I’d be lying if I said I’d never met a turkey burger I didn’t like. I frequently don’t like them. When it comes to burgers, I’m usually a purist and go for beef. BUT. Not anymore. All the usual problems of turkey burgers – the dryness, the blandness, the boringness – all go away with this recipe. All the flavor of spanakopita – in a high protein, burger form! These turkey burgers are juicy! Baking them in the oven until they are just cooked to temperature ensures they don’t dry out from overcooking. And adding some olive oil into the burger mix helps add some much needed (and healthier) fat that helps keep the burgers moist, as well as the moisture from the fresh spinach. These turkey burgers are flavorful! I mean, is there any better flavor than that in spanakopita? Salty feta cheese with lemon and dill? Say no more. The relatively bland turkey is a perfect backdrop for these flavors to shine. And as a bonus? The lean turkey meat and the “hidden” veggies in here all add up to a delicious, nutrient-packed meal. You’re going to love these spanakopita turkey burgers! A special thank you to my Auntie Connie, for sharing her spanakopita chicken burgers with me, which were inspired by these spanakopita chicken meatballs from Herbs and Flour and the inspiration for this recipe and post!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Ground Turkey – another ground meat may be used. Chicken is similar to turkey, but can get a bit mushy, so mix it gently. Beef, pork, and lamb usually have more fat, so you can leave out the added olive oil if you want to. Feta cheese – I always recommend buying a block and crumbling it with a fork by hand, but pre-crumbled works too. Baby spinach – I prefer this because it comes washed and ready to go, but mature spinach will work fine too. You can also use frozen – more on this below. Green Onions/scallions – or yellow or red onion – just be sure to chop it very finely or grate it, so it doesn’t disrupt the texture of the burger too much. Fresh dill – dried can also be used. And other herbs can be added to the mix as well – I added some chives, mint, and oregano from my garden. Lemon zest and juice – you’ll use this in both the burgers and the yogurt sauce. Plain bread crumbs – I used panko, but regular will also work. Or homemade bread crumbs. Eggs Greek yogurt Garlic Olive oil, salt, and pepper Burger buns and other serving fixings, like lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumbers, etc.
This ingredients list includes everything you need for both the burgers and the yogurt sauce – but a store-bought tzatziki sauce will work just fine if you don’t want to make the yogurt sauce from scratch!
How to make Spanakopita Turkey Burgers
Mix the burger mixture in a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients except the turkey together (spinach, feta, lemon zest and juice, dill and other herbs, scallions, bread crumbs, eggs, olive oil, salt, and pepper). Then, add the turkey and mix together gently, preferably with your hands, until it’s all well combined. I like to mix the yogurt sauce at the same time as the burger mixture, since we’re adding the other half of the lemon zest and juice, as well as the same herbs to the mix. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, minced fresh garlic, lemon zest and juice, dill and other herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside at room temperature to let the flavors marry. Divide the burger mixture into six portions – I like to cut it directly in the bowl using a knife so they are evenly portioned (see photo below). Then form into burger patties and bake on a parchment covered baking sheet until just cooked to temperature – 165 degrees F (I love the Thermoworks Thermapen for a super fast, accurate read!). Finally, assemble the burgers on buns with the sauce and any other fixings you want!
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Sure! Just be sure to defrost it fully and get as much moisture out as possible. I like to run hot water over the spinach in a mesh sieve over the sink until it’s defrosted. Then, I squeeze as much water as I can out of it using the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
Can I freeze these Spanakopita Turkey Burgers?
Yup! After cooking them, allow them to cool completely. Then, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, or place in a zip-top bag and squeeze as much air out as possible. Then freeze until you are ready to use them. I recommend defrosting them completely before reheating. Do this by placing them in your fridge for 24 hours. This will prevent too much overcooking.
Other Spanakopita Inspired Recipes
Spanakopita Pasta Mini Spanakopita Pies Sheet Pan Spanakopita Quesadilla (from Mia Kouppa)
Other non-beef burger recipes
Black Bean Burgers Salmon Burgers Quinoa, Mushroom, and Zucchini Veggie Burgers
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