Simple, succulent and take next to no time to make, these turkey burgers are great enjoyed piping hot from the oven or cold the next day with a side salad or roasted veg. Homemade burgers are so easy to make and perfect if you follow a low-carb diet. You can pack them full of flavours with spices and herbs, or even add some full fat mozzarella or mature cheddar to the middle of the burger to add something extra.
They are a great dinner choice for the whole family. My toddler loves them and so does my husband. Any left over I wrap up and pop in the fridge for the next day. They are a really delicious snack or lunch on the go and hold together well. Make sure that you use a large egg as this will be what helps the mixture to bind and stick together. We have barbecued them a few times and that works well too. If you are not a fan of turkey then you can use any other meat; beef, chicken, lamb etc. My top tip for keeping them moist is to pop some foil round them as soon as they are out of the oven – even just for a few minutes whilst you serve up.
The beauty of these burgers for me is that they require no insulin. It is a welcome relief having a meal that doest require calculating carbs. I have been low-carb now for 4 years and over that time I have become stricter as I have learned more about my body and what works for it or against it than in the 26 years before that.
It’s amazing how food can affect us all in different ways and what works for one person will be quite the opposite for another. There is not one diet that fits all, but all I will say is that if it works, why change it. For me, low-carb works and I hope that through my recipes on this blog people can see how much delicious and varied food can be enjoyed through making that lifestyle choice. Food is there to be enjoyed and I certainly do not and will not ever advocate a diet where food is restricted!
I know that low-carb is in the press a lot at the moment and that some Drs are even beginning to “prescribe” it to their Type 2 diabetic patients, in hope that it can put their diabetes in to remission. There is always going to be as much negative as their is positive but it is important to remember that we are all in control of our own bodies and the food choices we make are up to us.
- 2 TBSP olive oil (for cooking with)
- 500g turkey mince
- 90g red onion, finely chopped
- 2 spring onion, finely chopped
- 80g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 TBSP smoked paprika
- sea salt (to taste)
- pepper
- ½ a veggie stock cube or jelly (VERY LOW SALT) optional
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 large egg, whisked (if you are concerned that the mixture will be too wet then add a little bit at a time and see how it holds together)
- Preheat the oven to 190C.
- In to a large mixing bowl place turkey mince, red onion, spring onion, mushrooms, smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper, veggie stock, garlic powder and a large egg (see ingredient note above)
- Wash your hands. Now mix the ingredients together using your hands to combine all. If you would rather you could put the ingredients in to a food processor and pulse it a few times so that it was all mixed together
- Use your hands to mould the mixture in to burger shapes- I usually make about 6 - 7. Put on a plate and have a spatula ready
- In a large frying pan over high heat add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (if you have a good non stick pan then I would just add a small drizzle). Allow the oil to heat before .
- Carefully add each burger to the pan and allow approximately 2 minutes on each side to make sure that the meat is sealed (it will go a nice golden colour)
- Carefully move the burgers on to a baking sheet and put in to the oven for 10 minutes
- (Remove and check one burger to make sure piping hot in the centre and cooked through).
- Serve immediately or allow to cool (cover with some foil to keep moist. If you are going to let them cool completely then do so on a wire wrack cover with foil and once cool, place in the fridge and eat within 24 hours.
Thanks for this recipe Emma. It looks like must a try! The photos make it look so yummy. I came across this paleo cookbook but wasn’t sure if its worth the money. Would love to get your thoughts on this. https://www.totalbeings.com/the-paleohacks-cookbook-review-heres-what-i-really-think/