Low-Fat Barbecue Turkey Burgers Less than 22% Fat

This low-fat recipe dates back to March 2001 but it is a good one! This is a favored Turkey Burger recipe.  You may love it enough to serve it for years to come. What is even better is that you can feel good about eating it, too!
Ground turkey, by nature, can be somewhat dry because of its lack of fat.  The added zucchini and carrot not only give it a boost of flavor, but they add much-needed moisture and vitamins.  Seriously, this is the key to keeping it low-fat and still having a moist burger.  You won’t be disappointed.

4 servings (serving size: 1 burger)

Ingredients

  • 1/4  cup  chopped onion
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1/4  cup  barbecue sauce, divided
  • 2  tablespoons  dry breadcrumbs
  • 2  teaspoons  prepared mustard
  • 3/4  teaspoon  chili powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon  garlic powder
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1  pound  ground turkey (if you can, use Jenni O 99% Fat-Free turkey)
  • Cooking spray
  • 4  large leaf lettuce leaves
  • 4  (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
  • 4  (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns

Preparation

Combine the onion, carrot, zucchini, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, breadcrumbs, and the next 5 ingredients (breadcrumbs through turkey) in a medium bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1 1/2 inch-thick patty.

Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Place patties in pan; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

Place 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and 1 patty on the bottom half of each bun. Spread each patty with 1 1/2 teaspoons barbecue sauce. Cover with top halves of buns. It is important to note if you add other toppings (onions, pickles, cheese, etc.), it will change the nutritional information below.

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Nutritional Information

Calories:  310 (22% from fat)
Fat:  7.6g (sat 2.1g,mono 1.7g,poly 2.8g)
Protein: 29.9g
Carbohydrate:  28.5g
Fiber:  2.1g
Cholesterol:  65mg
Iron:  3.5mg
Sodium:  642mg
Calcium:  102mg

Use this as the foundation for bbq turkey burgers, but don’t be afraid to take poetic license to add whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. If you love spicy foods, add diced jalapenos and some Mexican seasonings. If you want an Italian-based burger, add Italian seasonings and sun-dried tomatoes (and maybe even some low-fat feta cheese).  Experiment and enjoy the wonderful flavors you can come up with!

Low-fat eating doesn’t have to be boring!