Dry and under-flavored turkey burgers are a thing of the past thanks to my recipe for Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers! The ripe, shredded zucchini adds extra moisture and helps to create a light and almost pillowy texture to these turkey burgers, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and plenty of garlic, Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers will become a family favorite!
Prepare the Burger Mix
I find it’s best to prepare the burger mix when everything is at or around room temperature. The ingredients combine easier and your hands won’t freeze while mixing the ingredients!
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, drop in one pound of ground turkey. Using either all white meat or partial dark + white meat is fine, whichever you prefer. Next, shred the zucchini by placing a box grater over a kitchen towel, then run the zucchini over the largest-sized grate. The zucchini will fall into the kitchen towel, making it easy to squeeze out the liquid. Once the liquid is squeezed out of the zucchini, it will be a very tight ball that will have shrunk in size by about half. Add the zucchini to the ground turkey.
Now, add the seasonings of salt, pepper, and grated garlic. The seasonings seem simple, but combined make this burger perfectly delicious and give off all the perfect burger vibes.
The final step is to toss in the breadcrumbs (add about two tablespoons at a time) and the heaping tablespoon of dijon mustard.
Using your hands (they’re simply the best utensil for mixing burgers) combine all the ingredients until the zucchini is evenly shredded and the mustard, bread crumbs, and seasonings are evenly distributed. The mixture should come together and hold its shape. If not, add additional breadcrumbs and mix again.
Make the Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burger Patties
Once your mixture is ready is fully combined, it’s time to form the burger patties. To do so, pat the mixture into an even-ish layer in the bottom of your mixing bowl, using your fingers divide it into four equal parts.
Scoop out one part of the burger mix. Start by rolling it / forming it into a large ball, then gently patting it flat to about 1-inch thickness.
The final step to the perfect burger patty is to make a large indent in the middle. This step is the secret to ensuring the burgers do not turn into a meatball during the grilling process. Using your thumb, push the center of the patty down creating a thumb-sized crater almost to the bottom of the patty.
Repeat until you have four Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burger patties ready to go.
Grill the Burgers
I personally like to put the burgers on the grill, but a perfectly reasonable alternative is a cast iron skillet.
Heat your grill to approximately 425 degrees and brush the grill plate with olive oil. Place the formed patties on the grill and let them sit for 6 minutes, then flip to the other side for another 6 minutes. Do not move the patties once you’ve placed them on the grill – this will help them get beautiful grill marks, but it also helps form a sort of crust on the outside of the burger that is very delicious!
How to Serve the Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers
For my family, I create the ultimate burger topping tray with crisp iceberg lettuce, giardiniera, avocados, red onions (plain or pickeled), and pickles along with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and ketchup. From there, I let everyone choose their own fixings!
If prefer to be on the lower-carb side, these are great burgers to serve up in a lettuce wrap. If you’re full-carb friendly, my favorite bread for Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers is a toasted brioche bun. The sweetness of the brioche is a perfect accompaniment to the tenderness of the burger.
Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers are healthy, delicious, and make a perfect family meal! Enjoy making these your own with your favorite burger toppings.
Juicy Zucchini Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Turkey
- 1 Medium Zucchini
- 1 Tbsp Grated Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard I recommend a heaping tablespoon.
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Pepper If you're a super pepper fan up to 3/4 Tsp is ok.
- 1/4 C Seasoned Breadcrumbs You'll add to tablespoons at a time, using up to 1/4 cup as your burger mix requires.
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil For brushing the grill crate.
Optional
- 1 Head Iceberg Lettuce For toppings and for forming "burger lettuce wraps" if desired.
- 4 Brioche Burger Buns
- 1/4 C Red Onion Finely Sliced
- 1/4 C Pickles Finely Sliced
- 1 Avocado Thinly Sliced
