Turkey burgers that get the whole family involved

Save money by adding breadcrumbs to pad out the mince in these family-favourite burgers, says Lauren Taylor

Thursday 13 April 2023 07:00 EDT
Comments
Turkey is much lower in fat than beef but still packed with flavour
Turkey is much lower in fat than beef but still packed with flavour (Andrew Burton/PA)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Turkey is much lower in fat than beef mince yet so tasty that I use it for burgers,” says Tess Daly. “I buy turkey mince and add breadcrumbs, yogurt and some egg to keep the burgers succulent, not dry. They are quite substantial and you can make the mixture into six smaller portions, if you prefer.

“The family love getting involved in building their own burgers and adding different toppings, such as avocado, jalapeños, salad and cheese.”

Tremendous turkey burgers

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 mins, plus chilling | Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

For the burgers:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, very finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

500g turkey mince

50g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

50g frozen peas, defrosted

A few sprigs of coriander, very finely chopped

50g breadcrumbs (preferably wholemeal)

25g thick live yoghurt

1 egg

Salt and black pepper

To assemble:

50g cheddar cheese or similar, grated (optional)

1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

Juice of 1 lime

4 burger buns or large lettuce leaves

2 tbsp pickled jalapeños

A few salad leaves

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Method:

1. First, make the burgers. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Sauté on a medium-low heat until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the garlic. Stir for another minute or two, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.

2. Put the turkey mince in a bowl with the onion and garlic mixture, and all the remaining burger ingredients. Season well and mix thoroughly. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. The mixture will feel very soft to start with – keep turning it over in your hands and lightly kneading it until it starts to feel firmer.

3. Divide the mixture into four and shape into large patties. Chill in the fridge for an hour, if possible – this will make them easier to handle when you cook them.

4. When you’re ready to cook the burgers, remove them from the fridge. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and add the burgers, well-spaced out. Fry for several minutes on each side – you will know when they are ready to flip as they will look cooked up the sides and will come away cleanly from the pan. Make sure they are completely cooked through. If you have a probe thermometer, they should read 72°C, or if you insert the tip of a knife, it should be almost too hot to press between your fingers for longer than a second.

5. If adding the cheese, arrange over the burgers and cover with a lid to help it melt.

6. To assemble, toss the avocado with the lime juice. Place a burger on the bottom half of a bun, then top with the avocado, jalapeños, salad leaves and tomato. Serve with any other condiments you like.

Recipe from ‘4 Steps To A Healthier, Happier You’ by Tess Daly (published by Bantam, £18.99).

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in