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Greek-Style Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki

Greek-Style Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki reads sourness 5.3, salinity 4.9 and citrus 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 53 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 5.3 · Salinity 4.9 · Citrus 4.9 · Richness 4.8 · Umami 4.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.8 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.4 · Sweetness 1.9 · Nutty 1.7 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.1 · Heat 0.8 · Floral 0.6

What's in it (15)

• turkey meat — 454 g
• feta cheese crumbles — 38 g
• bread crumbs — 59 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 30 g
• egg — 100 g
• red onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• fresh oregano — 4 g
• salt — 6 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
• english cucumber — 100 g
• lemon juice — 15 g
• whole wheat hamburger buns — 400 g

Time & effort: about 53 min (35 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 138.1 kcal, 11.5 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 16 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Grate the cucumber for the tzatziki on the large holes of a box grater, toss with a pinch of salt, and let it sit in a fine-mesh strainer 10 minutes, then squeeze hard in a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible — a watery cucumber is the number one way tzatziki turns thin and soupy.
2. Stir together the drained cucumber, 1 cup Greek yogurt, half of the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving — tzatziki tastes better once the flavors sit, even just 15 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, feta, panko, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, egg, grated red onion, remaining garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix gently with your hands just until combined — overworking turkey makes burgers dense and springy instead of tender.
4. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about 3/4 inch thick and slightly wider than your buns, since they will shrink and puff as they cook; press a shallow dimple in the center of each with your thumb to keep them from doming.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook undisturbed until deeply golden and easily released from the pan, 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Flip the patties and continue cooking until the second side is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 165°F, 5 to 6 minutes more; transfer to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.
7. Toast the split hamburger buns, cut-side down, in the same skillet until lightly golden, about 1 minute.
8. Season the rested patties with a pinch more salt and pepper, then build the burgers: bottom bun, a few slices of red onion, a patty, a generous spoonful of tzatziki, and the top bun. Serve extra tzatziki on the side.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Grilled Greek Chicken Souvlaki — Greek
• Greek Pork Souvlaki Pita Wraps — Greek
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta — Italian
• Zucchini and Feta Fritters with Lemon Yogurt — Greek
• Skillet Chicken Souvlaki Bowls — Greek

Keep reading: what sourness, salinity, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.