Burger night is a family favorite around here! We love to fire up the grill and make dinner while the kids are playing in the backyard. Then we’ll eat outside on the porch and enjoy a relaxing evening together. Music is playing, crickets are chirping... There is just something special about cooking outside and taking in the sunset that sets the tone for a lovely night. But grilling does not have to wreck your health goals with the messy, greasy burgers you see in commercials.
Our family loves lean turkey patties over beef burgers! Turkey is a flavorful ground meat option that is much more heart healthy than typical ground beef patties. We also swap out traditional white bread buns for whole wheat buns or english muffins. English muffins are easier for small hands to hold and aren’t as filling as traditional burger buns. Finally we add on our favorite cheeses, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce or tomatoes to make some seriously fabulous food that’s healthy but doesn’t taste like “health food”! And for a heart healthy boost, instead of fries, try serving your turkey burgers with salad, roasted veggies or sautéed green beans.
Turkey Burgers
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp mayo
- 1 tsp season salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 whole wheat buns or English Muffins
- Butter
- Sliced cheese
- Condiments: aioli, mayo, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce
- Optional: Lettuce, Sliced tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms
Directions:
- Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F. Make sure grill grates are clean and well oiled.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, minced onion, minced garlic, egg, mayo, season salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix thoroughly.
- Divide into 4 equal sized patties, approximately the size of your English muffins. Thicker patties will be juicy and are much less likely to dry out!
- Grill the burgers for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Use a grill spatula for easy flipping. Allow patties to sit for 2-3 minutes before eating.
- Meanwhile, place a small pat of butter on each half of the english muffins and grill 2-3 minutes or until desired doneness.
- Place turkey patties on toasted buns and enjoy with your favorite condiments and toppings!