Middle Eastern spices transform plain turkey burgers into burgers that are anything but boring.
These delightful little turkey burgers remind me of spring, with all of their greeney goodness, and packed full of grated zucchini and green onions. They’re lightly browned in a skillet and then finished off in the oven, which gives them the amazing caramelization on the outside, and helps insure that they aren’t tough inside. I'd also say that thanks to that zucchini, these burgers are moist and very difficult to dry out, even when re-heating.
With the spring green color, shockingly almost meatball-like texture, and subtle Middle Eastern spicing, these patties are nothing like any turkey burger you're used to having. Both turkey and zucchini can be a little dull flavor-wise, but you when boost them with herbs and spices like garlic, cumin, and cayenne, they are anything but dull. These were inspired by one of my most favorite cookbooks, Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. If you don't yet own this cookbook - I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself a copy.
The original recipe calls for including an egg in the mix. The turkey and zucchini mixture together is already pretty wet, and it holds together fine; I find I get better results without the added egg.
You can eat these just like a classic hamburger (on a bun with all the fixings), but I decided to eat theses in a bowl fashion, with some yummy tumeric rice and greens. Another option would be to put them in the little pockets of soft pita bread, and top them with tabbouleh or hummus.
The burgers are great for meal prep. You can also easily have them as a snack (you'll have to try hard not to steal a few from the fridge every time you open it).
TURKEY ZUCCHINI BURGERS WITH GREEN ONION & CUMIN
Serves 4-6 (makes about 18 small burgers)
INGREDIENTS
For the turkey burgers
1 lb ground turkey
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3-4 tablespoons coconut oil for sautéing
For the tumeric rice
1 1/4 cup rice
2 1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp turmeric powder
Additional toppings
Sautéed kale
Sliced baby tomatoes
Pita bread
INSTRUCTIONS
Turkey Zucchini Burgers
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the burgers, except for the coconut oil. Mix with your hands, or a spoon. Shape with your hands, or a spoon, until you get about 18 smaller burgers.
Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Lightly sauté burgers on both sides (about 2 mins on each side), until golden brown.
Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 5-7 mins, or until they're cooked through.
Turmeric Rice
In a small saucepan bring water and rice to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until done.
Add the olive oil and tumeric to the rice, and stir to coat.
When ready to serve, spoon the rice into bowls, serve with the turkey burgers on the side, and add any additional veggies. Serve warm and enjoy!
NOTES
These are great for meal prep as well!
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