Not only was last Saturday’s Farmer’s Market blissfully uncrowded, but a cool breeze and grey skies gave us a cozy preview of fall without having to actually go there. I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet!
Ok, ok – I can’t say I wouldn’t have shrieked a little if I saw a precious pumpkin or gourd display, and I totally did a happy dance after spying some apple barrels that definitely weren’t there the last time we visited the market.
Apple picking is one of my all-time favorite fall activities, and the reminder that a U-pick trip can’t be more than a few weeks away inspired me to whip up a healthy, flavor-packed meal of Orchard Turkey Burgers!
Orchard Turkey Burgers with Brie & Caramelized Onions
Bunless turkey burgers are spiked with juicy grated apple then topped with melty brie cheese, sweet caramelized onions, and tangy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette over lettuce and sliced apples. This tasted like a dish you’d order at a restaurant!
Cheese and apples are absolutely dynamite together, and when you add caramelized onions into the mix it’s a total game changer. Turkey burgers have never tasted better.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by caramelizing onions that will sit perched on top of the turkey burgers. You’ll need 1 jumbo sweet onion, or 2 large ones, for 4 burgers. Trim off the ends, cut the onion in half, discard the outer peel, then thinly slice each half.
Next heat 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onion. It’s important not to go above medium heat or the onions will sear instead of caramelize.
Season the onions with salt and a little bit of pepper then let them slowly cook, stirring every now and again, until the onions are sticky and caramelized. The whole process will take 20-25 minutes.
While the onions are working, get to work on the burger part of the Orchard Turkey Burgers, starting with 1lb 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey Breast. Sometimes I find 99% FFGTB to be dry, bland, and boring, but we’re going to spice it up and make it extra juicy with a few mix ins.
First the spices:
- Dried thyme
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
Then add 1 grated Granny Smith Apple. Oh yes. We’re putting apples IN our burgers to keep it nice and moist. It’s so good!
Use a box or flat grater to finely grate the apple, one side at a time.
Add the grated apple to the ground turkey and spices, then mix well, and divide the mixture into 4 sections.
Form each section into a patty, then brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil.
Slap the patties onto a skillet (or grill) over medium-heat then cook for 4-5 minute a side, or until they’re no longer pink in the center.
Next, bust out the brie. Triple Cream, muwahahaha! The lady at Whole Foods got me all excited about this Lincet Delice de Bourgogne (translation: freaking INSANE brie,) and for good reason. It is thick, creamy, and drippy. YUM!
Smear a bit of brie onto the tops of the burgers, then tent with foil (or lower the grill lid) and let the cheese melt – it won’t take long.
Pile each burger high with caramelized onions then serve on a bun or bed of spring mix lettuce lined with extra apple slices. Drizzle with honey mustard vinaigrette (directions in the recipe card below) and finish with a crack of black pepper. THE BEST!
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Orchard Turkey Burgers
Description
Orchard Turkey Burgers are spiked with grated apple. This is no boring turkey burger!
Ingredients
- 1 jumbo sweet onion, cut in half then sliced thin
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1lb 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
- 2 Granny Smith apples, 1 finely grated, 1 sliced thin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- salt & pepper
- 3-4oz brie cheese
- 8 cups spring mix lettuce OR 4 buns
- For the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- salt and pepper
Directions
- For the For the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: Combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, or in a bowl, then shake or whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and a little bit of pepper, then cook, stirring every so often until onion reaches a dark caramel brown color, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, combine ground turkey with grated apple, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and lots of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 patties then brush each side with extra virgin olive oil and cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. Top each burger with brie, then tent with foil to melt.
- Divide lettuce amongst plates then top with apple slices, burgers, and caramelized onions. Drizzle with honey mustard vinaigrette and serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
This is SO GOOD. Moist and juicy and served over spring mix lettuce with the caramelized onions and vinaigrette. Yep. The whole family agrees that this should be a regular meal for us.
Thrilled to hear it, Elizabeth!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
My family loves these! We top it with cranberry sauce, too. So good! Do you have any experience with making up extra burger patties and freezing them? I bought a big package of turkey today. Thanks!
We had these amazing turkey burgers tonight. I recommend them highly! Outstanding recipe. Truly a gourmet burger. Even if you are not a big turkey fan, you must try these! My husband thought I had made a veggie burger at first and was not anticipating something of this quality. He “gobbled” his right up! (Pun intended.) Thank you so much.
I just made these (I know a little late for the party) but these are so good! Definitely my new favorite turkey burger, the caramelized onions and brie made it. Thanks for another amazing recipe.
[…] Orchard Turkey Burgers via Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Orchard Turkey Burgers via Iowa Girl Eats […]
I found this recipe last night and had everything but the apples,brie and salad. Bought it last night and had this for lunch. These are going to be my go to burger from now on. They were phenomenal! Super moist and flavorful. Thanks for sharing the recipe, I’ll be making these often.
[…] Egg Noodles Monday-Leftover Coc Au Vin from Saturday night with roasted Kombucha Squash Tuesday-Orchard Turkey Burgers Wednesday- Thursday-Leftovers Friday-Book Club (I’m making these Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin […]
[…] 4: Orchard Turkey Burgers (skip the brie and use EVOO and balsamic vinegar instead for […]
I had this pinned since the moment you posted it, but haven’t gotten around to trying it. I just made this the other day, and I had to come back to say THANK YOU! It was absolutely amazing…and healthy no less!
[…] numba two….Apple Turkey Burgers, yumm!!!  You can find the recipe at Iowa Girl Eats.  At first I was concerned about putting apples IN my burgers, but wow was it yummy.  We served […]
[…] Orchard Turkey Burgers stay nice and juicy from the addition of freshly grated apple into the patty. The caramelized […]
I was so excited to try this recipe for supper tonight! Unfortunately my burgers were not burgers in the end :( Do you have any suggestions for keeping them together?
Hmmm, I’m not sure! Maybe your turkey was too “wet”? I’ve noticed that some packages are have more moisture than others. If that’s the case I would add a bit more bead crumbs.
[…] This recipe is inspired by the Iowa Girl Eats Orchard Burger. […]
Pinning! As a turkey farmer, I’m always looking for new ways to cook it!
Katie
I made these last night and loved them! I will definitely be making them again. Thank you! :)
I just made these for the second time last night, and I’m having them for breakfast this morning.
Your recipes are always so on and easy to prepare, so thanks, Kristin!
One tiny change I made that works brilliantly: using a wild mushroom brie. It worked so well with the apples and onions.
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