Oprah’s favorite turkey burgers, downsized and done right! Hands down the winner for all turkey burgers I’ve come across. These are kid friendly, adult approved, and full of healthy ingredients that come together brilliantly!
This recipe is a spin on the iconic Maralago Turkey Burger, which Oprah made headlines with in 2008, declaring it her favorite turkey burger. It’s deserving of the spotlight, and the reason I know about them is my awesome sister Alyssa! She made these for us when our third child was born (13 years ago) as a prepped meal for easy dinners with a new baby, and we have been making them ever since!
Turkey burgers get a bad rap, and they often should. Unusually dry and bland, they can taste like cardboard. These are the complete opposite – flavorful and juicy, with warm spice and hints from fresh flavors that balance them perfectly. They are easy to prep in advance and cook later, as they benefit from resting in the fridge. They also freeze well, which makes them a great make ahead meal for busy weeknights. They are also a great dinner option to lend a hand to someone in need, whether it’s a new baby, job, or whatever else life is throwing at us lately. (I forgot to put the lemon in this pic!)
Trader Joe’s sells the most adorable tiny seeded slider buns for burgers, and they work great with these turkey sliders. It’s a fun meal that makes a great leftover after school snack too, when downsized like this. The ingredients to the right are for serving and topping – including the TJ’s slider buns.
Turkey Burger Sliders
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup chopped scallions
- 1/8 cup chopped celery
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
- 1/8 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs dark ground turkey meat
- 1 tsp tabasco
- 1/2 lemon, zest grated and juiced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/8 cup mango chutney SEE NOTES**
- burger buns I use slider buns from Trader Joe's
- 12 slices cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp mango chutney
- 2 dashes tabasco
- sliced avocado, for serving if desired
Instructions
- To start, you need to soften and cook the vegetables that will make these burgers so tasty! Preheat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, add the canola oil, scallions, celery, and apples, seasoning with the salt and pepper to release the juices. Cook over medium heat, avoiding browning, just until everything is soft and pliable. Remove, and cool on a separate plate.
- When the vegetables are cooled, add them to the turkey meat in a large bowl, along with the tabasco, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and mango chutney (if you are using Major Grey's brand, be sure to puree it in a blender before incorporating). Form the mixture into 6 large or 12 smaller slider size burgers. and refrigerator for at least one hour, preferably several hours.
- I prefer cooking these in a heavy cast iron skillet vs. a grill, but you can do either. For the skillet, preheat over medium high heat, and for sliders, you will want to cook about 5 minutes per side, tenting with foil to cook through, or using a lid on the pan that vents to prevent steaming (leave a one inch gap at least). For full size burgers, this will take about 7-8 minutes per side. Flip, and cover with cheese at the end to melt during the last minutes of cooking. If you are using a grill, the same cooking times will likely apply over a medium level of heat.
- For serving, I like to combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with 2 Tbsp of mango chutney and 2 dashes of tabasco - this is a great spread to go on the buns - like a spicy aioli. I top with micro greens and that's it - avocado is delicious on these as well.
Notes
- This recipe originates from the Maralago resort, and was featured by Oprah as her favorite turkey burger. I have made a couple of minor adjustments.
- The original recipe calls for Major Grey's Chutney, which I find to be too chunky, and it needs to be pureed before incorporating. I prefer Sukkhi brand (Whole Foods carries it) - simply called Mango Chutney - it's already smooth.
- Thanks to my awesome sister, Alyssa, for introducing our family to this amazing recipe!
1 Comment
Made these last night and they were a HUGE hit with everyone in my house! Turkey burgers usually aren’t with my crowd and they all loved them! So easy too! Thanks Walestable!