Zucchini Turkey Burgers

Name: Zucchini Turkey Burgers
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.30 lbs ground turkey meat; 1 cup finely shredded zucchini; 1 tsp kosher salt, heaping (half as much if using fine table salt); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbsp yellow onion, minced - use raw or saute it in a bit of oil for about 5 minutes until tender; 3 tbsp parsley, green onion or combination of both, chopped; dash of hot sauce or cayenne, for heat, optional; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; buns, for serving; slices of cheese, optional; Garnishes of choice: tomatoes, onions, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, jalapenos, etc.

Written by Ellen Published on June 25, 2019 in

DifficultyBeginner

Yields4 Servings

1.30 lbs ground turkey meat

1 cup finely shredded zucchini

1 tsp kosher salt, heaping (half as much if using fine table salt)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp yellow onion, minced - use raw or saute it in a bit of oil for about 5 minutes until tender

3 tbsp parsley, green onion or combination of both, chopped

dash of hot sauce or cayenne, for heat, optional

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

buns, for serving

slices of cheese, optional

Garnishes of choice: tomatoes, onions, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, jalapenos, etc.

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Squeeze your shredded zucchini between paper towels or clean kitchen towel to get most of the moisture out.

Combine all of the ingredients - turkey, zucchini, fresh or sautéed onions, parsley or green onion, 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 an hour. Alternatively, you can shape these into 5-6 smaller burgers.
Refrigeration will help the meat to become less sticky, easier to handle and for the flavours to meld. Feel free to make these burgers ahead and refrigerate overnight for a quick make-ahead supper the next day.

Heat couple of tablespoons of oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium high heat until very hot and shimmering. Place your patties into the skillet and cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes to get a nice sear.

Do not overcrowd your pan - that will result in steaming and prevent getting a nice flavour-boosting sear on your burgers. You may need to use two pans or sear your burgers in batches (perhaps place them with the cooked side up on a baking sheet while you cook the other batch, then move the entire baking sheet to the oven.)

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 minutes or so, depending on how thick your patties are. Serve on top of toasted buns with your favourite garnishes.