Awesome High Protein Lean Garden Turkey Burgers

Doberdawn

I make some Totally Awesome Lean, Veggie-loaded, High-Protein Garden Turkey Burgers. Everyone in the family loves them, even the skeptical menfolk.

To keep life easier, my trick is to make up a huge run all at one time. I buy the big 5-pound package at the warehouse club, make them all, and then flash freeze them so that I have ready to heat and eat meals. What is flash freezing? Line a cookie sheet with foil, spread burgers out on the sheet and put the tray in the freezer for an hour or two until the outsides are frozen. Then you can put them all in a baggie and they won't stick together. That way, it's easy to pull one out when you want one later.

Another important trick is to use the veggies I list, especially the peppers and zucchini. They add moisture into the burgers and make them nice and juicy. Okay... so, here are the stats from the big batch I just made tonight. Using a 5-pound package of Jennie-O 93% lean ground turkey, I made 26 burgers (the recipe should have made 30, but I decided to make them even a smidge bigger and plumper... I put the actual number made into the recipe calculator, so these stats are accurate for my burgers as made. If you make smaller burgers, the stats will be slightly different).

Stats are 1 BIG 3/4" to 1" thick burger (haven't measured exactly how thick, but THICK & juicy) 214 calories, 7.4g fat, 0.9 saturated, no poly/mono/trans fat, 74.4 cholesterol (next time, I may use more egg whites than eggs and get rid of even more of this), 77.9 sodium, 362.1 potassium, 14.3 carbs, 2.2 fiber, 2.0 sugars, 19.8g protein (basically at 20g protein burger! It rocks!), 1.6% Vit A, 6.8% Vit C, 5.3% Calcium, 8.0% Iron. Not bad, eh?

My basic recipe is:
Garden Turkey Burger Recipe

1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 cup rolled oats no need to cook, just mix in as is
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red peppers or other colored peppers (red are sweetest, but I also like mixes of red, orange and yellow)
at least 1/2 cup or a little more (approx 1 small) zucchini shredded
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp No-Salt

Mix all together, makes about 6 patties 1/2" thick. Place on foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Broil approximately 4" from heat for 6-8 minutes per side. (Note: thicker burgers like I made tonight take longer, 10 minutes 1st side and 8 minutes 2nd side)

****Note: the stats for the burgers I made used my "batch alteration adjustment" which I will tell you now. The purpose of the egg is just to make the burgers hold together well. In the big batch, I did NOT add 5 eggs. <g> I did add 2 eggs and 4 tbsp. of liquid egg whites.

Hope you enjoy them!

missjeanlouise

Thank you for posting this. I'm going to give these a try.

Doberdawn

If you try them, let me know what you think.

Doberdawn

Does anyone else have any other recipes for making turkey burgers that they want to share?

meredith1123

and if you use the Jenni-O EXTRA LEAN ground turkey BREAST, it'll be even healthier. It's the best!

sounds like a great recipe!
Also for freezing tips, you can also use parchment paper in between each patty if you are in a hurry.

Helenavee42

I don't know the stats but i usually put in some oregano and basil, fresh mince garlic sauteed with onions and mushrooms and sometimes if i am in a cheese mood ill mix some cheese into it. make sure the mushrooms are chopped small and let the garlic onions and mushrooms cool then mix with ground turkey and herbs. I like to bake the burgers rather than pan fry them. The best way is to grill them.

Doberdawn

I don't know the stats but i usually put in some oregano and basil, fresh mince garlic sauteed with onions and mushrooms and sometimes if i am in a cheese mood ill mix some cheese into it. make sure the mushrooms are chopped small and let the garlic onions and mushrooms cool then mix with ground turkey and herbs. I like to bake the burgers rather than pan fry them. The best way is to grill them.

I broil mine. How do they come out baked? Do they still get that crust and browning on the outside like they do from broiling? I have a small grill and it would take hours for me to do them all on it.... but I'll bet that is good.