Falafel Spiced Turkey Burger
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4
Nutrition per serving (1 of 4): Calories 536, Total Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Carbohydrates 43 g, Dietary Fiber 7 g, Sugars 8 g, Protein 37 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Sodium 706 mg
Total time: 50 min
Active time: 40 min
Patties
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (30 grams) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean, or preferred leaness)
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (any fat percentage works)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1/8 cup fresh mint, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Hot sauce, optional
To Serve
- 4 brioche, potato buns, or pita breads
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 romaine lettuce leaves, torn in half
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
Cooking Instructions
- For the patties: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, cooking until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cinnamon, cooking another minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the egg and panko breadcrumbs. Add the ground turkey, then season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, several grinds of black pepper, crushed red pepper, chopped cilantro, and the cooled onion-spice mixture. Gently mix with hands just until combinedavoid overworking the meat. Shape into 4 balls, then flatten into patties larger in diameter than desired (about 4 inches) because they will shrink during cooking. If preparing ahead, place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cooking.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season each side of the patties with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 160F, roughly 5 minutes per side.
- For the tahini yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Fold in the chopped fresh mint, then season with salt, pepper, and optional hot sauce to taste.
- To serve: Lightly toast the buns in the skillet used for the patties, adding more olive oil if needed, until edges are golden and slightly crisp. Assemble each burger with a generous spread of tahini yogurt sauce, a handful of sliced onions, a romaine leaf, and fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately and dive into these vibrant, flavor-packed burgers that blend bold Middle Eastern spices with juicy turkey for an irresistible weeknight win!
