Cajun Turkey Burgers with Étouffée Relish and Creamy Cajun Sauce

This post is sponsored by Jennie-O. As always, all opinions and recipes are my own.

Fire up the grill and serve Louisiana Cajun Turkey Burgers with Étouffée Relish and Creamy Cajun Sauce! This spicy twist on a classic turkey burger makes for a delicious entree at barbecues or grill outs all summer long. All you need are a handful of ingredients and frozen turkey burgers to make this recipe.

Near the end of May, my husband left for work in Alaska, and he was gone for the majority of the month half the world away.

When my mother-in-law offered to come to Dallas to help me out, I agreed. I needed help, and I wasn’t ashamed to take Lady A’s grandmother up on her assistance.

While she was here, we created this recipe together. I think it’s pretty fitting because my in-laws are from South Louisiana and have lived there for most of their lives. (My mother-in-law also speaks fluent French, which is super cool. I love listening to her converse with Lady A in her singsong accent and aspire for my daughter to learn the beautiful language her Mamette knows so well.)

Why I love this recipe:

This delicious turkey burger recipe was a true collaboration between my mother-in-law and me.

We knew we wanted to make a Louisiana-style burger with the Jennie-O Seasoned Turkey Burgers I had on hand.

As we kicked around ideas, we gravitated to the idea of a relish. Because what’s more Louisiana than étoufféed vegetables? (While I am no French speaker, I know that étouffée means to smother.)

While we’re not smothering the burger in, say, crawfish étouffée, we cook down green and yellow bell peppers with a red onion to create an étoufféed vegetable relish. And it’s GOOD, y’all. Savory with just a hint of caramelized sweetness, the relish adds lovely color and flavor to our burger.

Then we whipped up a Creamy Cajun Sauce… because you need some heat if you’re going to have a Cajun turkey burger.

And lastly, we cooked the frozen turkey burgers on my favorite grill pan, and then we assembled these beauts.

The combination of flavors and textures was absolutely delicious and the best way to enjoy these burgers.

I can affirm that these burgers will be a hit for any July 4th grill out or a Labor Day get together, too, because you can’t have either of those holidays without firing up the grill.

More burger recipes to try: Cheeseburger Kebabs (Deconstructed Cheeseburger Bites) | Pan Fried Hamburgers | Spinach and Feta Burgers | Baked BBQ Turkey Burgers

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Sharp knife
• Wooden cutting board
• Nonstick skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Cast iron griddle
• Metal spatula

Here’s what you need to grab at the grocery store:

• Fat — we use a combination of unsalted butter and olive oil to make our relish for these burgers. You can use all oil or all butter, if you prefer.
• Red onion — sometimes referred to as purple onion, this adds stunning color and milder onion flavor.
• Bell pepper — we use two… a green bell pepper and a yellow bell pepper. We use the two different ones for color.
• Garlic cloves — measure with your heart! Any good Cajun dish involves a lot of garlic!
• Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to for cooking. (Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand.) You can use a similarly sized sea salt.
• Red pepper flakes — for a kick of spice
• Creamy Cajun Sauce — to make this goodness, we combine spicy brown mustard, mayonnaise and a little hot sauce (your fave brand should work!). You could swap this with my Cajun Dipping Sauce if you want something with less kick, but equally delightful flavor.
• Frozen turkey patties — I used Jennie-O 1/3 lb. Seasoned Turkey Burgers straight from the freezer. These burgers are a mixture of dark meat and white meat, though I know different brands sell a white meat burger, if that’s more your thing. Use similarly sized frozen burgers for yours to cook in a similar amount of time.
• Onion buns — or your favorite buns. You could hold off on these and make them into lettuce wraps, if desired, or burger bowls, too.

How to make Étouffée Relish

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.

When the butter has completely melted, add the onion and bell peppers.

Season with salt and the red pepper flakes.

Cook low and slow for 35-45 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened significantly and can be easily smeared on a slice of bread or a burger. (THAT is the consistency that you’re looking for here! We want ‘em soft, but not indistinguishable.)

When the relish is done, remove from the heat, and set aside.

Make the Creamy Cajun Sauce

Combine the mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Taste the sauce, then add 1-2 teaspoons of the hot sauce to taste. Do this slowly so you don’t singe your tastebuds.

Set aside for later.

How to cook frozen turkey burgers

The cooking method matters, y’all. For this recipe, we’re using a grill pan or a traditional gas or charcoal grill outdoors. (So if you’re looking for how to make these in an air fryer or in a broiler pan, you need to find that elsewhere.)

