Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Dill-y Yogurt and Chopped Mediterranean Salad

These Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Dill-y Yogurt are a healthy, high-protein, low-carb and delicious meal the whole family will love. They’re easy and quick to prepare, versatile enough to be served with a variety of sides, and perfect for meal prep. Serve them with a crisp and fresh Chopped Mediterranean Salad, or pair with a side of rice, roast potatoes, grilled veggies or sweet potato fries.

Why You’ll Love These Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers

• Minimal Ingredients: Theres a strong chance you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients to make the turkey burgers and if you don’t, they’re easy to find.
• Light But Filling: The turkey burgers are very filling but won’t leave you feeling weighed down. They’re made without any grains, fillers, breadcrumbs or flour.
• Meal Prep Friendly: Double the recipe and batch cook the turkey burgers for easy, grab-and-go protein options throughout the week. They also taste great cold so you don’t necessarily need to reheat them.
• Macro Friendly: They’re high-protein, low-carb and have a moderate amount of healthy fats, making them an excellent option if you’re tracking macros or trying to maintain a calorie deficit.
• Mediterranean Flavours: Pair with a fresh and crisp Chopped Mediterranean Salad and some Dill-y Yogurt sauce to round out the Mediterranean flavours.
• Quick and Easy: Ready in around 30 minutes with minimal prep and cleaning.
• Versatile: You can serve the turkey burgers in a bun or lettuce wrap, or make it a part of a grain bowl.

Ingredients You Need for the Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers

For the Turkey Burgers

• Ground Turkey: Lean or extra lean ground turkey works here. You can also substitute ground chicken if that’s preferred or more easily found near you.
• Spinach: Finely chop the spinach for even distribution. You can use fresh spinach or substitute frozen. Just let it thaw first and be sure to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible before adding it to the burger mixture.
• Feta Cheese: Roughly crumble the feta and aim to have small, but visible pieces throughout the mixture. They add a delicious creaminess and saltiness to the burgers.
• Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much!
• Egg: This helps bind the ingredients and also gives the turkey burgers a nice golden colour as they fry in the pan.
• Dried Oregano: This gives the burgers that classic Mediterranean flavour. A small amount goes a long way here.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: This is optional, but adding a pinch of red pepper flakes gives the burgers a really nice spice. You can omit it if you prefer mild flavours or have a child that can’t handle it.
• Salt and Pepper: The feta is already very salty so season the turkey burgers lightly and use less salt than you normally would.
• Extra-Virgin Olive oil: I like to cook the burgers in a bit of EVOO but you can substitute avocado oil or ghee if preferred.

For the Dill-Y Yogurt

• Greek Yogurt: I used non-fat Greek yogurt for a lower-calorie and higher-protein option but you can substitute any percentage of fat you like. You can also substitute Labneh for a richer and thicker option.
• Fresh Dill: Try to use fresh dill here. The dried stuff just doesn’t deliver the same aroma or flavour.
• Lemon Juice: A good squeeze of fresh lemon juice gives the yogurt sauce a delicious tang that goes really well with the Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers.
• Garlic: See note above!
• Salt and Pepper: Season the sauce to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper.

For the Chopped Mediterranean Salad

• Crunchy lettuce: such as little gem or Romaine.
• Cucumbers: diced.
• Cherry tomatoes: halved.
• Red onion: diced.
• Kalamata olives: pitted and sliced.
• Fresh parsley: chopped.
• Lemon juice: for brightness.
• Extra-Virgin Olive oil: for flavour.
• Salt and pepper: to taste.

For Best Results!

• Don’t Overmix: gently combine ingredients to prevent the meat mixture from getting tough.
• Chill Patties Before Cooking: Even just 15 minutes in the fridge will help the burgers hold their shape better. But you can also pre-form the patties up to 24 hours in advance if you want to work ahead.
• Wet Your Hands: Keep a small bowl of water beside you and dip your hands every now and then as you form the burger patties. It will prevent the mixture from sticking and also give the patties a smoother surface texture.
• Keep the Patties Small: I find that it’s best to make the patties around 2-ounces each and not too thick. If they’re too big, the outside will burn before the centre has cooked through.
  
  If you do want to make the patties bigger, maybe to eat in a hamburger bun, then I suggest frying them in the pan to start, transfer them to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and finish cooking in a preheated 350F oven.
• Cook Over Medium Heat: Be patient and give the burgers time to develop a crust and cook through. The spinach and the feta in the patties can scorch if cooked over too high of a heat.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: It’s best to cook the burgers in batches. Otherwise, the temperature in the pan will drop, causing the meat to steam instead of getting caramelized. It also makes it easier to flip the burgers when there are less of them in the pan.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: Avoid cutting open the burgers to see if they’re fully cooked. You’ll release precious juices and end up with a dry finished product. Instead, use a digital meat thermometer and cook the burgers until the thickest part reaches 160F.

Substitution Ideas

• Ground Turkey → ground chicken or even ground lamb.
• Feta → goat cheese.
• Greek yogurt → dairy-free yogurt (coconut-based works well) or Tahini.
• Fresh spinach → thawed and drained frozen spinach. Or pre-cooked kale.

What to Serve with Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers

• In a lettuce wrap: for a lighter, low-carb option.
• Bowl style: serve the burger over rice, or cauliflower rice with chopped salad and yogurt sauce.
• Meal prep: pack patties, salad, and yogurt sauce for grab-and-go lunches.
• On a bun: classic burger style with lettuce, tomato, and extra yogurt sauce.
• In a wrap: like my these easy flatbreads made with only 4 ingredients.

Reheating Suggestions

• Stovetop: Reheat the burgers in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth and cover with a lid until warmed through.
• Oven: Place in a 350°F oven for around 10 minutes.
• Yogurt Sauce: Keep refrigerated and add fresh when serving – don’t heat.

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5 from 6 votes

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Dill-y Yogurt and Chopped Mediterranean Salad

These Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Dill-y Yogurt are a healthy, high-protein and delicious meal the whole family will love.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

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For the Dill-y Yogurt:

• ▢ ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• ▢ 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

For the Chopped Mediterranean Salad:

• ▢ 2 cups roughly chopped little gem or Romaine lettuce
• ▢ 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ▢ 2 Persian cucumbers, diced
• ▢ ½ red onion, diced
• ▢ ½ cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
• ▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

For the Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers:

• ▢ 1 pound ground turkey, substitute ground chicken
• ▢ 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped
• ▢ 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions 

For the Dill-y Yogurt:

• In a bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or lemon juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

For the Chopped Mediterranean Salad:

• In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, olives, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or lemon juice as desired. Set aside until ready to serve. Note: If preparing in advance, combine all the ingredients except for the lettuce, then add the lettuce before serving so it stays crunchy.

For the Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, chopped spinach, crumbled feta cheese, egg, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined and slightly tacky. Wet your hands with a bit of cold water and form the mixture into 3-ounce oval-shaped patties. Place the patties on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate 30 minutes to 24 hours before cooking.
• Preheat a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat.Add the olive oil and heat it until shimmering. Working in batches, carefully add the turkey burgers and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, around 5minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until golden brown and the thickest part of the burgers reaches 160F. Transfer the cooked burgers to a platter and set aside as you repeat the process with the remaining ones.
• Serve the Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with the Dill-y Yogurt and Chopped Mediterranean Salad.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 951mg, Potassium: 797mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 4189IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 157mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.

Read My Paleo Story

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