15 Healthy Burger Recipes

Veggie Burger photo via Shutterstock

Grilling season is upon us! Time to clean the grates, freshen the propane tank, or rip open a new bag of charcoal. But just don’t do it on your roof. Apparently rooftop grilling is illegal in our state, unless you have a gas grill with special permits. Who knew? That minor hiccup aside, it is the perfect time to start grilling. Instead of boring frozen burgers and sodium-filled hot dogs, try whipping up any of these better-for-you burgers.

Cooking tips: For many of the below recipes, you can choose your preferred lean meat like lean ground turkey breast or ground chicken. If you use ground turkey breast (usually 98 percent fat free) or super lean chicken breast, you will need to add some olive oil to keep the meat moist and to ensure that the burgers brown properly without burning. It’s also a good idea to cook a tiny burger (think the size of a half dollar) first so you can check the flavor.

Check out these 15 burger recipes:

1. Spicy Chicken Burgers
via Self magazine

Kicked up chicken paired with a yogurt sauce will please all types of heat lovers. If you don’t want to process the chicken, then make a chunky paste from the vegetables and mix it in with the ground chicken. If you like to bring the heat, try topping the burger with fresh jalapeños or spicy pickles.

2. Apple Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Brie
via Once Upon a Cutting Board

Sweet caramelized onions, tart apples, and cream brie creates a gourmet burger that will really impress. For a great low-carb version, construct this burger without the bun on a bed of spinach or bibb lettuce.

3. Greek Style Turkey Burgers
via Heather Likes Food

This recipe is like a cross between a falafel and a burger. Warm spices like paprika, cardamom, and cumin are paired with a bright vegetable salsa and whipped feta cheese. Stuff into a grilled pita pocket and you have a great lunch on-the-go.

4. Blackened Chicken Burger with Warm Mango Salsa
 via Cooking for Keeps

The Caribbean will be calling with these sassy burgers that are topped with fresh mango compote. The recipe calls for frozen mango, but during the summer, reach for fresh mango and cut down the cooking time. If you aren’t a cilantro fan, either use parsley, or for something really exotic, try some mint.

5. Thai Chicken Cheeseburgers with Cucumber Slaw
via Foodie Crush

One way to create a really special healthy burger is to top it with something other than ketchup and mustard. This recipe tops a flavorful chicken burger patty with an Asian slaw.  These would make great lettuce wraps, too.

6. Chicken Satay Burgers
via Closet Cooking

Talk about a punch a flavor. The list of herbs and spices is long and varied in this recipe, but don’t let that scare you away. If you buy whole coriander and cumin seeds, grind them in a small coffee grinder. Both spices are also available pre-ground as well, if you don’t have a grinder.

7. BBQ Chicken Burgers
via Smells like Home

What’s the best part of BBQ? The finger licking sauce, of course! This burger combines all the best things about BBQ chicken into on healthy sandwich. If you don’t make your own sauce, try it. You can alter heat or sweetness levels depending on your preference.

8. Teriyaki Tuna Burger
via Spontaneous Hausfrau

High quality tuna has a fresh and hearty flavor that makes for a great burger. If you aren’t familiar with tuna, this is a great and simple recipe to start with. Once you go tuna burger, you may never go back.

9. Salmon Burgers with Avocado Aioli
via Honest Cooking

Dress up summer entertaining with a classy salmon burger and creamy avocado dressing. If you’re new to cooking fish, this would a good starting point. Salmon is a little more forgiving to overcooking and stays moist and delicious. Don’t be ashamed to cut open the first burger to come off the grill to make sure its cooked through.

10. Wild Salmon Slider with Wasabi Avocado Cream & Pickled Ginger
via My Good Gravy

This recipe is all the flavors of sushi in crowd-pleasing slider form. Pickled ginger is spicy and sweet and when paired with the avocado cream, it could be a real showstopper. Note that wasabi is spicy, so go easy, you can always add more later.

11. Blackened Soy Ahi Burger
via Little Leopard Book

This recipe is a little of cheat on the concept of a burger because it’s tuna steaks, but we have to include something this good. Tender and high quality ahi tuna and a spiced crust plus endless possibilities for toppings and sides means that this meal will have a permanent position on your favorites list.

12. Black Bean Corn Burgers
via Honest Cooking

Just because we’re talking burgers, doesn’t mean we can’t have something for our vegetarian friends. Black beans make for a great base because they can be molded into patties (not to mention they’re packed with protein and delicious). Plus, they complement a variety of flavors. This recipe calls for a half cup of oats, but you could also use cooked quinoa or faro.

13. Mushroom Lentil Burgers
via Cooking Light

Vegetarian and hearty and filling? These burgers are all that and so much more. Meaty mushrooms and black lentils will hold in moisture and make for an amazing salad topper for lunch the next day.

14. Open-Faced Falafel Burgers
via Cooking Light

Instead of stuffing a chickpea burger into a pita and slathering with a sour cream based sauce, go with this recipe with a light sesame sauce and spiced burger. When using canned beans be sure to take the time to thoroughly rinse them. Otherwise the salty brine from the can will take over your burger.

15. Stuffed Portobello Burgers with Caramelized Onions
via Women’s Health

Super short on time? Then here’s the recipe for you. No mixing meats and tons of chopping, just quality ingredients, a little cooking and then you have an Italian inspired meal ready to please the family.