Turkey Burgers with Feta and Herbs

Turkey Burgers with Feta and Herbs

SERVES 4 • TO PREP 15 MINUTES • STORE UP TO 24 HOURS • TO FINISH 30 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Lean, mild ground turkey burgers are well suited to being dressed up with flavorful add-ins. But the added work can make them seem like a hassle for a busy weeknight, so we wanted a make-ahead version that we could grab from the fridge and throw into a skillet. We set out to create a turkey burger with a crisp, browned outside and a full-flavored, moist interior. Since getting moist and flavorful meat was crucial, we first tried grinding our own turkey thighs. But while this provided great flavor, it was more work than we wanted for this quick recipe. Luckily, we discovered that store-bought lean ground turkey enriched with a little ricotta cheese made an excellent burger. The cheese kept the burgers moist during the holding time without adding a lot of extra fat. To achieve a nicely browned, crusty exterior, we tried searing the burgers over high heat, but this resulted in an overbrowned crust and raw interior. To cook the burgers to a safe temperature without burning them or drying out the meat, we briefly seared them, then partially covered the pan and turned the heat down to gently cook them through. Finally, to elevate our basic turkey burger to company-worthy fare, we added fresh parsley and chives plus crumbled feta cheese. Ricotta cheese can burn easily, so keep a close watch on the burgers as they cook. Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat-free), in this recipe. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.

1½ pounds ground turkey
4 ounces (½ cup) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)

TO FINISH AND SERVE

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns

TO PREP

1. Break turkey into small pieces in bowl, then add ricotta, chives, parsley, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, knead mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently mix in feta until just combined.

2. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Form each into loose ball, then pat lightly into ¾-inch-thick burger; place on large plate.

TO STORE

3. Cover and refrigerate burgers for up to 24 hours.

TO FINISH AND SERVE

4. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Lay burgers in skillet and cook until crisp and lightly browned on first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip burgers and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and continue to cook until burgers register 160 degrees, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer burgers to serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.