023 / 75 · Skillet Chicken and Turkey

Turkey and Courgette Burgers with Yogurt Slaw

Name: Turkey and Courgette Burgers with Yogurt Slaw
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 whole-wheat-roll burgers, each with 1 turkey-courgette patty and half the yogurt slaw
Ingredients: About 9 oz 93%-lean ground turkey (250 g raw); 1 small courgette/zucchini, washed and trimmed (100 g raw before grating and squeezing); 3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs (20 g); 2 teaspoons olive oil (10 ml/about 9 g); 2 large plain whole-wheat dinner rolls (120 g total), split; 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage (160 g); 1 small carrot, washed and grated (80 g); Scant 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100 g); 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml/about 15 g); 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (5 g); 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), divided; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (0.3 g); 2 tablespoons drinking water (30 ml), only for covered pan finish if needed

2 whole-wheat-roll burgers, each with 1 turkey-courgette patty and half the yogurt slaw · Active 30 min · Total 1 hr

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Grated courgette can keep a turkey burger pleasant to eat, but its loose juice must be squeezed out first. A short refrigerator rest gives plain breadcrumbs time to bind the mixture. The slaw supplies the cool crunch while the patties cook. This is a two-burger meal with the rolls and dressing included, not a meat-only number presented beside an unmeasured bun.

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Original hand-drawn illustration of turkey and courgette burgers with yogurt slaw.

Squeeze before mixing

Weigh the washed, trimmed courgette before grating, then squeeze it in a clean towel over the sink. You are removing loose water, not trying to grind the vegetable into a dry paste. About a small handful remains, and its exact pressed weight will vary. Mix it with the turkey and crumbs only until evenly distributed. The breadcrumbs absorb some residual moisture during the short chill; skipping that pause makes a soft mixture harder to turn. The ingredient-based estimate includes the raw vegetable and does not pretend to measure small nutrient losses in the squeezed juice.

One careful turn

Make two patties with even edges and a similar thickness. A deep central hollow is unnecessary for this small batch, but a bulging center will take longer to cook than the outer rim. Lower each patty onto the oiled pan and leave it until a light crust forms before sliding a broad spatula underneath. Pressing repeatedly forces out juices and does not help the center reach a safe temperature. Check sideways through the edge for 165°F/74°C in the middle. The slaw stays in the refrigerator while raw turkey is handled, and the cooked burgers go on a clean plate or directly into clean rolls. Serve with all the measured slaw, either in the roll or beside it, rather than adding a second unlisted sauce.

Ingredients

About 9 oz 93%-lean ground turkey (250 g raw)
1 small courgette/zucchini, washed and trimmed (100 g raw before grating and squeezing)
3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs (20 g)
2 teaspoons olive oil (10 ml/about 9 g)
2 large plain whole-wheat dinner rolls (120 g total), split
2 cups finely shredded green cabbage (160 g)
1 small carrot, washed and grated (80 g)
Scant 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (100 g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml/about 15 g)
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (5 g)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), divided
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (0.3 g)
2 tablespoons drinking water (30 ml), only for covered pan finish if needed

Set out

Box grater, Clean towel, Mixing bowl, Refrigerator, 28 cm/11-inch nonstick skillet with lid, Broad spatula, Separate raw-poultry board and clean cooked-food plate, Knife, Kitchen scale, Food thermometer

Allergens

Wheat, Milk, Mustard; rolls and breadcrumbs may add soy, egg or sesame—check labels. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

Grate the 100 g prepared courgette and squeeze loose moisture out in a clean towel. Mix with turkey, breadcrumbs, half the salt and pepper just until combined. Divide into 2 patties about 10 cm/4 inches wide and 1.5–2 cm/5/8–3/4 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes; wash hands and clean raw-poultry equipment.
While patties rest, stir yogurt, lemon, mustard and remaining salt in a clean bowl. Toss with cabbage and carrot and refrigerate.
Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for about 6–7 minutes per side, turning carefully once. Check centers reach 165°F/74°C. If the outside is browned first, add the measured water, cover and cook gently for another 2–4 minutes or as needed to reach that temperature.
Use a clean plate and utensils for cooked patties. Put one into each split roll and serve with half the slaw, either inside or on the side.

A useful kitchen skill

Squeeze loose moisture from a watery grated vegetable before mixing it into the meat, and use a broad spatula instead of pressing the cooking burger flat.

A useful detail

The 60-minute total includes vegetable squeezing, a 10-minute mixture rest and temperature checking. The base uses 120 g plain whole-wheat dinner rolls; other buns have their own composition.

Another way

Use 100 g finely grated carrot instead of courgette; squeeze only if visibly wet and expect a firmer patty. Recalculate for carrot.
Use 250 g raw ground chicken instead of turkey, still cooking to 165°F/74°C and calculating for the actual product.

Keep it well

Refrigerate cooked patties and slaw separately at 40°F/4°C or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Use patties within 3 days and slaw within 2 days or the shorter yogurt deadline. Reheat patties to 165°F/74°C; keep the slaw cold and rolls dry.