This Asian turkey burger salad is served with a creamy peanut dressing. It’s got all the flavors of a Thai dish in a healthy salad.
So, I have a husband again. It’s kinda weird, not gonna lie.
It almost feels like the first week of dating all over again except minus my awkward 17 year old self and the anxiety of whether or not the night would end in a kiss. Duh, we’re married, it doesn’t.
Kidding.
Among all the other things I have to get used to again, (sharing my bed, dealing with lifted up toilet seats, the disappearance of a bunch of bananas in 2 days flat & not spending every waking hour in front of my computer so we can actually communicate) I also need to start cooking dinner for 2 (which is really more like 4 since he eats about 3 servings).
What better way to start than with a burger?
Total man food.
Except I de-manned (upon googling whether or not that is an actual word, I found the urban dictionary definition for it. Please refrain from educating yourself on that definition. It’s not what I’m going for here) it by smashing it all up in a salad.
But considering Ulysses’ alcohol of choice is the sweetest of the hard ciders you can possibly drink, he deserves the feminization of his burger in my opinion.
Honestly, I don’t really care if you put this Asian turkey burger on a salad or stuff it in a bun, just find a way to get this peanut dressing all over it because once you taste it, you’re going to want to drown your face in it.
Death by peanut butter sauce… Not a bad way to go.
If you’re into the burger on a salad thing, try these burger bowls too. They’re everything you crave in a fast food takeout burger even down to the burger sauce with a healthier spin!
Asian Turkey Burger Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
For the Burger
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil for cooking
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 1/2 head of bibb lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 head of red leaf lettuce, chopped
- 1/4 head of a small red cabbage, sliced
- 1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- water for thinning out if necessary
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the burger in a large bowl.
- Mix together with clean hands until combined.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the coconut oil.
- Once hot, form the turkey mixture into 4 patties and cook in skillet for about 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked all the way through.
- Set cooked burgers aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the olive oil & butter in the salad ingredients over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the sliced red onion.
- Let saute until the onions start to caramelize.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining salad components in serving bowls.
- While the onions cook, also combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Add water in tablespoon increments if you want to thin the dressing out.
- Once the onions are sufficiently caramelized to your liking, place them on top of the salad.
- Slice the burgers and arrange on top of the salad bowls.
- Drizzle the dressing over top and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Oh hey – I’m drooooling over here! :)
I love that you through it on a salad because seriously I don’t eat burgers with a bun. I should start eating them like this instead of as is. Way more interesting.
This looks amazing. My boyfriend would never eat it on a salad though :)
You had me at peanut dressing! Yum!!
Is it wrong to Beer Bong peanut sauce? Cause if it is, I don’t wanna be right.
Haha I love his choice of beer! (it’s mine too). I am definitely all over de-manning a burger too. Sometimes the bed of lettuce is so much better than the huge carby bun. I need to make that peanut sauce too!
WELL HELLO DINNER! I already want to drown my face in the dressing!
This sounds really good to me and different. I will give it a try soon. Thank you.
We aren’t necessarily bread-phobes, but buns are one of those take-em or leave-em items for my whole family. So I think your version would be just wonderful as-is.
Congrats on getting your spouse back :)
This looks like something I would love to make for my family. Or actually, maybe I would serve it to them on a bun, and serve it your way for myself:) I love the feminization of the burger and your justifying it with his cider choice. Lol:) The peanut sauce is a great idea. Yum!