Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers

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Although I work from home, I don’t always have a lot of time to make healthy and nutritious meals. With my son’s food allergies and me wanting to set a good example for healthy eating, we rarely eat out at restaurants. Sure, there are some healthy restaurant options out there but how many are budget-friendly? Not many. With my busy schedule, I always appreciate recipes that I can prepare the evening before to eliminate the prep time after school. It’s also a bonus when those healthy meal leftovers can turn into tomorrow’s lunch! These Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers are both delicious & nutritious – a winning combination! Plus, burgers are usually a hit with both kids and adults so you can save yourself from some of that dinner table whining. {wink}

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers:

So what exactly makes these Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers so nutritious? Did you know that each 100-gram serving of turkey provides about 30 grams of high quality lean protein? Let’s not forget the nutrients turkey is packed with: vitamin B12 (helps keep your nervous system working well), selenium (an antioxidant mineral), and zinc (for a strong immune system).

These burgers also have Canadian lentils which are another nutritional powerhouse! They are high in protein and fiber and are a great source of potassium, iron and folate.

Short on time? You can make a larger batch of these burger and freeze some for a quick meal next week! Turkey and lentils both freeze really well so get creative with other recipes too:

  • replace the meat in your favourite meatloaf recipe with turkey and lentils
  • make a spaghetti sauce loaded with healthy vegetables, cooked ground turkey and lentils
  • make a batch of chili with ground turkey and lentils with just the right amount of spice
  • …you get the idea!

Keep school lunches in mind too – they are lots of supper ideas that would make great leftovers in tomorrow’s lunch like a turkey and lentil meatball sub (from leftover spaghetti night), burgers cut into bite-sized pieces and put in a wrap with sliced bell peppers and a little creamy salad dressing on the side, etc.

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers


4.6 from 27 reviews
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Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers
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Serves: 4-6
 
TIP: These burgers can be made in advance and frozen for a quick lunch, dinner or weekend meal. Just thaw for 30 minutes before following cooking instructions. For a different flavor twist, feel free to change up the cheese with your family’s favourite kind! To cook whole green lentils, place ¾ cup dry lentils in a pot with 2 ¼ cups of water and boil for 20-25 minutes until tender and cooked through. For an extra short-cut you can also use canned lentils too!
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
  • 2 cups (500 ml) onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 750 gr (1½ lb) ground Canadian turkey
  • 1 cup (250 ml) cooked green lentils
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) oyster sauce (optional)
  • 2 slices sandwich bread
  • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) milk
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 X 1 cm (½ inch) pieces of cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan.
  2. Add onions and cook over low-medium heat until soft, browned and caramelized, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  3. While onions are cooking, break up bread into little pieces. Add milk and set aside to soak through, 5 minutes.
  4. Place turkey, lentils, bread mixture, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and onions in a bowl.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Gently mix together until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Be careful not to over mix to keep the burgers moist.
  7. Divide mixture into 8 even portions. Roughly shape into a ball. Press cheese into the middle and then mold mixture around it completely covering the cheese. Flatten into a patty shape. Place on sheets of wax paper.
  8. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. This will help patties hold their shape when cooking.
  9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Celsius or 177 degrees Fahrenheit.
  10. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.
  11. Add patties and cook over medium heat until browned, 2-4 minutes per side.
  12. Transfer to the oven and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until burgers are cooked through and an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees Celsius or 74 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Win a $75 Prepaid Visa Gift Card:

Canadian Turkey and Lentils.org want to help you get back-to-school ready so they are sponsoring a giveaway for a $75 prepaid Visa gift card! Follow the steps in the Rafflecopter entry form below to enter.

Giveaway Rules & Regulations:

  • This giveaway is open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) only who are at least 18 years of age. Giveaways are void where prohibited by law.
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  • Odds of winning depend on number of entrants.
  • The giveaway ends September 28th, 2017 at 11:59pm. A winner will be drawn randomly within 24 hours of the end of the giveaway. The winner will be notified, by email, and will have 48 hours to claim the prize & answer a skill testing question. If I do not receive a response from the winner within 48 hours, a prize forfeit will be assumed and a new winner will be chosen randomly.
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  • Please wait 4 weeks for fulfillment of prize. Winners have 8 weeks to report non-fulfillment of prizes.
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Looking for more delicious turkey recipes? Check out these other favourites!

Turkey Burgers in Tomato Sauce – an old family favourite. Don’t care for tomato soup? No problem! Substitute mushroom soup instead.

Turkey Burgers in Sauce

Italian Turkey Burger – packed full of delicious flavour!

Italian Turkey Burgers

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post by Canadian Turkey and Lentils.org; however, all opinions expressed here are my own. 

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153 thoughts on “Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers”

  60. Pingback: $75 Visa Gift Card Giveaway | Just Sweep

  73. I can see the turkey recipe CRUNCHY TURKEY CUTLETS becoming a family favorite of ours!! It looks amazing and right up our alley!

    Reply

  121. Honey Garlic Turkey Tenders with Sweet and Smoky Dipping Sauce would be a hit in our house because of that crunch factor! The great thing is with mixing that wheat bran in the coating, kids don’t even realize the tenders are healthy! Score point for mom!

    Reply

  132. I think we would really enjoy the ‘SMOKED TURKEY WRAPS’ This allows for everyone’s taste to add or leave out some ingredients.

    Reply

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