Heat the grill or a grill pan over a medium-high heat.

If you’re using a grill, place each frozen turkey burger patty a few inches from the heating source. Do not fire them directly over the flame or the outside will char while the inside does not cook through.

If you’re cooking on a grill pan in your kitchen, gently set the frozen burgers directly onto the grill pan.

Cook the burgers for about 4-5 minutes on each side, turning once for best results, until the internal temperature of the burgers reads 165°F. The second side might take a little less than this, depending on how hot your grill/grill pan are.

Please note that the cook time will vary, depending on how thick your burgers are. A thinner, smaller burger will take less time than a 1/3 lb. burger, like this one.

Once the burgers have cooked, remove from the heat using a spatula.

How to Assemble the Burgers

While the burgers cook or directly after, toast the onion buns on the grill, too, just enough to have grill marks on the bread, then remove.

Dollop some of the sauce onto the bottoms of the buns, then add a leaf of butter lettuce and a slice of tomato. Set aside for when the burgers have finished.

Transfer the cooked burgers on top of the prepared buns.

Smear Étouffée Relish on top of the burgers, then top with more sauce and the top of the bun. (You can also add additional favorite toppings, if desired.)

Serve immediately, and enjoy this flavorful meal with your favorite summertime side dishes, like French fries, classic potato salad, pasta salad and ramen noodle salad!

How to store:

Store leftover burgers in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in 30-second bursts in the microwave.

Store the sauce and the relish separately in containers in the refrigerator, too.

Now who’s ready to make some of their own delicious burgers?

Scroll on down to get my recipe…

Louisiana Cajun Turkey Burgers with Étouffée Relish and Creamy Cajun Sauce

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

Fire up the grill and serve Louisiana Cajun Turkey Burgers with Étouffée Relish and Creamy Cajun Sauce! This spicy twist on a classic turkey burger makes for a delicious entree at barbecues or grill outs all summer long. All you need are a handful of ingredients and frozen turkey burgers to make this recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 4 burgers

Calories 860 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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Étouffée Relish

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion about 2 cups, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper about 1 ½ cups, diced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper about ¾ cup, diced
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 large garlic cloves minced

Creamy Cajun Sauce

• 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce to taste

Burgers

• 4 Jennie-O 1/3 lb. Seasoned Turkey Burgers frozen
• 4 onion buns halved
• Étouffée Relish
• Creamy Cajun Sauce
• 4 leaves butter lettuce

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Wooden cutting board
• Nonstick skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Cast iron griddle
• Metal spatula

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

 

Make the Étouffée Relish

• In a heavy-bottomed skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium-low heat.
• When the butter has completely melted, add the onion and bell peppers.
• Season with salt and the red pepper flakes.
• Cook low and slow for 35-45 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened significantly and can be easily smeared on a slice of bread or a burger. (It’s the consistency that you’re looking for here! We want ‘em soft, but not indistinguishable.)
• When the relish is done, remove from the heat, and set aside.

Make the Creamy Cajun Sauce

• In a bowl, combine the mustard and mayonnaise.
• Taste the sauce, then add 1-2 teaspoons of the hot sauce to taste. (Do this slowly so you don’t singe your tastebuds.)
• Set aside for later.

Cook and Assemble the Burgers

• Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat.
• Place the frozen Jennie-O burgers onto the preheated grill, a few inches from the heating source. Cook for 9-10 minutes on each side, turning twice, until the internal temperature of the burgers reads 165°F.
• While the burgers cook, toast the onion buns on the grill, too, just enough to have grill marks on the bread, then remove.
• Dollop some of the sauce onto the bottoms of the buns, then add a leaf of butter lettuce. Set aside for when the burgers have finished.
• Once the burgers have cooked, remove from the heat using a spatula.
• Transfer the cooked burgers on top of the prepared buns.
• Smear Étouffée Relish on top of the burgers, then top with more sauce and the top of the bun.
• Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Notes

If you want these burgers to be dairy free, swap the unsalted butter in the relish for the same amount of olive oil, bringing the total to FOUR tablespoons olive oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1burgerCalories: 860kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 36gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1800mgFiber: 6gSugar: 18g

Keyword best turkey burger recipe, easy grilling recipe, easy turkey burger, grilled, grilled burgers, grilled turkey burgers, grilling, grilling recipe, turkey burger, turkey burger recipe

Course Entrees

Cuisine Cajun

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