Turkey burgers.
Hold up, don’t run away. I know ground turkey is the wimpy, can’t-go-in-the-sun-because-I’m-allergic cousin of ground beef. I know turkey burgers don’t scream backyard barbecue and cannonballs and coolers full of beer. At best, ground turkey is a Fatone.
But this recipe? It’s damn near a Timberlake.
(Like Sexyback Timberlake, not my-latest-new-hit-is-actually-part-of-the-Trolls-movie-soundtrack Timberlake. I have issues – let’s move on.)
This turkey burger is a flavor bomb, with cumin, Sriracha, grated onion and Worcestershire sauce to give it a perfect umami boost. Plus, mayo and avocado keep the patty juicy while cooking instead of dry and super sad.
You can dress this burger up any way you like – traditional style with cheese, pickles, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard, orrrrrr you can keep following this recipe from the geniuses at Bon Appétit and throw on some red cabbage slaw, Sriracha mayo and *drumroll please* more avocados! And please, for the love of all things delicious and good, toast the bun before chowing down.
Extra Juicy Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
2 avocados, divided
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. plus ½ cup mayonnaise
4 tsp. Sriracha, divided
1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
½ medium red onion, divided
1 lb. ground turkey
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing
3 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage (from ¼ medium head)
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, divided
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Directions
Mash half of 1 avocado with a fork in a medium bowl until smooth; reserve remaining half for toppings. Add Worcestershire, garlic powder, cumin, 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 tsp. Sriracha, and 1½ tsp. salt. Grate half of the onion (as in, a quarter of an onion) on the medium holes of a box grater into the bowl. Mix with a fork to combine. Add turkey and mix thoroughly with clean hands until well mixed. It will feel very wet and soft, which is okay.
Drizzle 1 tbsp. oil on a large plate. Using oiled hands, form turkey mixture into 4 balls, place on plate, and press down into patties 4–4½" across. Chill, uncovered, at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours to help keep them firm. If chilling for more than 2 hours, cover with plastic and chill up to 2 days.
Meanwhile, stir remaining ½ cup mayonnaise and 2 tsp. Sriracha in a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt. This will be another topping.
Thinly slice remaining onion and toss with cabbage in a medium bowl.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. One by one, carefully slide patties off plate into skillet. Cook, shaking skillet a couple of times to make sure patties aren’t sticking, but not pressing down on them, until dark brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook on second side until burgers are fully cooked, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let rest while you finish assembling.
Thinly slice remaining 1½ avocados. Add lime juice and remaining 1 tbsp. oil to cabbage mixture and toss to combine; season with salt. This will be another topping.
Dress the burgers with Sriracha mayo, slaw and avocado slices.
Test Kitchen Notes
I still have the hardest time flipping a burger without it almost crumbling apart. The patties more or less stayed intact this time, but next time I might try one of the following: reduce the wet ingredients, make smaller patties or freeze the patties instead of refrigerating.