If you follow this blog for a while, you know by now that I hardly ever use store bought ground meat, and always prefer to grind it a home. However, as fresh turkey legs/thighs were not available for the turkey burgers I’ve had in mind, I went with the next best option: ground dark turkey meat from a local farm.
I chose dark meat (i.e. legs/thighs), as it is juicier than the white (i.e. breast), but even with that, turkey meat is fairly lean and tends to dry quickly. My solution was to add some scallions and fresh herbs to the meat, along with diced Halloumi cheese, that added moisture and tangy flavor at the same time.
The burgers came out juicy and tasty, and, served with Tzatziki yogurt dip on the side, they made a quick and tasty lunch. Try them and enjoy.
Notes:
* Halloumi is a Cypriot semi-hard, unripened cheese. It has high melting point, and keeps its shape when grilled or fried. It can be found in many supermarkets and specialty stores.
* Though they don’t have Halloumi’s unique tangy flavor, Mexican “Queso de freir” (i.e. cheese for frying), or Indian Paneer cheese, can be a good substitutes.
* Tzatziki recipe can be found HERE.
Makes: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1.1 lbs (500 grams) ground dark turkey meat, at room temperature
2 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground four peppers mix
5 oz (150 grams) Halloumi cheese (see notes), diced into small cubes
2 scallions, roughly chopped
2 Tbs chopped cilantro (or parsley)
2 Tbs chopped mint
1 tsp oil
1. In a medium bowl, mix the turkey meat with salt and pepper. Add the cheese, scallions, cilantro and mint. Mix again, divide into four potions, and form each into a flat burger.
2. Lightly oil a grilling pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and fry to golden brown on both sides. Serve warm.
NOLA Boy ordered these up – pronto!
LikeLiked by 2 people
lol That’s a great compliment, coming from a burger connoisseur! Hope you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
LikeLike
Keeping it healthy. Bonus points. 🌟
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Gail, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I like having a more diverse selection of proteins. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely and tasty. I have grated Halloumi in burgers and even in savory pancakes. It’s such a fun cheese!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Mimi! I agree, Halloumi is indeed a fun cheese. I also love it simply fried with a fresh salad. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
These sound amazing, I love Halloumi and this is such a great way to use it rather than the typical frying. I’m definitely keeping this one in mind. 👌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Myra! Fried Halloumi is indeed so tasty, and it worked so well in these burgers. I hope you’ll enjoy it too. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s awesome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoy turkey burgers on a regular basis – there are always patties in my freezer! Love this “Greek” version with the Halloumi cheese 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Judi, I’m glad you liked this version. The cheese added such wonderful texture and flavor. 🙂
LikeLike
I bet it did – I need to use Halloumi more in my recipes as I do enjoy it! I saute onions to add for moisture but I like the use of scallions and always fresh herbs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sautéed onions are great in burgers, but here I wanted something quicker, so scallions worked well, especially with the fresh herbs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Must try this one! I don’t like turkey that much but it is full of iron and I’ll bet this recipe will make it great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kendall, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Turkey can indeed be a bit bland, so these additions definitely make a difference. I hope you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure I will!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree with you about mincing meat at home to know what one is getting 🙂 ! Turkey is freely available but not terribly popular here as yet . . . although; there is no problem in finding it on any supermarket shelf. Love haloumi and your usage of coriander and mint . . . all definite flavours to add to what I consider a rather bland meat. It is a lean and healthy one tho; and your recipe is on its way to the stove . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Eha, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Turkey meat can indeed be bland, so adding some flavorings makes a real difference.
The quality of the ground meat was quite good, but I’m not going to turn this into a habit. 🙂
LikeLike
I tend to add green onion to turkey, too. It really does keep it from going dry. And, “Halloumi”…well, I’ll have to check it out. At first glance, I thought you were making a “Halloween” reference. I’m ready for October to be over so we can head to Thanksgiving. Thanks for the ideas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Bob, I’m glad you liked the recipe. lol No, I’m not that much into Halloween foods, and I also prefer Thanksgiving! I think you’ll enjoy Halloumi cheese. It definitely added the zing the turkey meat needed. 🙂
LikeLike
× ×¨×× ×¡×פר ××¢××
××¢×× ×©×¢×ת ספ×ר×ת ×ס×× ×¢× ×¢×× ××× ×××× ×× ××¨× ×5 ××××.
ש××¢×ª× ×©××××ש×× ××××ת ××..
LikeLike
I bet they taste great.
Happy Monday
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I’m glad you liked the dish. It was very tasty.
Happy Monday to you too! 🙂
LikeLike
That’s great that you grind your own beef. I bet it’s great. This looks like a good recipe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Joanne, I’m glad you like the dish. It was very tasty. 🙂
LikeLike
Your recipe is awesome 👌
LikeLike
Thank you, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I will check your YouTube channel. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m impressed that you typically grind your own meat. I want to try grinding meat sometime soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sheryl. I find grinding meat at home to be quite simple, and the difference in quality is very noticeable, and definitely worth the extra effort. It’s definitely worth trying.
LikeLike
Now I have to find Halloumi cheese.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol Hope you’ll be able to. It’s such a great ingredient. 🙂
LikeLike
I never ate halloumi, but on the picture something very delicious) I have to try it)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is very tasty. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am sure too)
LikeLike