Greek Turkey Burgers
Greek Turkey Burgers are filled with flavor and packed with protein! Top ’em with tzatziki sauce & red onion for the best turkey burger ever!
We do hamburgers and cheeseburgers in so many different ways, I never expected a new recipe to surprise me, but these mouthwatering Greek Turkey Burgers sure did! The key to these savory burgers is infusing sauteed onion, garlic, spinach, and a hint of nutmeg, into the ground turkey, giving them a phenomenal flavor!
“But I don’t like Greek food”
Mediterranean food contains rich flavors: Garlic, feta, spinach, olive oil, and more. It’s SO tasty and healthy, but I get it – somebody always claims, “I don’t like Greek food.” Let me tell you, these amazing turkey burgers will change their mind!
The ground turkey patties are mixed with a blend of seasonings and veggies (the kids won’t know!) and topped with all the unique in-Greek-dients like creamy yogurt tzatziki sauce, kalamata olives, red onion, and sliced cucumber. With all these delicious optional offerings, everyone is bound to find a combination they love!
Other Recipes to Serve with Greek Turkey Burgers
A homemade tzatziki sauce is the PERFECT creamy condiment for these burgers. Add on one of these light, fresh salads as a side, and you have a fabulous authentic Greek dinner!
Ingredients
Protein: Ground turkey and Panko bread crumbs are the base for this Greek burger.
Veggies: These patties are infused with an onion, a clove of garlic, and spinach leaves.
Seasonings: Finishing off the flavors are nutmeg, salt & pepper, garlic & onion powders, and oregano.
How to Make Greek Turkey Burgers
STEP ONE: Start these burgers by sauteing chopping onion in olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in a clove of chopped garlic for another 1-2 minutes. Add the drained, chopped spinach and cook for another 3 minutes. Finally, mix in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes.
STEP TWO: Add the uncooked ground turkey and remaining seasonings to the sauteed veggies. Mix well and then form the mixture into four patties.
STEP THREE: Grill or cook in a skillet or grill pan until the juices run clear, about 5-6 minutes per side. Check the internal temp of the burger with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they have reached 165 degrees F.
STEP FOUR: Serve on burger buns or sandwich thins with plain Greek yogurt or tzatziki sauce, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and/or kalamata olives. SO GOOD!
Tips for Success
- You can serve these Greek Turkey Burgers on regular hamburger buns, but I love them on sandwich thins! The burger isn’t overwhelmed by too much bread, and the shape of the sandwich thins helps hold all your toppings together.
- Greek burgers need to be topped with classically Greek toppings, right? Slice cucumbers thin and longways, chop up kalamata olives, thinly slice some red onions, and serve with tzatziki sauce for the best turkey burger ever!
What is Tzatziki Sauce?
Pronounced tuh-zee-kee, tzatziki sauce is a classic Mediterranean dip made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, and garlic, then garnished with different flavors like dill or mint. Much lighter than mayo but so versatile, it’s used on everything from gyros to kebabs to fish and fries!
Is Mediterranean Food Healthy?
The Mediterranean way of eating, which includes Greek food, is considered one of the healthiest diets on the planet! Their food uses olive oil, herbs, lean meats, and veggies. It’s also loaded with flavor, high in healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Other Greek-inspired Recipes:
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Greek Corn Dip
- Spanakopita Tarts
- Greek Layered Dip
- Souvlaki Salmon Skewers with Feta Sauce
- Creamy Greek Shrimp Pasta
- Greek Chicken Mac ‘n Cheese Muffins
- Lamb Meatballs
*This post was originally posted on 09/13/2012.
Greek Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Toppings
- 4 burger buns (see note)
- Tzatziki sauce
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- Kalamata olives chopped
- Cucumber thinly sliced
- Lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Add the ground turkey to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the drained spinach to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and the nutmeg.
- Transfer the spinach mixture to the bowl with the ground turkey. Add the bread crumbs, the remaining teaspoon of salt and pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
- Mix up everything together until evenly combined. Divide the turkey mixture into 4 equal balls and then form each ball into a patty.
- Cook over medium heat either on the grill or using a grill pan or skillet on the stove, for 5-6 minutes per side. The important thing is to cook the patties until the juices run clear and the internal temperture reaches 165 degrees F.
- To assemble: Place a burger patty on a bottom burger bun. Top with sliced red onion, sliced cucumbers, and/or chopped kalamata olives. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt on the cut side of the top bun before placing it on the burger. Serve warm.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for 1 burger with bun, 2 slices of red onion, 4 slices of cucumber, 2 tablespoons chopped olives, and 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt.
- I also like to serve these burgers on sandwich thins for some extra fiber and protein.
- You can prep head by prepping the burger patties and then chilling them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Just make sure they’re covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
I liked it, though I butchered the recipe. The burgers came out really juicy and flavorful. I used kale instead of spinach, I ate a patty on top of cous cous instead of a patty, added hummus / feta instead of tzatsiki. It was very tasty. Would make this again.