This burger was inspired by our trip to Hawaii a couple years back. It was our first day there, and our first pit stop for a fruity cocktail and some grub. I had a grilled chicken sandwich with a delicious sweet glaze, topped with fresh pineapple, yum! These same flavors work so well with ground turkey, but you could also try this with chicken breasts sandwiches.

I start with adding cooked vegetables into the ground meat, this helps keep the meat moist and gives the burger great texture. My husband said these burgers had the best texture he’s ever had in a turkey burger! I baste the burgers with a sweet teriyaki sauce while cooking, and also baste the pineapples while I warm them through on the cook top. To balance out the sweetness of the pineapple and teriyaki sauce, I add a savory and spicy sriracha mayo, and pepper jack cheese. Super tasty and satisfying, enjoy!

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

Servings 4

Author Laura Doerr

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 red bell pepper diced
3 scallions diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 drizzles olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce divided bottled, store bought
4 pineapple rings canned or fresh
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 Hawaiian hamburger buns
leaf lettuce
tomato slices optional
mayo
sriracha

Instructions

In a large skillet add a drizzle of olive oil, red bell peppers and scallions. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
In a medium bowl combine ground turkey, cooked veggies, and 1 tbsp of teriyaki sauce without over mixing. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties. Using the same skillet from the veggies, drizzle more olive oil and heat pan over med-high heat. Add patties, turn heat to medium and cook patties for about 4-6 minutes. Flip patties and cook on the other side for another 5-7 minutes, or until juices run clear. Covering to steam will help keep burgers moist and speed up cooking time.
While patties are cooking, baste pineapple rings with a small amount of teriyaki sauce, heat through on a flattop over medium heat, 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside for assembly. *make sure to use a fresh baster tool, do not share baster with raw patties.
Baste burgers with remaining teriyaki sauce. Once cooked through, top with pepper jack cheese, cook until melted, and remove from heat.
Prepare buns by adding some of the teriyaki sauce to the top bun, and equal parts mayo and sriracha to the bottom bun. Assemble burgers with lettuce, tomato, and pineapple ring. Enjoy!