Turkey Burgers with Romaine and Carrot Slaw
I am in L-O-V-E with these turkey burgers. Turkey burgers, you say? What’s so special about a turkey burger?
Well, let me tell you. For starters, these turkey burgers are deliciously tender seasoned with a simple mixture of Dijon mustard, thyme and green onions. The magic happens when the hot, juicy turkey burgers are topped with the simple romaine slaw.
The only reason I even made this recipe is because the “slaw” base was romaine lettuce not cabbage. Brian hates cabbage with a vengeance, and that is putting it mildly. While I happen to love a good old fashioned cabbage slaw, I have to say that this romaine slaw really works.
I thought the romaine lettuce would get slimy and wilted in the light mayo/vinegar dressing but because the slaw is made right before serving, the lettuce stays fresh-tasting.
These glorious turkey burgers need no other adornment than a good bun and the tasty romaine and carrot slaw. My tummy is rumbling just thinking about these babies. Must make again soon!
One Year Ago: Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
Two Years Ago: Hot Fudge Sauce
Three Years Ago: Angel Hair Pasta Salad
Perfect Turkey Burgers with Romaine and Carrot Slaw
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 leaves romaine lettuce, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
- 4 soft rolls, split and toasted (I used this French bread roll recipe with whole wheat flour)
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, gently combine the turkey, mustard, thyme, scallions, salt and pepper. Don’t overmix. Form the meat into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until completely cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss with the lettuce and carrot.
- Serve the burgers on the rolls, topped with the slaw.
Notes:
These turkey burgers turn out more moist and tender if you use ground turkey that is 85 to 93 percent lean. I cooked the turkey burgers in a skillet but you could try grilling them. Turkey tends to stick to the grill more than beef so make sure your grill is cleaned and well-oiled.
Follow @melskitchencafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my friend, Reyna M.
The flavor was great! I added a tablespoon of mayo to the meat mixture because I only had 99% turkey on hand, and I think next time I’ll add a little more (or use the turkey you suggested) — but there will be a next time, because even my 6-year-old gobbled his up! Thanks for another winner!
I just came across this and I’m excited to try it. I also wonder if greek yogurt might work for the slaw in place of mayo. May give it a go.
They only had 99% fat free ground turkey at our store… I won’t hold you responsible if they’re drier than they normally would be! 😉
Another winner! Even one of my picky kids declared them “delicious” (no slaw, but that’s ok … more for me)
These burgers are awesome!
We just had these for dinner. So much flavor!!! Fabulous!! Thank you so much for another winning recipe. And so easy too.
I am in L-O-V-E with these burgers, too!! Mmmm Hmmm!! Another supper success in our home – thanks!!!
These were delish! I didn’t have fresh or dried thyme, so I subbed 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning…next time I’ll dial it back to about 1/4 tsp (or actually remember to restock my thyme). The burger was great and the slaw was a yummy twist. Thanks for the recipe!
I have to admit I was a little sceptical because of the few ingredients, but I have always loved your recipes so we tried it out tonight and oh-my-goodness…DELICIOUS!! Thanks for another killer meal!
it makes me sad to think that some people eschew turkey burgers because they think they’re always dry–that’s not the case! these look great, mel!
Wow, these were SO good! I only made the burgers (because I didn’t have any romaine on hand) and I grilled them and topped with Swiss cheese at the end. Served on toasted wheat buns with a light brush of mayo on the bottom, I didn’t need any other condiments, they were plenty moist and flavorful on their own. Thanks!
I just made these for my family tonight. Yum! Only, I grilled instead of fried them which was almost disastrous 🙁 Is there a trick to keeping them stuck together? The baby and I LOVED the slaw by the way.
AnnetteBrunette – I don’t really know what the trick is, besides being super careful and gentle when grilling ground turkey. Glad they worked out for you and tasted great!
I love turkey burgers too, but I have to have them freezer style (and a lot of them) to feed my hungry crew. I make this one with zucchini http://momonamission.me/?p=1301, but I’m definitely going to give this one a try and modify for my freezer. And that slaw looks awesome, as usual.
Question on the rolls….did you use ALL whole wheat flour when you made them, and did the rest of the recipe exactly the same?
Also, here’s a tip for the lettuce…if you soak it in cold water for a few minutes, shake it off, and then wrap it in a damp towel, put it in a plastic bag, and put it in the fridge for a little while, it crisps the lettuce to unbelievable crispness! That would probably help to give it a little more of a crunchy “slaw” texture. 🙂 This tip works awesome if you have lettuce that’s right out of the garden or beginning to wilt!
Tracey – for the french bread rolls, using them for hamburger buns, I have made them using all whole wheat flour (white whole wheat) and have also made them half and half (whole wheat/white flour) if I don’t have time to grind any whole wheat. Either way, they turn out great – and yes, I just follow the recipe the exact same way using the whole wheat, except I probably let the dough knead a few minutes longer. Thanks for the tip on the lettuce!
I do a freezer meal exchange monthly with my neighbors and was wondering if these turkey burgers can be frozen??? Thanks! -krissy
Krissy – I’ve never tried freezing these so I can’t say for sure how they fare but it is definitely worth a try!
I’m not a huge cole slaw fan either, but you caught my attention with the romaine cole slaw. Definitely want to try these when I get back from vacation.
On a side note I tried your chicken pillows with home made crescent roll dough the other day – YUM! I only used 1/2 of the dough for chicken pillows and made 1/2 of the dough for crescents. I can’t believe it had corn meal. (I was also grateful this worked for me with home made (ground popcorn) corn meal. I had my worries.)
As always, thanks for the wonderful site and awesome recipes!
I am not a coleslaw fan either. They are always too runny! I am interested in trying this burgers and this version of slaw!
I love turkey burgers, and these look like some delicious ones!
I love turkey burgers, and your recipe looks so delicious! I am very intrigued by the romaine slaw. That’s very interesting about Brian hating cabbage. Have you ever tried to make slaw using Napa or Savoy cabbage? They are both very delicate (almost lettuce like). I like them much better than regular cabbage, although I love coleslaw in general. Sometimes I use Napa cabbage in place of romaine lettuce (it’s very mild) when a salad calls for romaine. The leftovers keep well (romaine wilts), so you can eat the salad the next day.
I am going to make these turkey burgers for dinner this weekend. Thanks for sharing, Mel! 🙂
How unique! My turkey burgers sure could use a big remix! thanks 🙂
As it happens I made turkey burgers myself last night. I got some ideas for a middle eastern approach from another blogger (embarrassed now that I can not remember who it was). I didn’t have every single ingredient called for but did not let that deter me. I use an electronic thermometer to help me to cook them enough but not too much – 160 degrees if fine for me. One interesting thing was that, with the cumin, celery salt, jalapeno, garlic, and black pepper, they didn’t even taste like turkey. They just tasted like food of the gods. Let’s start a turkey burger club. lol
Thank you for posting this… I will have to try this out. Sounds delish!.