A Burget patty on a bed of lettuce and topped with peaches and cherry tomatoes

Burgers are a summer staple in my family, especially with so many different variations to spice things up all season long. Whether you’re going meatless, cutting back on red meat, or craving a classic beef burger, these three recipes have something for everyone. I use the Flipp app to find my ingredients on sale and make several patties that I can store in my freezer and quickly cook when needed. 

Quinoa and Lentil Patties

I wanted to enjoy something that was grill-worthy as an alternative to my traditional beef or turkey burger. When my family tried it, we all agreed that it tasted like a traditional burger, and we’ll surely be having them again. 

You can cook these three different ways. The difference is the time and temperature for each, which I have outlined below. These quinoa and lentil patties are always great to have on hand. I keep mine frozen and remove them from the freezer as needed. Keep reading to find out my favorite toppings to pair them with.

You will need: (makes 6 large patties) 

  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1.5 cups cooked lentils
  • 1 small bun or piece of bread soaked in water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 sundried tomatoes and the oil (about 4-5 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon pesto
  • 4 tablespoons grated parmigiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons mustard (dijon or any)
  • 1-2 tablespoons mayo
  • 1 egg (you can substitute for a flax egg for a vegan alternative)

Directions:

  1. Add the following ingredients into a blender or small food processor: sundried tomatoes, pesto, grated parmigiano cheese, mustard, mayo, and egg. Blend on high until it creates a paste. Remove from the blender and transfer to a bowl. 
  2. Drain any excess water from your cooked lentils and quinoa and add them into the bowl with the paste. Add salt and bread. Combine well.
  3. Form 6 large balls and place them on a piece of parchment paper. Flatten with your hand or a greased spatula. Freeze for 10 minutes if using right away or keep them in the freezer overnight.  
  4. Cook your patties in the oven, air fryer, or grill.

Oven: Place them directly in the oven at 450F for 25-30 minutes. Turn them once halfway through.  

Air Fryer: I air-fried mine on the highest setting for 20 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes.

Grill: Make sure your grill is cleaned and well oiled. Place frozen patties on the grill over medium heat for 5 minutes and turn with a spatula. Grill for another 4 minutes.

5. Serve in a bun with your favorite toppings or go bunless. I use arugula, spicy mayo, and a peach tomato salsa that I made by dicing one tomato, one peach, and dressing with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.  

Mini Beef Burgers

This mini burger recipe contains no egg, bread, or bread crumbs. Basically, all you need is good quality ground beef and spices with a bit of olive oil to ensure that nothing sticks. They were the best burgers I had ever made, according to my family and I couldn’t be more proud. I highly recommend air frying burgers, as they are definitely juicy and tasty.

You will need: (makes 8 mini patties)

  • 1lb ground beef
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon oregano or dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients into a bowl with your hands and form into 8 small meatballs. 
  2. Flatten them with your hands and make a well in each one with your thumb to prevent them from swelling when you cook them. Remember they will always shrink up a bit when cooking, so flatten them until they are larger than the size of your bun.
  3. You can grill or air fry these. For the air fryer method, brush the base of the air fryer with olive oil. Preheat the fryer to 350F. Place the burgers in the basket and cook for 8 minutes on one side. Turn over and cook for 2 minutes on the other side (you can add cheese at this point). For a well-done burger, cook an extra 2 minutes.
  4. Remove and place on your slider bun or in your mushroom or lettuce wrap.

Juicy Turkey Burgers

This is a great alternative if you want to branch out from the traditional beef burger. If you’ve tried to make turkey burgers before, you know that it’s very easy for them to turn out dry. But trust me, this recipe makes for delicious, juicy burgers. The secret is to soak a slice of bread for that added softness.

You will need: (makes around 9 patties)

  • 1 package (450g) ground or minced turkey
  • 1½ tbsps of your favorite spice/dried herbs (I combined dried onion, smoked paprika, parsley, garlic)
  • 1 slice of toast bread or hot dog bun
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsps grated parmigiano cheese

Directions:

  1. Soak the slice of bread in water and squeeze out the excess water.
  2. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with a fork or your hand.
  3. Form small patties and flatten on a piece of parchment paper.
  4. You can grill or air fry these. For the air fryer method, brush the base of the air fryer with olive oil. Preheat the fryer to 400F. Place the burgers in the basket and cook for 10 minutes on one side. Turn over and cook for 3 minutes on the other side.
  5.  Serve in a bun with your favorite toppings.

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