Although I work from home, I don’t always have a lot of time to make healthy and nutritious meals. With my son’s food allergies and me wanting to set a good example for healthy eating, we rarely eat out at restaurants. Sure, there are some healthy restaurant options out there but how many are budget-friendly? Not many. With my busy schedule, I always appreciate recipes that I can prepare the evening before to eliminate the prep time after school. It’s also a bonus when those healthy meal leftovers can turn into tomorrow’s lunch! These Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers are both delicious & nutritious – a winning combination! Plus, burgers are usually a hit with both kids and adults so you can save yourself from some of that dinner table whining. {wink}

Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers:

So what exactly makes these Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers so nutritious? Did you know that each 100-gram serving of turkey provides about 30 grams of high quality lean protein? Let’s not forget the nutrients turkey is packed with: vitamin B12 (helps keep your nervous system working well), selenium (an antioxidant mineral), and zinc (for a strong immune system).

These burgers also have Canadian lentils which are another nutritional powerhouse! They are high in protein and fiber and are a great source of potassium, iron and folate.

Short on time? You can make a larger batch of these burger and freeze some for a quick meal next week! Turkey and lentils both freeze really well so get creative with other recipes too:

replace the meat in your favourite meatloaf recipe with turkey and lentils

make a spaghetti sauce loaded with healthy vegetables, cooked ground turkey and lentils

make a batch of chili with ground turkey and lentils with just the right amount of spice

…you get the idea!

Keep school lunches in mind too – they are lots of supper ideas that would make great leftovers in tomorrow’s lunch like a turkey and lentil meatball sub (from leftover spaghetti night), burgers cut into bite-sized pieces and put in a wrap with sliced bell peppers and a little creamy salad dressing on the side, etc.

4.6 from 27 reviews Print Cheddar Smokey Turkey Lentil Burgers Author: Canadian Turkey and Lentils.org Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 1 hour Serves: 4-6 TIP: These burgers can be made in advance and frozen for a quick lunch, dinner or weekend meal. Just thaw for 30 minutes before following cooking instructions. For a different flavor twist, feel free to change up the cheese with your family’s favourite kind! To cook whole green lentils, place ¾ cup dry lentils in a pot with 2 ¼ cups of water and boil for 20-25 minutes until tender and cooked through. For an extra short-cut you can also use canned lentils too! Ingredients 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil

2 cups (500 ml) onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

750 gr (1½ lb) ground Canadian turkey

1 cup (250 ml) cooked green lentils

2 teaspoons (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons (10 ml) oyster sauce (optional)

2 slices sandwich bread

4 tablespoons (60 ml) milk

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

8 X 1 cm (½ inch) pieces of cheddar cheese Instructions Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add onions and cook over low-medium heat until soft, browned and caramelized, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. While onions are cooking, break up bread into little pieces. Add milk and set aside to soak through, 5 minutes. Place turkey, lentils, bread mixture, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and onions in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gently mix together until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Be careful not to over mix to keep the burgers moist. Divide mixture into 8 even portions. Roughly shape into a ball. Press cheese into the middle and then mold mixture around it completely covering the cheese. Flatten into a patty shape. Place on sheets of wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. This will help patties hold their shape when cooking. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Celsius or 177 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add patties and cook over medium heat until browned, 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and cook an additional 10-15 minutes until burgers are cooked through and an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees Celsius or 74 degrees Fahrenheit. 3.5.3226

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Looking for more delicious turkey recipes? Check out these other favourites!

Turkey Burgers in Tomato Sauce – an old family favourite. Don’t care for tomato soup? No problem! Substitute mushroom soup instead.

Italian Turkey Burger – packed full of delicious flavour!

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post by Canadian Turkey and Lentils.org; however, all opinions expressed here are my own.

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