Hi friends! You know I’m working on eating healthier. Let’s face it though. No one likes “diet food” or not being able to have your favorite meals when you’re trying to lose weight. While I’m a huge fan of burgers, big bacon guacamole burgers are probably not the best thing for me. Even in moderation. Turkey Shishito burgers are a great alternative though! It’s a better choice that still satisfies my burger cravings. Learning to make the healthy swaps is part of the process. Of course, adding things like these amazing Shishito peppers from Melissa’s Produce gives a punch of flavor without adding extra calories! That’s important too!
I admit, I’ve been adding these peppers to everything lately. From popsicles to burgers, and even some amazing spicy cornbread! (That recipe is incredible! You’re going to love it!) Thankfully for me, Shishito peppers rank very low on the Scoville scale! HA! I’m such a wimp! The Scoville Scale measures the amount of capsaicinoid compounds in peppers. In other words, it measures the heat level of different types of chile peppers. For example, Bell peppers are zero, Shishito peppers have a rank of 100-1,000 shu, Hatch Chilies come in at 250-30,000 shu, Jalapeño peppers are 3,500-11,000 shu, Habanero peppers are 100,000 – 200,000 shu, and it continues to climb all the way up to (and beyond) fiery scorpion peppers which rank at 1.4 million – 2 million shu’s! Whew! That’s too hot for me! Give me anything from about 5,000 shu and below and I’m happy.
Ok! Let’s get back to the burgers! Packed with red onions, celery, cheese and Shishito peppers, then coated in a butter-hot sauce, you’ll love the full flavors of these burgers. And since these are sliders, you can even have two!
Buffalo Turkey Shishito Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 lbs ground turkey breast
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 celery rib with leaves finely chopped
- 4 Shishito peppers seeds removed and finely chopped (I used Melissa's Produce Shishito Peppers)
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese cut into small dice
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup hot sauce I used Franks Red Hot
- 12 Hawaiian Rolls
- Lettuce and your favorite blue cheese dressing
Instructions
- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a medium mixing bowl. Add turkey, poultry seasoning, celery, Shishito peppers, red onion and cheese. Mix and form into twelve patties. Drizzle each with EVOO and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- Heat a cast iron griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the burgers for approx. 4-5 minutes per side.
- When the burgers are almost done, in a small skillet, melt unsalted butter. Add the hot sauce to the melted butter. Stir to combine. Be careful when adding the hot sauce, the vinegar vapors from the sauce can be irritating.
- When the burgers are finished cooking, add burgers, one or two at a time, to the hot sauce-butter mix and turn to coat. Remove to a plate, finish coating remaining burgers.
- Serve burgers on Hawaiian Rolls with fresh lettuce, your favorite blue cheese dressing and extra hot sauce on top!
What’s your favorite kind of burger? Share with me in the comments below! I’d love to hear how you make them healthier too.
Till next time friends! Make life delicious!
I love shishito peppers on the grill. I might grill a few extra to top this delicious looking burger.
They are delicious that way too! Roasted with a little S&P! YUM! Have a great weekend, Cathy!