The recipe include both fresh mint and parsley as well as a combination of paprika, cumin, coriander and cayenne so the burgers are full of fresh flavor! There’s a little bit of oil in the mixture as well which ensures they stay moist while cooking. The burgers are topped with homemade tzatziki sauce – it was my first time making it and I couldn’t get enough. It paired perfectly with these burgers! With a salad or some grilled veggies on the side, this is a great summer meal!
By Tracey
Middle Eastern Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce
burgers from Fine Cooking
(Note: The tzatziki requires several hours of hands-off time to prepare so work that into your plans. You could probably use Greek yogurt instead of straining regular to save some time, but I haven’t tried it. This recipe makes more tzatziki sauce than you’ll need for the burgers)
Ingredients:
Tzatziki
- 16 oz container plain yogurt (avoid nonfat)
- 1/2 English (hothouse) cucumber, peeled
- 2 small garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
Burgers
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 lb ground turkey
- 4 hamburger buns
- tomato slices
- lettuce
Directions:
To make the tzatziki: Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth then add the yogurt. Place over a bowl and strain for several hours to get out as much liquid as possible and thicken the yogurt. Add the yogurt to a medium bowl. Grate the cucumber then wrap in a kitchen towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible from it. Add to the bowl with the yogurt. Stir in the garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Drizzle a little bit of oil over the top before serving.
To make the burgers: mince the garlic cloves, then sprinkle them with the salt and use the flat side of a chef’s knife to mash into a paste. Add to a large bowl along with the mint, parsley, oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir until combined. Add the ground turkey, and use your hands to gently distribute the herb/spice mixture throughout the meat. Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a patty about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate the burgers for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
Set a grill pan over medium-high heat. Spritz with nonstick cooking spray. When the pan is hot, add the burgers and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until they are cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165 F).
Top the burgers with the tzatziki, tomatoes and lettuce and serve on buns (toasted, if you want!).
Makes 4 burgers.
