Apparently it’s Memorial Day weekend, but really though, what are holidays when you barely know what day of the week it is? Maybe you’ll be firing up the grill, or the trusty grill pan, or perhaps you’re just thankful to have an extra day off- at home, where you’ve been for the last 3 months. No matter how you spend your day, my turkey mushroom quinoa burgers need to be a part of the action.

Spruce up boring ground turkey with savory cremini mushrooms and fluffy quinoa, to add texture, loads of umami flavor, and stretch your meat a bit further. I’ve kept these burgers simple, topped with melt in your mouth grilled onions, gooey American cheese, mayo, dijon mustard, and loads of tangy ketchup all on a soft, griddled bun.

And not only are these burgers super tasty, the meat mixture is extremely versatile as well. Use it as a base for a killer meatloaf or roll it into meatballs for soup, pasta, or sandwiches. Great for feeding a crowd (you know, when we can do that again), or burgers for one with extra in the freezer for those days where cooking feels like climbing Mount Everest. Either way, this meat hack is one you’re going to want to keep in your back pocket.

Turkey Mushroom Quinoa Burgers

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

11 /4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 C cooked quinoa, cooled

1 lb ground turkey

pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbsp canola oil

6 hamburger buns

Optional toppings:

grilled onions

american cheese

ketchup

mayo

mustard

pickles

In a large frying pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and all the water has cooked out, approximately 10 minutes. Season with Worcestershire and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring to coat completely. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and chop finely once cool enough to handle. Once they have completely cooled, transfer the mushrooms to a mixing bowl.

Add cooked quinoa, ground turkey, 1 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, garlic powder, onion, powder, and smoked paprika to the mushrooms, and mix until everything is incorporated. Form meat into six 4 oz patties.

Heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook burgers for 5 minutes per side, or until they have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees. They should have a nice crispy brown crust on the outside, but still tender and juicy on the inside. Serve them on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.

Fine Art Friday

Turkey Mushroom Quinoa Burgers