Super Healthy Spinach Turkey Burger Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

‍

Watch the recipe

YouTube ↗

Cooking With Anadi

12K subscribers · spinach keeps the turkey juicy, not dry and bland

Subscribe

Watch the full method on YouTube →

Healthy Spinach Turkey Burger Recipe

Hey everyone! This spinach turkey burger is sure to be the juiciest turkey burger recipe you've ever had, and I really hope you give this a try to switch up your traditional burgers!

If you're looking for a super juicy and delicious turkey burger recipe then you've definitely come to the right place! Due to the leanness of this meat, turkey burgers are known for being extremely dry, but they don't have to be that way! By adding spinach to the patty, you're going to retain all those amazing juices that add so much flavor.

Not only does spinach make the burger juicy, but of course makes the burger very healthy! If you’re like me, you may not be the biggest spinach eater. The most I’ll consume spinach in one sitting is in the Indian Palak Paneer, which means “Indian cottage cheese cooked in spinach.” That may not sound very exciting, but if you’ve never had it before, then I hope you try that recipe! Now that is an excellent way to get in loads of servings of spinach, it’s vegetarian, and so easy to make!

But we’re here to talk about burgers! All you need to do is add some spinach to the meat, season with some cayenne pepper, and add in some minced garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. This patty is super easy to make! I’m going to be grilling my turkey burgers, but you can definitely pan-sear your patties!

Be sure to pair this amazing burger with a side of air fryer Cajun potato wedges! Have this at your next barbecue and they'll sure be a hit! Enjoy!

Why Make This Spinach Turkey Burger Recipe

I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to make these burgers! Let me give you a couple of reasons why you should for your next barbecue!

• Easy to make
• Healthy
• Made with only a few ingredients
• Yummy!
• You can pair with your favorite toppings and sides!

Let’s get to cooking now!

Tips for Making Perfect Spinach Turkey Burgers

1. Be Generous with the Seasoning

Turkey is naturally a really bland meat and needs lots of help to warrant it’s several health benefits. Make sure to season the burgers well with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper for heat. Plus, the addition of garlic adds subtle, spicy flavors to really bring this burger to life.

2. Keep the Meat Moist

Being one of the leanest cuts of meat, turkey dries out incredibly fast. To help with this you can try adding extra moisture to the burgers in the form of condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce. Or, instead try adding vegetables that hold lots of water, like finely chopped mushrooms, zucchini or spinach. This recipe uses loads of spinach and it makes the burgers so delicious.

3. Cook the Burgers Completely

Make sure to cook the patties completely, unlike beef, turkey is inedible if there is any pinkness in the meat. The best way to make sure of this would be to use your instincts and experience. The trick that I like to use is to gently poke the center of the patty. If I feel a slight spring back, I know it is ready - this spring back should feel exactly like the one you feel if you poke the tip of your nose.

A more scientific approach would be to use an Instant Read thermometer to measure the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat. The meat thermometer should read at least 165 F to classify the meat as cooked.

Tools Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Salt crock
• Pepper mill
• Basting brush
• Garlic press
• Gloves
• Fish spatula

How to Make the Best Healthy Spinach Turkey Burger Recipe

Add the spinach and garlic to the ground turkey in addition to salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well until combined and then form two large or four small patties with the mixture.

Heat a grill pan on medium heat.

Toast the buns until golden brown. Once toasted, set the buns aside and add the olive oil.

Place the patties on the hot grill and push gently against the center of the patties to form an indent. This will help ensure your patties stay flat as they cook.

After about 5 minutes, flip the patties, add the cheese slice, turn heat to low and cook the other side for 5-8 more minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Depending on their size, they should be cooked through.

Meanwhile, dress the buns with mayonnaise and prepare the toppings. Add arugula to the bottom buns and once the patties are cooked place it over the arugula.

Top with tomatoes, onions. Enjoy!

Spinach Turkey Burger FAQ

Mixing and Shaping the Patties

Everything for the patties goes into one large bowl: the 250 g of lean ground turkey, which is a little under 9 ounces, the two garlic cloves, a cup of roughly chopped spinach and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Season with kosher salt and black pepper as you mix rather than at the end, for the reason given above, since turkey needs more of both than beef does. If you own a microplane, grate the cloves garlic rather than mincing them: spreading two garlic cloves evenly through this little meat is harder than it sounds, and a grated clove disappears into the mixture instead of turning up as one hot bite. If you have no fresh garlic at all, half a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual exchange.

Mix it with your hands and stop the moment it comes together. Overworking ground turkey is what makes a patty bouncy and dense rather than tender, and lean turkey has no fat to hide that. Then divide the mixture into two large or four small patties and press an indent into the middle of each one with your thumb, as the recipe card says. Patties dome as they cook and the dip is what keeps them flat enough to sit on a bun.

The crust is the payoff for leaving them alone. Get the grill pan or skillet properly hot on the stovetop before anything goes in, then do not move, press or flip the patties for the first five minutes, because every press squeezes out the moisture you are trying to keep. Flip once, add the cheese slice, drop the heat to low and give them another five to eight minutes until the thickest point reads 165 F.

Easy Swaps

A few simple substitutions: ground turkey becomes lean ground chicken or pork; mayonnaise becomes Greek yogurt or sour cream; arugula becomes watercress or baby spinach; and cayenne becomes red pepper flakes or chipotle powder.

Make It a Greek Spinach and Feta Turkey Burger

For a Mediterranean spin, crumble a little feta cheese right into the meat mixture along with the spinach, and season with dried oregano and some fresh parsley or dill. Cook the patties exactly as written, then serve with sliced cucumbers or a quick cucumber-dill yogurt sauce. Those salty feta crumbles and fresh herbs turn the same juicy turkey burger into a spinach feta turkey burger everyone asks about at backyard gatherings.

Is a Spinach Turkey Burger Healthy?

These burgers are a genuinely lighter choice. Lean ground turkey is high in protein while staying lower in calories and saturated fat than a beef patty, and it's naturally lower in cholesterol too. The spinach folded into every patty adds fiber, vitamins and potassium, so you're sneaking in a real serving of veggies. To keep it lighter still, skip the hamburger bun and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap or over romaine with a side salad; just keep an eye on sodium from the cheese and condiments.

Make-Ahead, Freezing and More Serving Ideas

This recipe is made for meal prep. A few tips:

• Shape equal portions on a parchment-lined sheet pan. To freeze, set the raw patties in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag; thaw in the fridge before cooking.
• Cook on medium-high heat in a hot skillet (or on the grill), about 4-5 minutes per side, always to an internal temperature of 165°F. Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet, the oven, or the microwave so the patty stays moist.
• Binder note: spinach is the binder here, so there are no breadcrumb fillers — but if you like a firmer patty you can work in an egg or a spoonful of garlic-powder-seasoned breadcrumbs as a binding agent. Grating in a little onion adds extra moisture, too.