Southwest Turkey Burgers – Perfect for Summertime Grilling

This recipe for grilled southwest turkey burgers is a healthy alternative to beef and uses vibrant ingredients like peppers and cumin to give it lots of extra spicy flavor.

Turkey burgers can be really dry, and I guess that’s part of the reason they are not a tasty as beef burgers. Since we love Mexican and southwest flavors, I thought I could doctor up some ground turkey, to make a healthy, yet tasty, southwest grilled turkey burger.

I was thinking about meatloaf without the extra bread. Adding peppers, onions and chili seasonings to give this burger a ton of extra flavor.

Make sure the grill is very hot so that the burgers don’t stick.

Then, grill the burgers on each side for about 5 minutes or until they are cooked through.

This recipe uses a pound of turkey. But, when you add in the onions and peppers it makes four, nice sized burgers. 

These taste great on a traditional burger roll but also in little pita pockets.

You can also make it low carb by skipping the bun and using a couple of large lettuce leaves instead.

Sides to serve with Southwest Turkey Burgers:

• Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
• Southwest Rice and Black Bean Casserole
• Smokey Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

Traditional toppings are perfect for these burgers. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles are the norm. You can even use ketchup, mayo or mustard if you’d like. However, there are many other options to consider. 

Condiments to serve with Southwest Turkey Burgers

• Sour cream
• Avocado slices
• Guacamole
• Red Salsa
• Salsa Verde
• Pickled jalapeno slices
• Manchego or Pepper Jack Cheese

Why not make a topping bar with all the many options and let everyone create their own fabulous burger.

P.S. If you are a big fan of Mexican and/or Southwest flavors, you might also enjoy my Chicken and Black Bean Casserole recipe. 

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped peppers, hot or mild or both
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
• 1 large clove of garlic grated
• 1 teaspoon chli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 t chopped basil leaves, cilantro would be good too

Instructions

1. Heat grill on high.
2. Combine all ingredients and pat out four burgers
3. Grilled on high heat for about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 309 Total Fat 20g Saturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 12g Cholesterol 120mg Sodium 101mg Carbohydrates 4g Fiber 1g Sugar 2g Protein 29g