Description

These Tuscan Turkey Burgers are a flavorful twist on the classic burger, infused with Italian herbs, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach for a nutritious and delicious meal. Served with a sun dried tomato aioli and melted provolone cheese, these juicy turkey patties are perfect for a hearty dinner or weekend cookout.

Ingredients

Scale

Tuscan Seasoning

½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Sun Dried Tomato Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (oil drained)
1 garlic clove

Turkey Burger Mixture

2 pounds ground turkey
¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (oil drained)
¼ red onion (finely diced)
1 egg
10 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out)

For Cooking and Serving

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices Provolone cheese (about 8 ounces)
8 bakery buns
8 lettuce leaves
½ red onion (finely sliced)

Instructions

Make Tuscan seasoning: In a small bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried rosemary, dried oregano, dried basil, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir the mixture well to evenly blend the herbs and spices.
Prepare sun dried tomato aioli: In a separate bowl, add mayonnaise, drained sun dried tomatoes, and garlic clove. Use a hand blender or small food processor to blend the ingredients until mostly smooth. Set the aioli aside for assembling burgers later.
Mix turkey burger ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey with the Tuscan seasoning, chopped sun dried tomatoes, finely diced red onion, egg, and thoroughly drained spinach. Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined.
Form turkey patties: Divide the turkey mixture evenly into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a ball, then flatten into a patty approximately 5 inches in diameter. Place each patty on a sheet of parchment paper for easy handling.
Cook the turkey burgers: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties. Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side until golden brown, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F. In the last minute of cooking, place a slice of provolone cheese on each patty to melt. Remove cooked patties and repeat with remaining burgers.
Toast buns (optional): Cut bakery buns in half. Optionally, toast the inside surfaces lightly on the skillet or toaster for extra flavor and texture.
Assemble the burgers: Spread about a tablespoon of the sun dried tomato aioli on the bottom half of each bun. Layer with a lettuce leaf, a cooked turkey burger with melted provolone, and top with thinly sliced red onion. Cover with the top bun to finish.

Notes

Make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible from the thawed spinach to prevent soggy burgers.
Use a meat thermometer to ensure turkey burgers reach a safe internal temperature of 165˚F.
If sun dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well to avoid excess moisture in the mixture.
For a spicy kick, increase crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
These burgers can be cooked on a grill instead of a skillet if preferred; adjust cooking time accordingly.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Frying
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: Tuscan turkey burgers, turkey burgers, sun dried tomato aioli, Italian turkey burgers, healthy burgers