I have no other word to describe these exceptionally savoury umami bombs. Soy sauce is known to bring “umami” to the dish and so are the mushrooms. And there’s not shortage of both of those things in this burger!
Many turkey burger recipes include breadcrumbs. In my opinion, the bread crumbs are not adding much to the turkey burgers other than making them unsuitable for gluten-free individuals. Since turkey meat is very lean – some binders are necessary to hold in the moisture, but it’s not always necessary to go the breadcrumbs route. Instead, I’m filling these with mushrooms that act like sponges to hold all the moisture in! You can slice your mushrooms finely, I actually do a medium chop of about 1/4 inch cubes. You’ll be surprised – although you can see the mushrooms, you won’t taste them. They seamlessly blend into the burger enhancing the flavour and the moisture level.
One of my diners didn’t realize this burger was a turkey burger and thought it was a regular burger! Big flavours in this dish and you won’t be missing the red meat!
Guacamole goes exceptionally well with this burger. Feel free to add mango salsa, regular salsa, tons of different veggies – jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, etc. The version in the pictures has mango cabbage slaw, and wow, was that ever yummy!
Let’s get cooking!
These burgers cannot be grilled as they will fall apart on the grill.
Combine all of the ingredients - turkey, mushrooms, fresh or sautéed onions, parsley or green onion, soy sauce, pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix gently with a fork. Overmixing will result in tough meat.
If you like your food spicy, feel free to add hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper in this step.
Shape into 4 large patties about 1/2" thick and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Alternatively, you can shape these into 5-6 smaller burgers. This will help the meat to become less sticky, easier to handle, firmer as well as allow for the flavours to meld. Feel free to make these burgers ahead and refrigerate overnight for a quick make-ahead supper the next day.
Pro tip - if making for a company, rip out a small piece of the meat and sear in a hot pan until cooked through. Due to the small size - it should only take a couple of minutes to cook. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed, This will really help you determine if you wish to add more salt, more spice, etc.. Skip this step, if desired.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°.
Heat couple of tablespoons of oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium high heat until very hot and shimmering; don't rush this, allow the pan to preheat for at least 3-4 minutes. Place your patties into the skillet and cook undisturbed for about 2.5-3 minutes to get a nice sear.
Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, cook in batches if needed, otherwise the burgers will never crisp up properly.
Flip the patties and move the entire skillet to the oven. Feel free to add cheese at this time, if using. Bake in preheated oven to the safe internal temperature of 165. It will not take long. It may only be around 5-15 minutes or so, depending on how thick your patties are. Serve on top of toasted buns with your favourite garnishes.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients - turkey, mushrooms, fresh or sautéed onions, parsley or green onion, soy sauce, pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix gently with a fork. Overmixing will result in tough meat.
If you like your food spicy, feel free to add hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper in this step.
Shape into 4 large patties about 1/2" thick and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Alternatively, you can shape these into 5-6 smaller burgers. This will help the meat to become less sticky, easier to handle, firmer as well as allow for the flavours to meld. Feel free to make these burgers ahead and refrigerate overnight for a quick make-ahead supper the next day.
Pro tip - if making for a company, rip out a small piece of the meat and sear in a hot pan until cooked through. Due to the small size - it should only take a couple of minutes to cook. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed, This will really help you determine if you wish to add more salt, more spice, etc.. Skip this step, if desired.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°.
Heat couple of tablespoons of oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium high heat until very hot and shimmering; don't rush this, allow the pan to preheat for at least 3-4 minutes. Place your patties into the skillet and cook undisturbed for about 2.5-3 minutes to get a nice sear.
Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, cook in batches if needed, otherwise the burgers will never crisp up properly.
Flip the patties and move the entire skillet to the oven. Feel free to add cheese at this time, if using. Bake in preheated oven to the safe internal temperature of 165. It will not take long. It may only be around 5-15 minutes or so, depending on how thick your patties are. Serve on top of toasted buns with your favourite garnishes.
You can find the coleslaw recipe here, if desired.
Make it Gluten-Free: replace soy sauce with Gluten-Free soy sauce, ensure all your ingredients are gluten free. Serve with Gluten-Free buns. Do not use barbeque Mayo sauce. Most Worcestershire sauce brands are Gluten-Free, but check the ingredients to be sure.
Make it Low Carb/Keto/Paleo: replace soy sauce with coconut aminos for Paleo version. Do not serve this on bread/buns – serve with Keto/Paleo approved sides. Do not use barbeque Mayo sauce. Read the ingredients in Worcestershire sauce that you are using to ensure they work within your diet. Mango are not Keto-Friendly, so skip them for Keto version.
Happens to be Dairy-Free: serve with Dairy-Free buns and do not make Barbeque Mayo sauce. Do not add cheese. If using coleslaw as suggested, do not add dairy to it.
