I don’t eat hamburgers. This isn’t for health or moral reasons, I just don’t like the taste of them. At barbecues, I hope there are chicken breasts or veggie burgers. Sometimes at burger joints, I’ll make a meal out of sweet potatoes fries. The only time I’ve felt left out is when I’ve gone to specialty restaurants like Bartley’s in Harvard Square and didn’t get to order a burger with a fun name. I’m sorry, “Southwest Salad” is not as fun as “the Lady Gaga.”

I’ve made this turkey burger recipe several times now and I love it. I’d never eaten a turkey burger before but my love of bruschetta is so strong I thought I could muster through. No mustering needed, I loved them! The mozzarella inside, bruschetta topping, and drizzle of balsamic create an easy and extremely delicious meal. The burger goes well with a side of spaghetti squash.

The recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. I’ve only tweaked the cooking of the burger. She also creates a balsamic glaze, but my first attempt at that turned into balsamic taffy. Oops. Now I just use some high-quality balsamic vinegar for a final drizzle.

Mozzarella-Stuffed Bruschetta Turkey Burgers

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Burger ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided

Bruschetta mixture:

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced

salt & pepper, to taste

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Combine bruschetta ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425.

In a large bowl combine turkey, salt, pepper, dried basil, and parmesan cheese. Divide mixture into 8 portions.

Line a peanut butter jar with foil, then plastic wrap and press 1 portion of the turkey mixture into the lid. Heap 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese into the middle, then top with another portion of turkey. Press down to seal, then invert the patty onto a plate. Continue until you have 4 burger patties.

Grill burgers in a oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side to brown. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 8 minutes, or until fully-cooked.

Top burgers with bruschetta mixture and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Serves 4

Source: Iowa Girl Eats

What name would you give this burger? I’m calling it “the Caroline Manzo.”