Sun-dried Tomato Basil Turkey Two Ways: Loaf and Burgers!
This Sun-dried Tomato Basil Turkey Two Ways post is a two-fer! Two recipes for the price of the one click it took for you to get here. And the reason it is a two-fer is because I first made the turkey burgers, then I went to make them again and didn’t have buns. …Be flexible. Always be flexible.
So, I wanted a turkey burger recipe that yielded tender, juicy burgers. Turkey burger recipes rarely yield tender, juicy burgers. But the key that worked here was that I stole a trick from my meatloaf recipe – I added milk and bread. Adjusting this recipe the second time to make a Turkey Loaf was the obvious next step really, even without my excuse that I didn’t feel like running to the store for buns.
So if you are looking for a healthy, easy weeknight meatloaf or for something healthier to throw on the grill this weekend, be sure to PIN, bookmark, post-it note – whatever your method of choice – to remember this recipe!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Turkey Loaf
- 1 lb lean ground turkey breast meat
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ cup fresh bread crumbs made from day-old bread
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2-3 slices mozzarella cheese
Additional Ingredients for Turkey Burgers
- extra virgin olive oil
- burger buns
- burger fix-ins lettuce or spinach, sliced tomato, ketchup, etc
Instructions
Option#1: Turkey Loaf Directions
- Heat oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for Turkey Loaf except the cheese slices. Combine lightly using your fingers - if you mix too much, turkey gets dense. Transfer the loaf mixture to a loaf pan lined with foil for easy removal after cooking. Bake at 350F for 55 minutes to an hour or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove from the pan to a serving dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese slices and allow to melt. Slice and serve. Yield: 4 servings.
Option#2: Turkey Burgers Directions
- Heat up grill on medium-high heat.
- In a large bowl, lightly combine all of the ingredients for Turkey Loaf omitting the egg and leaving the mozzarella cheese out until later. Form into 4 burger patties. Oil lightly with olive oil and grill, ~5 minutes per side, until cooked through (i.e. 165F internal temperature). Serve on burger buns with mozzarella cheese and burger fix-ins of your choice. Yield: 4 burgers.
