Blue Cheese (or Feta) Turkey Burgers
Yield: 4 burgers
Three simple ingredients make THE BEST turkey burgers ever. Tender, flavorful and not the least bit dry, they're easy to cook on the grill or stovetop.


Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey breast
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) crumbled blue cheese*
  • 1/4 cup (52grams) mayonnaise (I use Hellman’s regular)
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and several turns of the pepper mill
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or enough cooking spray to coat your skillet
  • Options for serving: rolls; lettuce, tomato, onions or pickled red onions; avocado slices or guacamole; Frank’s RedHot or sriracha sauce; sriracha mayo and/or any of your other favorite burger condiments**

Instructions

  1. Mix the blue cheese, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the turkey and mix until blended, being careful not to overwork the mixture. Shape into 4 patties. Make ahead tip: At this point you can loosely cover and refrigerate for several hours.

    Add the oil to a frying pan (cast iron works well if you have it) and turn the heat to medium. When the pan is hot, add the patties and cook for 7-8 minutes per side or until both sides of the burgers are golden brown and cooked through. (Helpful hints: The burgers may seem to stick at first but, if the pan is greased, will release with a gentle nudge when ready to flip. Also, if using a thermometer to gauge doneness, look for a reading of 165°F for perfectly cooked burgers. Optionally, you may cook the burgers on an oiled grill.)

    Transfer the burgers to a platter, and serve on a roll with toppings of choice.

    Leftover burgers can be gently reheated and are delicious..

     


Notes

*I’ve also made these burgers with feta. When pressed, my family prefers blue cheese (even those who typically don’t care for blue cheese!) slightly over feta. Feel free to experiment. Also, if you’re not sure how some diners will feel about the flavor of the cheese, you could go lighter the first time – I’d suggest ½ cup – until you’re sure. Ultimately, the cheese adds a great deal of moisture in addition to the added flavor.

**For an easy condiment that everyone seems to enjoy, I often serve the burgers with sriracha mayo: simply start with a ¼ to ⅓ cup of mayonnaise and then stir in 1-2 teaspoons of the sriracha (or to taste). I’ve made this with Frank’s RedHot sauce, too, but sriracha is my personal favorite.


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