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This Mediterranean Turkey Burger recipe is our weeknight dinner go-to meal any time of the year. They’re easy to throw together in about a half an hour, are an easy way to sneak in some veg, and are packed with flavor.
Dry turkey burgers are long gone with this recipe. My secret ingredient to keeping the patties moist is shredded zucchini. Sounds weird, but after testing this recipe time and time again, it truly is key to creating a juicy turkey burger.
And if my time at Diabetic Living Magazine or Vegetarian Times Magazine taught me anything it’s this—you can “hide” veggies in any dish. But if it doesn’t taste good, what’s the point?
Why You’ll Love These Greek Turkey Burgers
- A burger that is extremely versatile. Serve this Greek turkey burger on a bun, in a lettuce wrap, over a salad, on top of a pasta salad, or simply on its own.
- Easy to meal prep. With just 9 ingredients, these burgers come together quickly and easily. PLUS, you can prep, shape and chill the raw burger mixture up to a day ahead of time. Just cover and stash them in the fridge.
Ingredients in Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- Zucchini: The squash that is our secret ingredient to keep the patties moist when cooking.
- 93% lean ground turkey: The base meat of the burger, buy your favorite brand.
- Plain 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt: Also helps to keep the meat juicy when cooked and lightly tenderizes it as well. This is also the base of the tzatziki sauce.
- Whole-wheat bread crumbs: Binds the patty together and adds richness of flavor.
- Fresh parsley: Gives a bit of freshness to each bite.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: We like to add a little to the ground turkey patty mixture to also add flavor and moisture.
- Fresh (or dried) oregano: adds a punch of aromatic, herbiness.
- Worcestershire: A little goes a long way, it’s umami with every dash of this sauce.
- Garlic: A necessary ingredient for all burgers in our opinion.
- Fresh dill: Another key herb that really packs a punch of bright flavor.
- White wine vinegar: Adds a nice brightness to the tzatziki sauce.
How to Make Turkey Burgers with Zucchini
- Using a large hole box grater, shred zucchini; transfer to a clean kitchen towel.
- Gather corners of towel and squeeze tightly to release excess liquid. (When you think you’re done, squeeze a bit more.) Shredded zucchini should measure about 2 cups (8 ounces in weight).
- Combine zucchini, turkey, yogurt, bread crumbs, parsley, oil, oregano, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Divide meat into 4 equal portions then gently form each into a ball and lightly flatten into burger patties and chill at least 15 minutes.
TIP: create a divot in the center of the patties to keep them from shrinking during cooking. This will keep them flat, like a burger should be!
- For the sauce, combine shredded zucchini, yogurt, garlic, dill, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium for 5 minutes. Brush with a teaspoon or so of grapeseed oil to coat.
- Transfer burger patties to pan and cook, without moving, until bottom sides are dark brown and crusted, 3–4 minutes. Flip burgers and cook until charred and crusted, 4–5 minutes more and an instant-read thermometer register 160ºF. (Total cook time will be 9–10 minutes.)
- Transfer burgers to a plate and let rest 5–10 minutes.
- Serve burgers with tzatziki and orzo salad or on a bun with tzatziki, lettuce, tomato and crumbled feta.
Lauren’s Tip
Be sure to chill the turkey burger patties for at least 15 minutes and prior to cooking them. This will help the flavors to marinate and the meat mixture to bind together so it doesn’t fall apart.
Tips for Making Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- The zucchini tzatziki is far more ideal for meal prep than regular tzatziki made with shredded cucumber. Though not as “fresh” in flavor, zucchini is less watery, which means the sauce stays thick longer.
- Use 93% lean ground turkey. 99% lean ground turkey is just too lean and will make a very dry burger. If you’re using 99% lean ground turkey, I recommend adding 1–2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture.
- Squeeze as much moisture out of the zucchini as possible. You want to do this before mixing into the meat mixture or using it for the tzatziki. The more water you remove, the better the burger will hold together.
How to Serve Greek Turkey Burgers
Serve like traditional burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, the zucchini tzatziki, thin slices of red onion, and maybe even some crumbled feta cheese. Or skip the bn and opt for a lettuce wrap using iceberg lettuce or green leaf lettuce.
Or, I like to serve them over this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad or a classic Greek Salad made with chunks of tomato, cucumber and feta.
Storage and Make Ahead
- Fridge: Store cooked turkey burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store tzatziki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving.
- Freezer: stash cooked turkey burgers in the freezer for up to four months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Make Ahead: You can make these turkey burgers up to 8 hours in advance. Store the patties in the fridge, covered, until you’re ready to cook.
Turkey Burger FAQs
Sure! I recommend replacing the whole-wheat bread crumbs with gluten-free Panko bread crumbs.
To cook these on the grill we recommend chilling them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up. These burgers can also be cooked on the stovetop in a grill pan.
Tzatziki is a cool, creamy yogurt dip found in Southeast Europe and the Middle East. Strained yogurt is mixed with with shredded cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and some kind of acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Then and a combination of herbs adds flavor and freshness. Common herbs used include dill, mint, parsley and/ or thyme.
More Burger Recipes
Mediterranean Turkey Burgers Recipe
Description
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Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 ½ cups plain 2% or whole milk greek yogurt, divided
- ½ cup (2 ounces) whole-wheat bread crumbs
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or 1 ½ teaspoons dried
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons grated garlic, divided
- kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or cracked black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Using a large hole box grater, shred zucchini; transfer to a clean kitchen towel.
- Gather corners of towel and squeeze tightly to release excess liquid. (When you think you’re done, squeeze a bit more.) Shredded zucchini should measure about 2 cups (8 ounces in weight).
- Combine 1 cup shredded and squeezed zucchini, turkey, ½ cup yogurt, bread crumbs, parsley, oil, oregano, Worcestershire, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Divide meat into 4 equal portions.
- Gently form each into a ball, then lightly flatten into 1-inch-thick burger patties. Press finger through center of patties (this helps keep the patties flat during cooking) and transfer to a plate; chill patties at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- For the sauce, combine remaining 1 cup shredded and squeezed zucchini, remaining 1 cup yogurt, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic, dill, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Stove Top Cooking
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium for 5 minutes. Brush with a teaspoon or so of oil to coat.
- Transfer burger patties to pan and cook, without moving, until bottom sides are dark brown and crusted, 3–4 minutes. Flip burgers and cook until charred and crusted, 4–5 minutes more and an instant-read thermometer register 160ºF.
Gas Grilling
- Preheat a grill over high for 10 minutes. Turn burgers to medium and place patties on grill, divot side up, and cook, covered, until well browned on first side and meat easily releases from grill, about 5 minutes. Flip patties and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 160ºF, about 6 minutes.
- Transfer burgers to a plate and let rest 5–10 minutes.
- Serve burgers with tzatziki and orzo salad or on a bun with tzatziki, lettuce, tomato and crumbled feta.
Notes
Nutrition
