Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

By Ellie

4 Person

50 Minutes

265 Calories

These tasty turkey burgers, served on toasted focaccia and dressed with marinara sauce, are reminiscent of a sausage pizza. Shredded mozzarella combined with fresh basil melts beautifully inside these gems.

Ingredients

Burgers

4 4-inch-square slices foccacia bread, (about 2 ounces each), toasted
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey

Marinara Sauce

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. salt
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes, with juices
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Method

01

To prepare marinara: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and any juices, sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a coarse-textured sauce. Return to the pan and set aside.
02

To prepare burgers: Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 8 thin patties about 4 inches wide and ⅜ inch thick.
03

Combine ¼ cup cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.
04

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (see Grilling Variation). Add burgers and cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.
05

Warm the marinara on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tablespoons of marinara on each toasted focaccia, top with a burger, about 3 more tablespoons of marinara and 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese.
06

Grilling Variation: To grill the turkey burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.
07

Make-Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the marinara sauce (Step 1) for up to 5 days.
08

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Related Tags

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

4.7

( By Ellie )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 4 servings
Calorie 265 Kcal
Prep Time 20 Mins
Cook Time 30 Mins
Total Time 50 Mins

02 Ingredients

Burgers

4 4-inch-square slices foccacia bread, (about 2 ounces each), toasted

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

½ tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic

¼ cup finely chopped scallions

1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey

Marinara Sauce

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

½ tsp. salt

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

2 cups chopped plum tomatoes, with juices

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

03 Method

Step 1

To prepare marinara: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and any juices, sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a coarse-textured sauce. Return to the pan and set aside.

Step 2

To prepare burgers: Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 8 thin patties about 4 inches wide and ⅜ inch thick.

Step 3

Combine ¼ cup cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.

Step 4

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (see Grilling Variation). Add burgers and cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Step 5

Warm the marinara on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tablespoons of marinara on each toasted focaccia, top with a burger, about 3 more tablespoons of marinara and 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese.

Step 6

Grilling Variation: To grill the turkey burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Step 7

Make-Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the marinara sauce (Step 1) for up to 5 days.

Step 8

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

04 Author

Ellie

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