Mushroom and Spinach Turkey Burger With Balsamic Mayo

Ok, here's the run down. Turkey burgers get a bad name for being dry, but that is the case no more. We're going to load up our burger with lots of hidden veggies to help keep the insides moist. Then, we're going to top our burgers with the gooiest cheese and schmear a rich and tangy sauce on top. Add some greens for freshness, throw it on a fancy bun, and the turkey burger of your dreams is served!

Let's talk veggie mix. Finally, my desire to only acknowledge mushrooms if they're chopped up into itty bitty little pieces is being put to good use. We're going to finely chop some baby bella mushrooms and shallots, and let them saute until they start to caramelize. Then, we add in some chopped spinach along with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder to flavor things up; and allow everything to cook together until the spinach wilts down. Then, we take the veg off the heat, and let everything cool down. Making sure the veggies are chopped up to pretty small pieces helps to make sure they distribute evenly through our meat mix without having huge chunks altering the texture of each bite.

Once the veggies have cooled, we're going to add them to some ground turkey. We're going to mimic the same flavors that we used on the veggies, and only season the burgers with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use your hands to mix everything together as gently as you can so that we don't overwork the meat, form the meat into 4 patties about the size of your hand, and these guys are ready for the (indoor) grill!

I chose to cook these in my new favorite toy, my Ninja Foodi Grill. I absolutely love this thing. It grilled my turkey burgers to perfection...caramelized on the outside, juicy on the inside. And, I don't have to babysit a splattering pan while it cooks. Pop them in, close the lid, walk away, and the burgers are perfect by the time you walk back.

If you don't have a Ninja Foodi Grill, there are plenty of other indoor grilling options. You can use and electric grill. You can use a cast iron grill pan for the stovetop. Or, you could just pan fry these in a little oil in a cast iron or non stick skillet. We have lots of options here!

Once the burgers are finished, we're going to top them with a little slice of creamy brie. Now, I do not like the rind, so I cut it off for my burgers. But if you're into the rind, leave it on. It'll add some extra funk and tang to these burgers.

To finish this sandwich, we're going to make a quick and tangy balsamic mayo but simply mixing a little of your favorite mayonnaise with a little of your favorite balsamic vinegar. Then, spread the mayo on your burger bun; add a little handful of baby arugula for a fresh, peppery bite; get your burger patty in there; and close your sandwich.

This burger has so many delicious things happening. For a simple turkey burger, this patty is soooo juicy. Those veggies really help to make sure it stays that way. The mayo is savory yet a little tart all at the same time. And, that creamy brie is just so luxurious. What a sophisticated but totally simple sammie!

Ok, everyone! I'm not going to lie to you. I'm really fighting the cold weather seasons this year, so we may just be eating the summertime noms for the rest of the year. But hey, there are definitely worse things that could happen.

So, enjoy! And, let's eat!