Turkey Veggie Burgers with Spicy Curry Aioli

29 Jun Turkey Veggie Burgers with Spicy Curry Aioli

Everyone knows turkey burgers are typically dry and boring.  But these Turkey Veggie Burgers with Spicy Curry Aioli are so freaking good (and moist!) and honestly…so much more interesting than a plain old burger slapped on a bun. If you love burgers and you’re into bright, bold, interesting flavors, Turkey Veggie Burgers may just become your new favorite.  Plus they’re gluten fee, full of nutritious ingredients and balanced in protein, carbs and fat to boost your metabolism!

My secret?  Sauté colorful peppers, scallions and grated carrots and then add to ground turkey for tons of moisture.  Fresh chopped cilantro and a hint of curry powder lend intense flavor.  Plus the sauce is out of this world and so easy.  Think red curry paste (find it in the international aisle at your local market in a tiny can) whisked with avocado oil mayo (find it in the condiment aisle at many supermarkets) and fresh garlic.

I prefer to skip the bun and wrap my burger in a big crisp lettuce leaf.  But you can certainly grill up some gluten free buns (or any bun) and start layering your burgers!

Turkey Veggie Burgers with Spicy Curry Aioli

Makes 5 awesome burgers

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BURGERS:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped small
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated on a cheese grater (or you can use the peeler to make long carrot shavings and then just chop the shavings)
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons marinara or red sauce (whatever you have lying around) or ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 to 1 ¼ lbs. ground turkey (use 93 to 94% lean- don’t go any leaner!)
• 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
• Small handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• All natural cooking spray

FOR THE SPICY CURRY AIOLI:

• ½ cup avocado oil based mayonnaise (like Sir Kensington or Primal Kitchen) or use a mayo of your choice, preferably organic
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste, or as much or little as you want (find it in the international aisle at your local market- the brand I like is Maesri Red Curry Paste and it comes in a tiny can)
• Juice from ½ lime
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

GARNISHES:

• Fresh lettuce leaves
• Sliced tomato
• Sliced pickles
• Fresh cilantro leaves (removed from stem and left whole)
• Gluten free buns (typically found in the frozen aisle) or buns of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
2. Once the oil is hot, sauté red pepper and carrots for approximately 5 minutes or until softened.  Add the scallions and garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute, adding a touch more olive oil if the pan dries out. Stir in tomato sauce or paste and season with ½ teaspoon salt.  Stir to combine, pour into a large bowl and store in the fridge just until room temperature.  Save the frying pan to cook the burgers if you’d like.
3. Add ground turkey, curry powder and cilantro to the bowl of cooled veggies and mix with your hands until combined.  Shape into 5 equal size patties, making sure to add a small dent to the middle of each patty to help prevent the patties from shrinking during the cooking process.
4. Grill burger on a well oiled grill over medium heat until no longer pink, making sure to not overcook OR wipe out the pan you used to cook the veggies with a paper towel.  Heat pan over medium heat.   Once hot, spray with a non-stick cooking spray or use another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, making sure to coat the pan so the burgers don’t stick. Cook burgers in the pan for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side or until no longer pink inside.
5. While the burgers cook, whisk together all of the ingredients for the red curry aioli (from mayo to the garlic.)
6. Layer burgers with red curry aioli and garnishes.  Enjoy!

SO, WHAT’S THE NUTRITION BALANCE?

This recipe has a great balance of protein, carbs and fat and is a balanced meal.  If you use lettuce in place of a bun, serve with some fruit or veggies on the side for additional healthy carbs.