each patty to prevent them from forming a dome as they cook.

FAQs

Can I Use Store-Bought Tzatziki?

Store-bought tzatziki is great if you want to save some extra time. Homemade tzatziki doesn’t take too long and we’ve used an even simplified version, but do what works for you!

Can I Make These Gluten-Free?

You’ll need to substitute the burger buns. You can use a lettuce leaf as a bun or look for gluten-free buns in your supermarket.

Can You Grill Turkey Burgers?

Yes, you can grill these burgers instead of using a skillet or frying pan. Outdoor grills or indoor countertop grills like George Foreman all produce great patties.

How to Store Leftovers

  • In the fridge: cooked turkey will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, but use your judgment. Reheat cold turkey until it’s piping hot, not just warm. Only reheat cooked turkey once.
  • In the freezer: you can freeze uncooked turkey patties for up to 3 months. Tightly wrap them in plastic cling wrap and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To cook, defrost in the fridge overnight, then follow the recipe instructions.

What to Serve with these Burgers

Depending on how healthy you want to be, all your classic burger sides work very nicely:

Yield: 2

Mediterranean Ground Turkey Burgers

Mediterranean Ground Turkey Burgers

These Mediterranean turkey burgers are the perfect alternative to your classic burger when you're looking for a healthy, yet satisfying burger.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Burger Patties

  • 0.9 cups (200g) ground turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes from olive oil, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup (40g) breadcrumbs
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • ⅙ cup (25g) feta cheese, crumbled
  • Bunch of parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 hamburger buns
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Tzatziki Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp dill
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt

For the Burger Toppings

  • Couple of thin slices of cucumber
  • Pinch of paprika
  • Thin slices of red onion

Instructions

  1. Prepare the tzatziki sauce: add the Greek yogurt, dill, garlic powder, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside in the fridge.
  2. Make the turkey patties: combine the ground turkey, egg, feta cheese, basil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and parsley and salt in a mixing bowl. Do this for a few minutes until everything starts sticking together, or add everything to a food processor and blend thoroughly. 
  3. Form patties from the mixture. Make them flatter and wider than usual because they will shrink up as they cook. Once formed, set aside.
  4. Cook the burgers: heat a pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Fry the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side for a total of 10 minutes, or until browned and cook through.
  5. Prepare the burger: whilst the burgers are cooking, cut the bun in half and toast until slightly browned. Spread the tzatziki sauce, then add the cucumber slices, a pinch of paprika, then the turkey patty, then the red onion, then the other half of the bun also covered in tzatziki sauce. Serve with your favorite fries or salad.

Notes

  • Turkey patties will usually need about 5 minutes to cook, but this may change a bit depending on their thickness. They should be a tad pink, but not overly pink. If you use a thermometer, the internal temperature of the burger should reach 165F/74C.
  • Use your thumb to make a shallow indentation in the middle of each patty to prevent them from forming a dome as they cook.
  • Nutrition Information

    Yield

    2

    Serving Size

    1

    Amount Per Serving Calories 350Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 111mgSodium 523mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 6gProtein 16g

    Want More Delicious, Mediterranean Style Recipes?

    If you’ve cooked this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or review! But if you’re looking for more:

    1. Find more Mediterranean-style recipes on our website.
    2. Try our free 7 day Mediterranean diet plan with 20 recipes.
    3. Get our 4-week Mediterranean diet plan, Med in 28 plan, that makes following the Mediterranean diet a breeze!
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