turkey burgers with goat cheese, caramelized onions & cranberry relish

Fun fact about me: I wrote a cookbook in high school! It was right around the time I was deciding what college I wanted to attend. I landed at an amazing school in Charlotte, NC, Johnson & Wales University studying culinary arts. I created an independent study course during my senior year of high school and had my own personal advisor. The course was titled: Nutritious Cooking! I created and tested various recipes, put my own spin on them to make them healthier, and finally compiled it all into the cookbook I created for my final project!

One of the crowd favorites in the cookbook was my family’s favorite turkey burger recipe: Turkey Burgers with Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions, & Cranberry Relish.

I am not surprised everyone loved this one because it is deeeelicious! When I was younger, my family and I would make this recipe at least once a week. Nowadays when I make it I’ll occasionally ditch the bun because who doesn’t love a great low carb dish? I love serving these with homemade sweet potato fries!

TURKEY BURGERS WITH GOAT CHEESE, CARAMELIZED ONIONS & CRANBERRY RELISH

serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground turkey

4 oz log garlic & herb goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 lbs sweet onion (2 large), sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

6 hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS:

Mix mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, ground turkey and goat cheese in a medium bowl. Divide into 6 equal portions and form into patties. Cover and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until rich caramel brown, about 30-40 minutes. Add dried cranberries and reduce heat to low. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for another few minutes.

Prepare your grill- whether you’re using charcoal, gas, or an indoor grill pan. Oil grates to prevent any sticking. (You can also cook these in a saute pan.) Cook burgers 5 minutes a side. Toast buns on grill until lightly browned. To serve, set a burger on each bun, top with caramelized onion mixture, and whatever condiments you like! Mustard, mayo, ketchup etc. Enjoy!