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Home » Recipes » Lunch » Sandwich + Burger » Clean Eating Sweet and Smokey Turkey Burger

Apr 20, 2016(updated September 27, 2019)

Clean Eating Sweet and Smokey Turkey Burger

4.64 from 11 votes
By Dani Spies
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This post may contain affiliate links.

Smoked Turkey Burger

Of the many things that I adore about the longer days and warmer weather that Spring promises, I think it’d be fair to say that grilling outdoors is at the top of my list.

So with recent temperatures reaching the high seventies here in Los Angeles, my hubby and I have been cooking up a storm on our grill and this Sweet and Smokey Turkey Burger recipe is my latest favorite!

Extra lean ground turkey (preferably organic if you can find it) kissed with smoked paprika and topped with sweet barbeque sauce and smoked Gouda cheese creates a sweet and smokey combination that is absolutely deeelicious.

While extra lean turkey is super lean and packed with protein it tends to be a little bit dry, so balancing it out with the barbeque sauce and the cheese is the key to the flavor and texture of this burger.

Finish it up with some crisp spicy watercress (or arugula) and you’ve got yourself a Clean & Delicious® burger that you can feel good about eating.

What’s your favorite way to dress up your turkey burger?  Come on down to the comments below and share!

[ytp_video source=”51_gMK4ZaqI”]

Smokey Turkey Burger
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4.64 from 11 votes

Clean Eating Sweet and Smokey Turkey Burger

Course: DINNER, LUNCH, meat + chicken, sandwich + burger
Cuisine: American, healthy
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories:

Ingredients

  • 1.25 lb extra lean ground turkey
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt and ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup barbeque sauce
  • 1 slice smoked Gouda cheese
  • A couple handfuls of watercress
  • 4 Sandwich Thins 100-calorie buns

Instructions

  • Combine ground turkey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and using your hand mix until everything is well incorporated.
  • Free form your burgers into 4-5oz burger patties.
  • Cook burgers on a hot grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes per side or until the burgers are cooked through. About 2 minutes before the second side is done cooking, spoon 1 tbsp of barbeque sauce on top of the burger and place one slice of cheese over the sauce. Allow the cheese to melt over the burger as the burger finishes cooking.
  • Place watercress on the bottom of your bun and top with your burger. Enjoy with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy!

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Meat + Chicken, Recipes, Sandwich + Burger, Video

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

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Reader Interactions

Yum! I love this recipe.

    4.64 from 11 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    If you loved this recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Questions are also welcome. Cheers!

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Missy says

    April 5, 2011 at 8:51 am

    5 stars
    Yum! I love turkey burgers – but as you said, the extra lean turkey is really dry, so to “moisturize” mine, I will use about half of a sweet onion and maybe 1/2 cup (or small canned, drained) of mushrooms and blend in my mini chopper until very fine. I add this to my raw turkey and mix all together along with whatever spice I use (usually Cavenders Greek). It makes a delicious moist burger! I have also added some mashed avocado to the raw meat for moisture and use Mexican spices.
    I will definitely have to try the bar-b-q version, although I may add some sauce to my raw meat (and maybe an egg white!)
    Thanks for great recipe!!

    Reply
  2. Dani says

    April 5, 2011 at 11:45 am

    Missy – Thanks for al the ideas and tips! I have tried added onion and diced mushrooms in the past (both very successful ways of adding moisture) but never tried the avocado idea. I’ll have to give it a go next time! Hope you enjoy the burgers:)

    Reply
  3. Natalie Hansen says

    April 7, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    5 stars
    I made these for dinner tonight, and my son’s eyes rolled back in his head as he said, “Mom, these are heaven!” And they were!

    We are big turkey burger fans in our house. One of our favorite ways to dress up our burger is with orange and cilantro in the meat. The fresh juice of one orange, about half the zest, and a nice handful of chopped cilantro. A little garlic and S&P, and you’ve got a fabulous burger.

    Reply
  4. katklaw777 says

    April 8, 2011 at 2:45 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe…can’t wait to give it a try.

    I have to watch my sodium intake, if it isn’t to big of a pain in the butt, could you list it in your Nutritional Analysis??’

    Reply
  5. Christine says

    May 11, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this last night – delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Susan says

    May 25, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    Made Sweet and Smoky Turkey Burgers and the Cole Slaw for dinner last night. Is “1 tbsp garlic powder” a mistake? I thought it was a bit much and used only 1 tsp. Even so, hours later my husband remarked, “Was there alot of garlic powder in those burgers? I can still taste it.”

    Reply
  7. Theresa says

    March 30, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    I just made these for the first time and they are amazing!! I added finely diced mushrooms to help with the dryness of the turkey. Absolutely a recipe I will use again and again. Thanks for making turkey good to eat!!

    Reply
  8. Debra Tosch says

    June 30, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    Where do you get the Sammy thins. I looked at the store and didn’t find any.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      July 17, 2018 at 10:39 am

      I can usually find them in any of our local grocery stores.

      Reply

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