Juicy turkey burgers piled high with quick garlic pickles and dill Havarti – trust me, you’ll definitely want to make these a few times this summer!
When we go out for burgers, one of my favorite things to order is a giant beefy burger loaded with dill Havarti cheese, fried pickles, and ranch dressing. They’re delicious, but they always leave me feeling kind of sick. They’re just too rich. I’ve been waiting for months to pull the grill out and make my own take on a dill Havarti burger. Grill season is finally here and this is what I came up with – and it’s even tastier than the original!
I’m not normally a big fan of turkey burgers, but for some reason I just knew that turkey was the way to go with these. To prevent the burgers from being too dry, I chose to use 93% lean meat (instead of 99%) and I mixed it with some shredded zucchini. The zucchini adds moisture to the meat, and I’ve also found that if you season the zucchini instead of the meat, you don’t have to work it as much (overworking the meat makes it tough). Plus it stretches the meat and really bulks the burgers up – quarter pound burgers are kind of small, but these were nice and big. I could barely finish mine! (I’ve written about this trick before when I shared my beef and zucchini burgers.)
Instead of topping the turkey burgers with greasy fried pickles, I made quick garlic pickles. The cucumbers soak up a surprising amount of flavor in just a half hour. They also stay nice and crispy, so they add some bite to your burger. I also toast the buns for even more crunch.
These are definitely the best turkey burgers I’ve ever eaten. I love their light, fresh flavor! They’re definitely a recipe to make again and again this summer.
Dill Havarti Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- ½ seedless cucumber thinly spiced
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 zucchini shredded
salt and pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean
- 2 ounces dill Havarti cheese
- 4 whole-wheat hamburger rolls
Instructions
- Add the cucumber slices and garlic cloves to a small dish; cover with vinegar. Let sit at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the zucchini in a colander set in the sink or over a rimmed baking sheet. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let rest 15 minutes. Using your hands, gently squeeze out any excess water (don't go crazy, but the zucchini should be relatively dry.)
- Use your hands to gently combine the turkey and zucchini; try not to overwork the meat. Divide into 4 patties.
- Heat your grill to about 500ºF. Grill the turkey burgers for 8-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Top each burger with Havarti and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
- Lightly toast the hamburger rolls. Serve the turkey burgers and cucumber slices on the toasted rolls.
Simply Incredible and Delicious! You won’t even realize you are eating a Turkey Burger. It is so moist and flavorful. My Husband even commented that he could have this again tomorrow!