Not too long ago, in the opinion of the males in my household, “turkey burgers” were something that I inflicted on the family when I felt that we had been indulging too much and needed to lighten our diet. They were met with resignation and grumbles that they just didn’t satisfy the way a “real” hamburger did—and, in truth, they were often dry and bland tasting. That all changed when I came up with this recipe—which is now an often requested favorite.
Using mayonnaise as the binder keeps these sliders juicy, and also allows the flavors of the onions and the capers to really blend nicely. The meat mixture is a little loose to work with, but the patties are very easy to shape. You can make them ahead of time and refrigerate them before grilling or you can make them and grill them all at once—either way, they are delicious. You can use more traditional burger toppings—like tomato, relish, mustard and American or cheddar cheese—but this white cheddar, onion and arugula is our favorite and what sets these apart. I usually plan on two per person, but hearty appetites will go through these quickly—so double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
Turkey Sliders with White Cheddar, Red Onion & Arugula
Makes 8 sliders
1 pound ground turkey (dark meat)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated white onion
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
White cheddar cheese, cut into 4-inch squares
Small Red onion, sliced
Arugula, rinsed and dried
Small rolls
In a large bowl, mix the turkey, mayonnaise, onion, capers, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper together with your hands. Form the meat into small patties about 4 inches in diameter. Grill for about 4 minutes per side or until done.
Serve with squares of white cheddar, slices of red onion and arugula on small rolls spread lightly with mayonnaise.
Maybe I’m a burger snob but when did a mini-burger become a slider? A slider and a mini-burger are not the same thing. A slider is a burger that is steam griddled on a bed of onions – mini has nothing to do with it.
That being said, you’re mini-turkey burger looks tasty!
Thanks for writing and I’m sorry if my use of the term slider offends. But while you may be technically correct, a lot of recipes for mini-burgers or mini sandwiches are now being referred to as sliders. It’s hard to be a purist and not get frustrated these days–the guys that think a martini is only made with gin and vermouth are in a real tizzy.
Hi, I loved the flavor of these burgers – out of this world! – but mine fell apart on the grill and it was hard to keep them in patties. Is that because I used 97% lean ground turkey instead of dark turkey? or do you refrigerate your patties first?
Thanks, and great job! Also I don’t distinguish between slider and mini-burger… they mean the same to me!
Hi Lisa,
I’m glad you liked these–we love them too and make them a lot. Mine don’t fall apart, although they do have a kind of loose texture. I do specify the dark meat ground turkey, I find that the turkey breast meat is too dry and crumbly and I’m not sure but maybe that’s why yours fell apart. If you prefer the breast meat, I think refrigeration might help to hold them together. I hope you’ll let me know if you try them again–and thank you so much for taking the time to write with your feedback.
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