Stuffed Burgers: Divine!

Mozzarella stuffed burgers are simply divine! Lean turkey meat, loads of lycopene from the marinara sauce, and delicious cheese. Try this recipe, kids will love it....

Mozzarela Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Servings: 4 portions

Marinara Sauce

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes, with juices
• 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Burgers

• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 4-inch-square slices whole wheat foccacia bread, (about 2 ounces each), toasted

To prepare marinara: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and any juices, sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a coarse-textured sauce. Return to the pan and set aside.
To prepare burgers: Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 8 thin patties about 4-inches wide and 3/8 inch thick.
Combine 1/4 cup cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (see Grilling Variation). Add burgers and cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.
Warm the marinara on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tablespoons of marinara on each toasted focaccia, top with a burger, about 3 more tablespoons of marinara and 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese. Grilling Variation: To grill the turkey burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack. Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Per serving: 299 calories; 15 g fat (4 g sat, 5 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 2 g fiber; 706 mg sodium; 382 mg potassium.

Source: Eating Well