Lettuce Wrapped Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

These Lettuce Wrapped Teriyaki Turkey Burgers are lean, low-carb and high protein. The flavor is awesome- the perfect balance of sweet and savory thanks to the homemade teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple.

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers | mountainammacooks.com

My husband is funny when it comes to food. For someone who will eat anything- and I mean anything– he’s pretty particular about what he will and will not eat. Is that confusing? Let me explain. He likes what he likes. Or so he tells me. For example the only seasoned salt he considers legit is Lawry’s- he turns his nose up at any other brands I buy. And it’s the only thing he likes to season his steaks or burgers with. I only purchase Lay’s potato chips because anything else he say’s “tastes funny” and isn’t Lay’s. Pizza should only ever be served with just cheese- and it’s called a pie, not a pizza. Bisquick pancake mix is his jam- even though I make killer homemade ones at least twice a month! And don’t get me started on his obsession with deli meat. He’ll only eat a certain kind cut a certain way. And burgers? Well you can only imagine. His idea of a burger is made with ground chuck- even better if it’s rare- and served without cheese. Turkey and veggie patties? Puh-lease. Total imposters.

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And it’s just not food. He only buys black cars. He’s been wearing the same brand (and style, no less) of jeans since the mid-80’s. He likes “big spoons and little forks”. When he finds a pair of shoes he likes, he buys 3 or 4 so he can have them for “back-up”. He buys the same socks in bulk, buys xxl in most of his clothes- thought he’s so NOT an xxl- and don’t get me started on the toilet paper. Only the softest stuff for my man. Like I said, he likes what he likes.

Good thing he’s cute.

Teriyaki Turkey Burger | mountainmamacooks.com

So you can imagine my surprise when I made these Teriyaki Turkey Burgers last week, fully prepared for him to not like them, and he actually liked them. Like legit liked them. As in he scarfed two down as soon as I finished photographing them. What gives? I asked him. I thought you didn’t like turkey burgers. These aren’t turkey burgers, he replied. Um, what? Of course they are, I told him. No. He was adamant. Burgers come in buns. They’re made with ground chuck. This here is a turkey patty wrapped in lettuce with a funky sauce. Funky = teriyaki, btw. Instead of fighting him, I let it go. Because it doesn’t really matter if you call them burgers or patties, these are the bomb. And I didn’t want to lose him in the technicalities.

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You won’t miss the bun for a second and the “funky” sauce and grilled pineapple? M.O.N.E.Y. I made a quick Sriracha aioli by simply mixing some hot sauce into some mayonnaise. I love the spicy sauce with the sweet and savory patties. You could easily add some sliced avocado if you feel like you need the fat- and because avocado on anything is usually a good idea- but these are also awesome served as is. I think iceberg makes the best lettuce wrap. It holds up better than other lettuces, providing a little crunch to the dish. As you can see I served this with potato chips and *GASP* they weren’t Lay’s 🙂

Teriyaki Turkey Burger | mountainmamacooks.com

Have a great rest of the week and thanks for reading! xo, Kelley

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Lettuce Wrapped Teriyaki Turkey Burgers


  • Yield: 4 burgers 1x

Description

A lettuce wrapped teriyaki turkey burger with grilled pineapple. SOOO good!


Ingredients

for the burgers:

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

for the glaze:

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey

to serve burgers:

  • pineapple rings
  • lettuce leaves
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with grated carrots, sliced scallions, ground ginger, minced garlic and soy sauce.
  2. Form mixture into 4 equal sized patties, trying not to overwork the meat so it doesn’t get tough. Place burgers on a plate and chill in the fridge while you make the teriyaki sauce.
  3. To make the teriyaki sauce, combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small jar; set aside.
  4. Mix soy sauce, orange juice and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil and simmer until sauce reduces, about 10 minutes. Add cornstarch/water mixture and simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  5. When ready to make the burgers, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Spray both sides of the turkey burgers with a light coating with non-stick cooking spray. Place the patties on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes before flipping to the other side. Every few minutes, turn the turkey burgers and baste with the teriyaki sauce about 7-8 minutes total on each side or until the turkey burgers are cooked all the way through. While the burgers are cooking, grill the pineapple slices for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, basting with the teriyaki sauce once.
  6. To serve, place a turkey burger on a large lettuce leaf. Top each burger with a grilled slice of pineapple. If desired, serve with spicy sriracha mayonnaise. To make the sriracha mayo, combine the mayo and sriracha.