Jalapeño Turkey Burgers with Pepper Jack

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers are a summertime barbecue must. Imagine rich and creamy, slightly spicy Pepper Jack cheese melted into tender turkey with sautéed jalapeños and sweet red onions. They're a huge crowd pleaser!

Whether you're having a summer barbecue on the weekend, or a weeknight family dinner -- everyone will thank you when you make these Jalapeño Turkey Burgers.

Sometimes mine doesn't even make it into the bun before it's eaten. No Joke!

Perfect alongside sweet summer corn and all sorts of salads, the savory, spicy flavors, melting cheese, the char from the grill is nothing short of spectacular.

I've been making this burger recipe for almost ten years and they're always incredibly popular with everyone.

The Ingredients

• red onion - Choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
• jalapeño peppers - Good pepper should be firm, deeply colored and slightly shiny.
• fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old. Those green shoots will taste bitter. (Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots.) (Pro tip: If there are green shoots in garlic you already have, just cut the cloves in half and remove them with the tip of a paring knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
• ground turkey - I like to use about 85% lean. With a 15% fat content it will be nice and juicy.
• pepper jack cheese - Though there are variations, Pepper Jack cheese is essentially Monterey Jack cheese, a cow's milk semi-soft cheese with the addition of spicy peppers, usually jalapeños, serranos and/or habañeros.
• ground cumin
• kosher salt - I cook with Kosher salt. I prefer it because of its larger flake size, it usually doesn't contain additives, and it does a great job enhancing the flavor of foods without making them taste salty. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
• black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.
• olive oil

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Substitutions and Variations

• Pepper Jack cheese. If you want less heat, use regular Monterey Jack cheese and go easy on the jalapeños. The burgers would be good with white cheddar cheese, too.
• Red onion. I like using red onions because of their subtle sweetness. You can however, use yellow or white onions, which are a bit sharper. Shallots would also be a good substitute -- they're slightly more mild and delicate than red onions.
• Fresh garlic. Garlic powder can be used as a substitute to the fresh. Use half of the amount.
• Turkey. Jalapeño burgers can also be made with ground chicken or ground beef.

Recipe Tips

• Always taste jalapeños (or any chile peppers) before you use them because the amount of heat they have can vary from day to day, and pepper to pepper. Depending on how much heat you want, you can use more or less of the suggested amount.
• I recommend grilling because I love the smoky flavor that's added from the char. However, you could just as easily sauté the burgers in a cast iron skillet.
• Be sure not to add the burgers to the grill until it's very hot. You should hear a strong sizzling sound when they touch down. Otherwise, they won't get that beautiful brown "crust."
• For a gluten-free version, use big Butter Lettuce leaves to wrap the burgers.
• Extra spicy version. For an extra spicy Jalapeño Turkey Burger, don't remove the seeds from the peppers.

How to Make Them

- Coat the bottom of a medium-large sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeños and garlic, and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

- Once the onion mixture has cooled, in a large mixing bowl, combine it with the turkey, cheese, salt, cumin and pepper. Use a large mixing spoon or your hands (if necessary) to blend all of the ingredients together so they are evenly distributed.

- Preheat the BBQ or a stovetop grill, shape the turkey mixture into 4 evenly sized burgers. Drizzle them with oil and use your hands to gently rub it evenly over the surface. When the grill is very hot, add the burgers. Grill until the bottoms are nicely marked, about 4 minutes, then flip them over and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue grilling just until the turkey is cooked through, about another 6 minutes.

- Place the cooked burgers on a plate and cover with foil until you're ready to serve (ideally with buns, tomatoes, and all of the add-ons you want).

Other Outstanding Burger Recipes

• Pineapple Turkey Burgers
• Crispy Red Quinoa Burgers
• Salmon Burgers with Lemon and Dill
• Mediterranean Burger with Olives and Feta
• Spicy Sriracha Burgers with Crispy Shallots

Serving Suggestions

• Of course every burger welcomes a few classic additions . . . toasty buns, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, etc.
• As for spreads, I highly recommend Chipotle Aioli. The smoky flavor and creamy texture adds beautifully to almost any burger. And to please a big crowd, you should always have ketchup and mustard on hand.
• For a summer barbecue, here are a few of my favorite sides to serve with jalapeño burgers:

• Lemon Pepper Grilled Corn
• Grilled Green Onions
• Peach Caprese Salad
• Watermelon Basil Salad
• Melon Oregano and Feta Platter

Making Them Ahead

While the jalapeño burgers can be made a day or so ahead of time and kept refrigerated, they're the most amazing shortly after they're cooked. (And if I'm being honest, I've been known to eat them right out of the refrigerator, too. That's how good they are!)

Can you freeze them?

• To store the shaped jalapeño burgers in the freezer: If you make the recipe through shaping the burgers, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then put them all in a zip lock bag. You can also layer them with wax paper between them, in a tightly sealed container. (They will keep either way for several months, but I think they're best to use within 2 months.) Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, and when they're completely thawed, follow the cooking instructions.
• To store the cooked jalapeño burgers in the freezer: Let the burgers cool completely and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then put them in a zip lock bag or airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat them in the oven just to warm them through.

Enjoy every single bite of these utterly delicious Jalapeño Turkey Burgers!