As spring is slowly approaching all I can think about it grilling out and enjoying a juicy burger. We decided to kickstart that spring feeling by making these Pesto Turkey Burgers. So juicy and fresh to transport you to a beautiful 75 degree sunny afternoon relaxing in your backyard. Check out the recipe below!
Inspiration
Our Pesto Turkey Burger was inspired from some of our favorite flavors. In the summer and spring time we look forward to fresh, crisp, and bright flavors to bring your tastebuds to life. Sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, and arugula came to the front of our mind. Last summer, our basil plant kept producing so much basil we were making and freezing pesto in quarts. That memory made me think of a new way to use up all the pesto we will make this spring and summer. Paired with some other bursts of flavor we knew this was the perfect recipe.
Tools you might need
Blender/Food Processor: This is needed to blend up the pesto may for these Pesto Turkey Burgers. If you do not have the blender, just try to mince all the herbs and ingredients as finely as possible before mixing with the mayo and lemon juice.
Ingredients
Ground Turkey: We find that ground turkey provides such a lean burger with the goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Feel free to use ground beef if you desire though, ground chicken would hold a great flavor as well!
Basil: This fresh herb will brighten up any meal. Use this basil in both the burger patty and the pesto mayo for the best fresh taste to these Pesto Turkey Burgers!
Arugula: Provides a tang to this burger to weigh out the creamy and herb flavors the rest of the burger has.
Goat Cheese: We prefer goat cheese for its softness and flavor, feta is another good option if you want something a bit saltier. Our suggestion for either the goat cheese or feta would be to soften and whip a little before adding to the Pesto Turkey Burger.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: The perfect springtime flavor booster to the burger are these sun-dried tomatoes. Pat the oil off so you get the pesto flavors instead of the oil.
Step by step
To start making this Pesto Turkey Burger, start with the pesto mayo. Combine all your pesto mayo ingredients into your blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the mayo pesto into a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge while you make the burgers. In a bowl combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, yellow onion, garlic, parmesan cheese, basil, egg, pepper, and salt. Mix well and form into 4 patties. Heat an oiled skillet or grill and cook patties on both sides until it reaches an internal temperature to 165 degrees.
While the patties are cooking, pat the oil off of the sun-dried tomatoes. Next soften and mix the goat cheese so it is smooth and easy to spread. Begin to assemble your burgers. Start with the bun, patty, goat cheese, pesto mayo, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, and top with the other side of the bun. Serve with some fries or a small salad and dig in!
From our kitchen to yours, cheers!
Pesto Turkey Burger
Ingredients
Burger Patties
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
Pesto Mayo
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 1 tsp fresh garlic
- 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
Burger toppings
- 4 burger buns
- goat cheese
- arugula
- sun-dried tomatoes
Instructions
- Mix together all Pesto Mayo ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside and let rest in the fridge
- In a mixing bowl add the burger patty ingredients and form into 4 burger patties
- On the grill or a frying pan over medium heat add the burger patties and cook a few minutes, flip burger, and cook a few more minute until the internal temperature reaches 165°
- Construct burger on the buns by smothering goat cheese on top, arugula, pesto mayo, and sun-dried tomatoes(pat the oil off the sun-dried tomatoes so it isn't too runny). Place the top bun on the burger and enjoy!
