Turkey Burger Redux

One of the best things about being a neophyte chef is reaching a point where you feel comfortable experimenting -- and are pleasantly surprised by the results. That’s exactly what happened when I recently combined two of my favorite go-to staples for easy meals, turkey burgers and Paul Newman’s Own Bombolina tomato sauce.

It’s no secret that turkey burgers often lack the succulent, rich flavor of their beef counterparts. I’ve managed to give them a boost in the past with shredded mozzarella cheese and sautéed onions, but this time I wanted to try something different.

So I mixed a few tablespoons of Newman’s sauce into a ground turkey patty, thinking as I did that it looked like a version of healthy meatloaf. Sure enough, after five minutes on my trusty T-Fal grill, I had a flavorful burger. Yum-ola!

Tasty Turkey Burgers

I’m a big fan of turkey burgers -- they’re an ideal compromise between the indulgence of beef burgers and the often bland alternative of the veggie variety. That said, it takes a little something extra to make a turkey burger truly flavorful.

My personal trick -- packing the patties with sautéed onions and shredded cheese before cooking. A little Worcestershire sauce also adds a little zest.

After preparation, I throw the burgers on my venerable T-Fal healthy grill, a favorite cooking gadget since its purchase 13 years ago. Five minutes on thermostat setting three and presto! Tasty turkey burger done.