Healthy Burger Recipes

Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. Use any mixture of hard or semihard cheeses--Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.

Instead of being served on traditional buns, these turkey sliders are sandwiched inside mini avocados for a clever (and low-carb) meal--because why put avocado on your burger when you can put your burger on an avocado? Quick pickled onions are a pretty and tasty topping, and chipotle mayo seals the deal. Bonus: The burgers are cooked on a baking sheet, so it's easy to whip up a whole batch.

This simple air-fryer burger recipe is a splatter-free method to cook up juicy burgers without a lot of fuss. The toppings are classic, but you can always adjust them to suit your taste.

Portobello mushrooms stand in for meat patties in this recipe for veggie burgers with all the fixings. Mushrooms are a source of glutamate, a naturally occurring compound that gives the fungi their umami flavor. But to really give these "patties" a savory boost, we brush them with steak sauce. Add a simple side salad or some grilled veggies for a satisfying and easy dinner on the grill.

Learning how to make smashed burgers is as simple as its name. Smashing burgers into thin patties not only makes them quick-cooking, it also creates irresistible crispy edges. Topping them with the caramelized onion relish adds extra deliciousness.

These juicy burgers skip the traditional bread bun in favor of a savory grain-free cauliflower bun that contains a bit of Cheddar cheese. A mixture of onions, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce gives the burger patties tons of flavor, and the addition of a tangy special sauce makes for a burger with serious personality. Note: If you would like to make these burgers gluten-free, be sure to check the ingredients for the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce to make sure they're gluten-free.

Burgers made with ground turkey are a lean alternative to beef burgers, providing you choose turkey ground from the breast. Regular ground turkey, which is a mixture of light and dark meat and some skin, contains almost as much fat as lean ground beef. A honey-mustard mixture keeps these low-fat patties moist and succulent.

Savory turkey burgers get a Mediterranean twist with spinach, feta cheese, and a tangy cucumber relish.

Edamame make these homemade veggie burgers mean, green protein machines. Peanut sauce, curry paste and quick-pickled carrots give them Thai-inspired flair.

In this healthy turkey burger recipe, lean ground turkey stands in for ground beef, and mushrooms are added to produce a thick and uncommonly juicy, flavorful turkey burger. An easy, lightened mayo sauce provides the perfect accent.

These burgers have a true crab flavor that isn't masked by fillers or strong seasoning. Serve on a bun with tartar sauce or with a lemon-juice-dressed salad of greens, sprouts and sliced peaches. This recipe works best with convenient pasteurized crabmeat, usually found in the refrigerated case near the fish counter. If you prefer lump crabmeat, cut it into small, uniform pieces.

With a touch of sweet from the mango, savory from the bacon, plus a creamy avocado spread, this healthy slider recipe with takes burgers to a whole new level. Double the avocado mayo and use it for your next BLT.

Chickpeas add fiber to this blended burger, but the real joy here is the light and fluffy feta sauce that tops the whole shebang.

Turn a couple cans of tuna into a zesty tuna burger with this quick recipe. If you can't find good whole-wheat hamburger buns, whole-wheat English muffins are a great substitute. The burger mixture might seem a little soft going into the pan, but once the first side is cooked, you'll be able to flip them easily. Serve with steamed broccoli or sweet potato fries.

These vegetarian sliders are filling, flavorful and make for a great protein-packed main dish. Take your time patting the beans dry: it keeps the sliders from falling apart. You can make 8 larger patties, to fit regular-size buns, but try to keep them about 1/2 inch thick so they'll heat through under the broiler without burning. 

We skipped the traditional bun and opted for sweet and tender-crisp grilled peppers instead to cut carbs and boost veggies in this flavor-packed turkey burger. The creamy avocado goddess sauce adds texture and keeps everything in place.

The deep purple of the cabbage slaw would be enough to liven up these salmon sliders, but we add even more color with a simple carrot and cucumber side salad.

This garlicky smash burger recipe includes a hefty amount of portobello mushrooms, which adds a light texture and rich umami flavor. Using a hot skillet and flattening the burgers evenly forms the crispy golden brown crusts that smash burgers are known for. The sweet and smoky balsamic sauce pairs well with the meatiness of the burgers.

Pureed chickpeas, seasoned with the characteristic flavors of falafel, make excellent veggie burgers. We use a two-stage method for cooking the patties, first browning them in a skillet and then finishing them in the oven. Garnish the burgers with tzatziki or tahini sauce (see associated recipes), pickled red onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

Shredded zucchini keeps these lean turkey burgers moist and sneaks extra vegetables into your meal.

The secret to this super-juicy, tasty grilled burger? Sautéed mushrooms cooked with a little smoked paprika, garlic powder and sherry vinegar are mixed in with the beef.

This style of preparing hamburgers is popular in Greece. The seasoned beef patties stay moist and delicious thanks to the liquid exuded when grating the tomato and onion—be sure not to drain any of it away. Serve with roasted potatoes and a green salad.

Made with seasoned ground chicken and a zippy ground turkey mixture, these burgers are wrapped in turkey bacon before grilling. Now that's a high-protein dinner!

Over the last thirty years, EatingWell has done a lot of cooking and grilling, and have numerous delicious burger recipes to show for it. From our Classic Hamburger to more unique recipes like Curried Cashew Burgers, these burgers are bursting with flavor and there is something for everyone on this list. Check out some of our favorite flavor combinations over the last three decades.