Taco Turkey Burger with arugula, cherry tomatoes and southwestern sauce
Inspired by making a better burger using ground turkey mixed with Taco Seasoning. With this goal in mind to building a better flavors and lowering the Weight Watcher Smart Points. Plain turkey burgers are ok, but by using Taco Seasoning really builds the flavors to a tasty enjoyment. Being a big fan of tacos for years and enjoying lot’s of Mexican Food really didn’t help my weight problem. The Taco Turkey Burger is the perfect answer to have that enjoyment of Mexican foods. This burger will still have that good taco flavor, but with only 7 Smart Points. Compare this to a Big Mac which has a least 18 Smart Points that’s a 61% reduction in points.
Key Points in making a better healthier burger:
93% lean ground turkey meat
The key to building a healthy burger, is by trying many different types of meats. Through testing extra lean ground beef, then some lean ground pork, next going to lean ground turkey and finally to ground white chicken breasts in search for the best Smart Point winner. The 93% ground turkey works very well, it has enough fat to produce a moist burger and holds shape, with a good cost value $3.99 for one and quarter pounds. Trying 93% lean ground beef turned out dry and far more rubbery in texture then ground turkey. Finding Lean ground pork is very hard, forcing me to grind pork loin my self. That’s another process and having to clean more equipment. Using lean ground chicken breast is very expensive but does have very good flavor too. That’s why the 93% ground turkey is my choice and taste tested many times.
Making the Taco Turkey Burger is a fairly simple task, and only takes about 5 minutes or less to mix together. Combining a pound of ground turkey with 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning in a mixing bowl, working the mixture by hand for about 2 minutes. Note make sure that you have gloves on your hands when mixing, this prevents any possible contamination. It’s important that the mixture of Taco Seasoning is blended in to ground turkey. This mixture should be slightly sticky which is the key to a successful burger. Chilling this Taco Turkey Burger meat for 30 minutes to hydrate seasonings into the meat, will provide better handling abilities and also develop a far better flavorful burger.
Preparing Taco Turkey Burgers:
Pressing Taco Turkey Meat between sheet of plastic wrap.
Time to make the Taco Turkey Burger patties, first measure out the taco turkey mixture into 4 ounces portions. Then place the portion mixture onto a 12 inch square of plastic wrap. Fold plastic wrap over meat and press into patties. By using plastic wrap the turkey meat will not stick to the plastic. Store the Taco Turkey Burger patties in refrigerator for up to 2 days, giving patties to firm up and develop flavors. But do not hold them longer then 2 days, or they will need to be frozen.
It’s Taco Turkey Burger cooking time, so what is the best cooking method to use? I love my new Air Fryer, it does a wonderful job. The Air Fryer cooks meats quickly, in about 12 minutes at 370°F, the turkey burgers come out juicy and nicely browned, it’s quick and easy. My all time favorite is grilling the Taco Turkey Burgers on the Green Egg grill-smoker, this takes a lot more time but flavor is outstanding. Using grill pans work very well too, as well as Gorge Forman Grill.
Assembling Taco Turkey Burgers:
Putting Taco Turkey Burger together, select low Smart Point bun like Sara Lee or Village Hearth light buns. Spread a special sauce (1000 island light dressing and Sriracha sauce) on top bun, and garnish with arugula and tomatoes. Now that’s a Taco Turkey Burger with only 7 Smart Points that’s satisfying, remembering the famous line of Clara “Where is the beef!”
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 burgers | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 12 minutes | 1 hours |
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The Taco Turkey Burger is the perfect answer to enjoy Mexican foods, and still have a good taco flavor, with only 7 Smart Points.
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- 20 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 6 tbsp 1000 Island Dressing, light
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 1/2 cup Baby Arugula
- 12 small red cherry tomatoes
- Mix the ground lean turkey meat and taco seasoning in bowl. Combine the taco meat by hand, be sure to ware gloves.
- Continue mixing the turkey taco meat until all the taco seasoning is evenly distributed. Note do not over mix meat, the burgers will be tough and have rubbery texture. Over mixing the meat brings out proteins and binds them closer together, too much meat bonding is what makes the rubbery texture.
- Portion the taco meat into 4 oz patties, placing the meat between sheet of plastic wrap and forming into patties. The plastic wrap will not stick to taco meat making it easier to form and store. Note refrigerate taco patties for 30 minutes or more, they can be stored for up to 2 days int the refrigerator.
- To make the special sauce combine Light Thousand Island Dressing with Sriracha sauce in small bowl. Using a spatula mix until Sriracha is distributed into the dressing.
- Using a tablespoon to measure amount of dressing to be placed onto each hamburger bun.
- Cook the Taco Burgers turning once through cooking process, the internal temperature should be 165°F. If using Air Fryer thats about 12 minutes at 370°F. When using grill on medium high heat about 4 minutes on each side.
- Place a tablespoon of special dressing on top bun, and the taco burger on bottom bun. Garnish top of the burger with arugula and sliced cherry tomatoes. Then place top of bun over burger. Serve right away.
Link to get recipe for Taco Seasoning.