These tasty turkey burgers, served on toasted focaccia and dressed with marinara sauce, are reminiscent of a sausage pizza. Shredded mozzarella combined with fresh basil melts beautifully inside these gems.
| Marinara Sauce | |
| 2 | teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 | small onion, finely chopped |
| 4 | cloves garlic, minced |
| 2 | cups chopped plum tomatoes, with juices |
| 6 | oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| ½ | teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh basil |
| Burgers | |
| 1 | pound 93%-lean ground turkey |
| ¼ | cup finely chopped scallions |
| 2 | teaspoons minced garlic |
| 2 | teaspoons Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 | teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest |
| ½ | teaspoon dried oregano |
| ½ | teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
| ¼ | teaspoon salt |
| ½ | cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided |
| 2 | tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil |
| 2 | teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil |
| 4 | 4-inch-square slices foccacia bread, (about 2 ounces each), toasted |
Preparation
1.To prepare marinara: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and any juices, sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a coarse-textured sauce. Return to the pan and set aside.
2.To prepare burgers: Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 8 thin patties about 4-inches wide and ⅜ inch thick.
3.Combine ¼ cup cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.
4.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (see Grilling Variation). Add burgers and cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.
5.Warm the marinara on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tablespoons of marinara on each toasted focaccia, top with a burger, about 3 more tablespoons of marinara and 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese. Grilling Variation: To grill the turkey burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the marinara sauce (Step 1) for up to 5 days.
Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.
Nutrition
Per serving: 299 calories; 15 g fat ( 4 g sat , 5 g mono ); 74 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 2 g fiber; 706 mg sodium; 382 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: ½ starch, 1 vegetable, 3½ lean meat, 1 fat