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Jalapeño Curry Turkey Burgers served on sesame seed buns with fresh vegetables and herbs on a white plate.
Daniel

Jalapeño Curry Turkey Burgers

Juicy turkey burgers packed with warm curry spices and fresh jalapeño heat, finished with a cooling yogurt sauce that ties it all together.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian-inspired
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Burgers
  • 1.25 lb ground turkey 93% lean, chilled
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced, about 2 tablespoons
  • 0.25 cup yellow onion finely grated, excess liquid squeezed out
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
  • 1.5 tsp madras curry powder
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.75 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
For the Yogurt Sauce
  • 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt full-fat preferred
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for serving
For Serving
  • 4 brioche buns toasted
  • 4 leaves butter lettuce
  • 0.5 English cucumber thinly sliced

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Cast iron skillet or grill pan
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Instant-Read Thermometer

Method
 

Prep
  1. Stir together yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This can be made up to 2 days ahead.
  2. In a large bowl, combine turkey, jalapeño, grated onion, garlic, curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix gently until just combined - do not overwork or the burgers will be tough. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 3/4 inch thick, making a slight depression in the center of each to prevent doming.
Cook
  1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add patties and cook without moving for 4 minutes until a deep golden crust forms. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.
Assemble
  1. Spread yogurt sauce on both cut sides of toasted buns. Layer lettuce on bottom bun, then burger patty, cucumber slices, and more cilantro. Close with top bun and serve immediately.

Notes

Grating the onion instead of chopping keeps the burgers moist without adding watery chunks that make patties fall apart. For less heat, remove all seeds and membranes from the jalapeño; for more, leave some in or add a second pepper. These patties also work great on the grill - oil the grates well and cook over medium heat with the lid closed.