Hawaiian BBQ Turkey Burgers: If anyone tells you eating healthy can’t be fun and enjoyable, send them this recipe! These juicy turkey burgers are topped with grilled pineapple, sugar-free BBQ sauce, and pickles on a 100% whole wheat bun. Not to mention, the turkey burgers themselves are packed with a full serving of hidden veggies! Who doesn’t love getting nutrients when you can’t taste them?!
shopping list for Hawaiian BBQ turkey burgers:
Ground Turkey (93% or higher): The key ingredient to making the burger patties. I used 95% lean ground turkey (the percentage is in reference to the amount of fat. Higher percentage = less fat), but I recommend buying anything 93% or higher.
Fresh Zucchini: you’ll need half of one small zucchini to shred and add to the ground turkey in the burger patties for this recipe.
Pineapple: Fresh or canned. I find fresh has better flavor and is easier to grill, but either works here. Canned pineapple is definitely much more budget-friendly!
Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce: Grab your favorite sugar-free BBQ sauce- my personal favorites are Stubbs BBQ or G. Hughes Sugar-Free BBQ. You can find these options at almost any grocery store!
Pickles: I’m a pickle lover, especially with BBQ sauce! But if you’re not, you can easily leave these out and still have a delicious burger.
Butter Lettuce: You can use any lettuce, but I prefer the silkiness of a butter bibb on a burger. If you like crunchier lettuce, get a head of regular ice burg lettuce.
Whole Wheat Buns: I recommend buying buns that say “100% whole wheat” unless you are gluten-free! If you are gluten-free, simply substitute your favorite bun. If are low-carb use the butter lettuce as wraps!
I don’t like ground turkey, what can I use?
If you don’t like ground turkey, I recommend using ground chicken next. If you can’t wrap your head around a burger with turkey or chicken, you can definitely use ground beef too. I recommend using lean ground beef with a higher percentage!
Hawaiian BBQ Turkey Burgers
Equipment
- Grill Pan or Skillet Pan
Ingredients
For the Burgers:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1/2 fresh zucchini shredded
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
Toppings:
- 4 100% whole wheat buns or buns of your choice
- 4 tbsp sugar-free BBQ sauce
- 4 rings pineapple fresh or canned
- pickles "Grillos" brand are my favorite
- butter lettuce leaves
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, shredded zucchini, and seasonings using your hands or a spoon. Note: You have the option to squeeze excess water from zucchini, but I chose to leave it in for extra moisture.
- Portion your burgers into 4-6 patties. Cook in a grill pan (or skillet pan) with some olive oil on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side. The patties should look golden brown and caramelized on each side.
- While or after your patties are cooking, grill your pineapple. You have the option to grill on a patio grill, a grill pan for the stove, or even just a skillet pan to brown your pineapple. The goal is to warm it slightly and caramelize the outside. Cook for about 2 minutes per side on high heat with some olive oil if necessary.
- Assemble your burgers: start with the buns, then BBQ, lettuce, burger, pickles, and pineapple. Enjoy π