These Super lean and juicy turkey burgers are the perfect main course for a light, yet hearty meal. Great for any night of the week. You will be glad you made this flavorful dish.
When I was a teenager, I loved to collect the free little recipe cards that were given away with the food samples at the little carts that graced the grocery store aisles. I remember one day, one of the ladies at the sample stands was sampling the Lawry’s Mediterranean Seasoning salt and had little recipe cards with Mediterranean Turkey burgers on them. When I got home, I made these burgers, and they were soooo GOOD! Unfortunately, the Lawry’s Mediterranean season became increasingly hard to come by, and I lost the recipe card. So, over the years I have re-developed this recipe and put my own spin on it. I am SO glad I can still enjoy these delicious burgers and get to share them with you! Let me know how they turned out for you down below!
Tools Needed
Ingredients for Mediteranean
- 1 lbs. 93% Lean Ground Turkey: 85% lean will also work.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese: You can substitute the higher fat cheese for a low fat feta if you want an even lower fat patty.
- Fresh Spinach: Fresh chopped spinach is highly recommended over frozen as you will have to thoroughly defrost and dry the frozen spinach to prevent discoloring of your burger. I also find the texture and taste to be slightly different.
- Egg whites: I usually just pull out the carton for this since I don’t like to waste the yolk (the convenience is nice too, ha-ha). But if you don’t mind discarding the yolk, or have plans for them (lemon custard anyone?) You can certainly use the whites from 2 large eggs.
- Granulated Garlic Powder: Make sure you are using granulated garlic powder. If you want to make your own using a dehydrator, that is fine, but if you do this, I recommend using a mortar and pestle.
- Granulated Onion Powder: *See not above.
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt: Original Lawry’s is what I use, as I am not sure if the Mediterranean version even still exists. I have not been able to find it anywhere.
Ingredients For Tzatziki Mayo
- Mayonnaise: Of course, when it comes to this creamy white condiment, the higher the fat, the tastier. But, if you’re worried about calories, you can choose to grab low fat. I cannot vouch for fat-free but if this is your thing, you can use that instead.
- Plain non-fat Greek Yogurt: Any plain, non-fat, GREEK yogurt will do. Just be sure it is Greek yogurt which is a lot thicker and not regular as this is much runnier, unless this is your preference. You can also omit the yogurt altogether, but I highly recommend it.
- Garlic: I always choose fresh garlic when cooking but my mother interchanges this with the minced garlic you find in the jar. I feel the flavor is a bit different but if that’s your thing, go for it!
- Dill: Fresh is ALWAYS better in my opinion, but You can use dried as well. Just use half the amount.
- Cucumber: Regular cucumbers, like the ones normally sold individually are GREAT for tzatziki sauce, but the English cucumbers work as well.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best for this recipe.
- Salt: I like to use sea salt.
- Pepper: I love a good coarse or freshly ground black pepper for tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients for Mediteranean Spice Mix
- Dried Basil
- Dried Oregano
- Granulated Onion Powder
- Granulated Garlic Powder
- Sweet Paprika
- Dried Parsley (optional)
- Dried Thyme (optional)
- Salt
How To Make Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
1) Combine: Combine all your ingredients for the Mediterranean
spice mix; Granulated garlic, granulated onion, basil, oregano, parsley, cumin,
and salt.
2) Place: Place your ground turkey into a large
clean bowl, and add chopped spinach, egg whites, and seasonings. Mix very well
and then add your feta, mix in gently.
3) Make: Make round patties by taking about ¼- ½ cup
of your meat, depending on the size you like, and form a ball. Flatten and
shape into patties about one-quarter to a half inch thick.
4)Heat: Heat your grill or frying pan on medium
high heat and coat the pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
5) Sautee: Sautee your patties until golden brown on each side and cooked thoroughly or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serving Suggestions
Serve traditionally on a nice sized burger bun (brioche is delicious!) with fresh spinach and sliced red onion and a side of fries.
Make a yummy Greek salad to compliment the meal!
Serve on lettuce, such as butter or bib, to make a lettuce burger and to reduce carbs and avoid overly processed food such as flour and cheese.
Serve with a yummy baked potato and salad.
Tips
- Make sure your pan is hot before adding the patties to ensure a nice caramalization on both sides of the patty.
- Use non-stick spray instead of oil to reduce grease.
- If you want a fat-free dressing, just make traditional tzatziki sauce and substitute the mayo for more yogurt (higher protein!).
- Serve with Swiss style or WHITE American cheese instead of the traditional yellow.
Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Kitchen Knife
- Frying Pan or Indoor Electric Grill
- Spatula
Ingredients
For Mediterranean Spice Mix
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Granulated Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Granulated Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp Sweet Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme (optional)
For Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- 1 lbs. 93% Lean Ground Turkey
- 1 Cup Fresh Spinach chopped.
- ½ C Crumbled Feta
- ¼ C Liquid Egg Whites
- ½ T Granulated Garlic Powder
- ½ T Granulated Onion Powder
- ½ T Lawry’s Seasoned salt
- ½ T Mediterranean Spice Mix
- Dash of adobo optional
For Tzatziki Mayo
- ½ C Mayonnaise
- ½ C Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt
- ½ C freshly grated cucumber squeeze very well.
- 1 ½ large Garlic cloves grated.
- 2 tsp of Fresh lemon Juice
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all your ingredients for the Mediterranean spice mix; Granulated garlic, granulated onion, basil, oregano, parsley, cumin, and salt.
- Place your ground turkey into a large clean bowl, and add chopped spinach, egg whites, and seasonings. Mix very well and then add your feta, mix in gently.
- Make round patties by taking about ¼- ½ cup of your meat, depending on the size you like, and form a ball. Flatten and shape into patties about one-quarter to a half inch thick.
- Heat your grill or frying pan on medium high heat and coat the pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Sautee your patties until golden brown on each side and cooked thoroughly or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Assemble your burger, add desired topping and enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not a fan, you can completely skip the tzatziki mayo as the burgers are perfectly delicious without it. This is actually something new I started doing.
- Use fresh Chopped spinach.
- Wait until your pan is how before placing your patties on. You can tell if you wet your pan before adding the cooking spray and all the liquid sizzles away.
- Use white American cheese instead of yellow if using cheese at all.
Enjoy your delicious Burger!
Step by step with pictures
Step 1 &2
Grate your cucumber and drain as much liquid out of it as you can.
Step 3&4
Place your grated and drained cucumber in a bowl along with your mayo, plain non-fat Greek, and the rest of the ingredients for the tzatziki sauce. Mix into well combined, cover, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 5&6
Gather all of your spices for your Mediterranean spice mix and stir until thoroughly combined. set aside.
Step 7&8
Place your ground turkey, onion powder, garlic powder, Lawry’s seasoning, the Mediterranean spice mix, egg whites and spinach into a clean bowl and mix until well combined.
Step 9
Add the crumbled feta to the bowl and gently mix in until fully incorporated.
Step 10
Form your patties and place into a pre-heated pan with non-stick cooking spray until cooked through and caramelized on both sides.
Step 11
Spread your tzatziki mayo onto a toasted (if your prefer) bun and garnish if desired. *** Check serving suggestions for other ideas.
Step 12
Enjoy!
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