A creamy, tangy pancetta cranberry remoulade spread on a crispy pretzel bun with a brussels sprouts slaw, caramelized onions, and a melty juicy gouda turkey burger: these Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions are the ultimate Christmas burger!!
Jump to RecipeYou know that week before Christmas: all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc are in town, and you’re desperately trying to figure out a way to feed them all?!! You don’t want to go overboard before the big Christmas dinner, but you also want to make a festive dinner to please the crowd!?? Well, for the week of the 20th, I’ll be in that scenario, and I’ll be making these Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions. With a festive cranberry sauce, an easy brussels slaw, and juicy turkey burgers, there’s nobody that doesn’t LOVE these!
the breakdown…
These Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions may have a few different components, but I swear they come together so fast!! Perfect for those busy holiday nights. I like to start off by making that cranberry remoulade, which could also be entitled “pancetta cranberry remoulade” if you choose to add a bit of Italian bacon. If you go that route (which I highly recommend), start off with a quick saute of some finely diced pancetta until it is nice and crisp. Then, go in with whole fresh cranberries, water, and sugar — aka your classic cranberry sauce players. In this Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions recipe, however, I go with less sugar than in your classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauce… just because nobody wants a sweet sauce on their burger. They just don’t.
With those key ingredients, go in with all the fun burger flavors: worcestershire, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. While these ingredients may seem peculiar for a cranberry sauce, I swear they make the best sweet and salty spread that will be just perfect on your burger. It’s the best. Allow those cranberries to burst down into a jelly, then send it to the fridge. You don’t want to stir in your dairy until that sauce is fully cooled, or else it will split and get all speckly. That’s gross. So, whether you decide to go in with mayonnaise or yogurt (for a lighter, yet equally as delicious option), this remoulade is absolutely delicious. I like to make a big batch ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It lasts well for 2-3 days, and is delicious on just about any protein. You have to try this one!
let’s talk about that slaw…
The next step is to get that brussels sprouts slaw going. I like to get everything that doesn’t have to be hot made first, just so everything is nice and fresh for when it’s time to eat. By pulsing up some brussels, smooth olive oil, sweet red wine vinegar, and tangy white wine vinegar all up in a food processor, you get a soft and crunchy slaw that’s just as delicious as it is easy. Plus, with some dried oregano, salt, and pepper, you get the most herbaceous, delicious flavor that brings some freshness to these burgers. You could also make this step ahead of time and send it to the fridge for a day or two — do what works for you!
With that slaw underway, the next step is to start those caramelized onions. These are really more of a “cheater’s” caramelized onion because I get them done in just about 10 minutes, as opposed to over medium-low heat for a few hours. While you could go that low-and-slow route, I like to get these done next to my burgers for the sake of simplicity. You do you, though!
Lastly, go ahead and prepare those burger patties. Even with all those flavors, these patties still are the star of the dish. With tons of flavor from worcestershire, paprika, oregano, and salt, and just a bit of egg and breadcrumbs to bind everything together… these burgers are the only turkey burger recipe you will ever need. So simple, yet so good — especially if you get 93% (or even darker) turkey. The darker the turkey, the more flavorful and juicy. Still, if you wanted to go with learner turkey, chicken, or beef, those would be viable options. With the leaner options, however, I would add in a bit of grated zucchini, oil, or some more egg for moisture.
how to serve ’em up…
Melt some gouda on those burgers and get to assembling! I love gouda because of its amazing melting properties, but you could also go with swiss, cheddar, provolone, or fontina. All would be delicious. Serve up those patties with all the sauce on a pretzel bun (or any bun, tbh) with tons of slaw and caramelized onions… then get to chowing down!! These Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions will seriously be gone in a matter of minutes — I swear. And for sides? I recommend roasted sweet potatoes, a pomegranate Christmas salad, or some pasta with this pesto. Whatever you go with, however, I know these Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions will be a bit hit!
I hope you enjoy these Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions
Course: Main Course, HandheldCuisine: American, ChristmasDifficulty: Easy5
servings25
minutes25
minutes50
minutesA creamy, tangy pancetta cranberry remoulade spread on a crispy pretzel bun with a brussels sprouts slaw, caramelized onions, and a melty juicy gouda turkey burger: these Cranberry Gouda Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions are the ultimate Christmas burger!!
Ingredients
- cranberry remoulade:
2 tsp olive oil
2 oz pancetta, finely diced, optional
12 oz whole fresh cranberries
½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt
- brussels sprouts slaw:
1 lb brussels sprouts, stems removed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey or pure maple syrup
2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
- turkey burgers:
1 lb ground turkey (dark meat is best)
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 egg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ flat leaf parsley, finely diced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
- assembly:
2 + 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 gouda cheese slices
6 pretzel buns, toasted
Instructions
- PANCETTA CRANBERRY REMOULADE: In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the pancetta and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until it begins to crisp up (if using). Stir often. Then, pour in the cranberries, water, sugar, Worcestershire, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, and bring the liquids to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Mash with your spoon to create a jammy consistency. After about 15 minutes in the fridge, mix in the mayonnaise or greek yogurt and continue to chill while you prepare the rest of the burgers.
- BRUSSELS SPROUTS SLAW: Toss the all of the slaw ingredients into a food processor. Pulse 10-12 times, or until the brussels have broken up into a slaw-like consistency. Set aside.
- CARAMELIZED ONIONS: In a large skillet, heat the 2 tbsp olive oil or butter over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the thinly sliced onion and saute for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions have wilted down and caramelized.
- TURKEY BURGERS: In a medium bowl, mix all of the turkey burger ingredients until combined. Form into 5 patties. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add each burger to the skillet, cover it with a lid, and sear for about 5 minutes on each side. Add the gouda slices to the patties for the last 2 minutes of cooking time so that it melts.
- ASSEMBLY: Spread some of the cranberry remoulade onto each bun, then layer on the burger. Top with some of the brussels slaw and caramelized onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Both the cranberry remoulade and the brussels slaw can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.