Healthy Burger Recipes

It’s National Cheeseburger Day, y’all! Who’s celebrating? We’d like to be, but we’re trying to stay fit and healthy. It’s so important to us Southern Breeze gals to feel good…and it doesn’t hurt to look good too, since it’s wedding season and all!

But then we got to thinking…why not celebrate National Cheeseburger Day by making a healthy version of America’s favorite sandwich? Since we LOVE skinny recipes and pairing them with our sugar-free sweet tea, we figured we’d share our favorite healthy burger recipes with y’all!

Whenever you’re craving a juicy cheeseburger, try one of these healthy alternative recipes instead! They certainly pass our taste test! (And we're picky!)

Low-Cal Cheeseburger

This tastes almost exactly like a classic cheeseburger, but it uses ingredients that are a bit friendlier for a low-cal and low-fat diet! Load on the veggies, too, so you get some nutrients while you’re at it!

Ingredients

• 1 lb 96% lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp white onion, minced
• 1 cup white onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp chile powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup pre-sliced button mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
• 4 romaine lettuce leaves
• 4 tomato slices

Instructions

1. Add beef, minced onion, parsley, chile powder, salt and black pepper to a large bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined. Gently form beef mixture into 4 equal patties, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Transfer to a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Add 1 tsp oil to a medium nonstick skillet and set over medium. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and cook until golden brown and soft, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining oil to skillet and return to medium heat. Add red pepper and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sliced onion and continue cooking for 6 more minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Add to bowl with mushrooms. Season vegetables with salt and black pepper and stir to combine.
3. When you're ready to eat, preheat broiler to high or a grill to medium-high.
4. Place patties under broiler, about 10 inches from heat source, or on a grill. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, until meat is no longer pink in center or the internal temperature registers 160 F on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately place 1 slice cheese on each hot burger. (If you want cheese very melted, add it to burgers 30 seconds to 1 minute before end of cooking time.) To serve, layer each bun with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 slice tomato, 1 cheeseburger patty and 1/3 cup vegetable mixture.

Get the full recipe from cleaneatingmag.com!

Bulgur Chickpea Burger

Don’t want to be left out of celebrating National Cheeseburger Day? Here’s a healthy and delicious burger option even for vegetarians!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur 1 (15-oz.) can drained unsalted chickpeas
• 2/3 cup chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 grated garlic clove
• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

Instructions

1. Bring water and uncooked bulgur to a boil in a small saucepan; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 12 minutes or until water is absorbed. Cool slightly.
2. Place drained unsalted chickpeas in a large bowl; mash until almost smooth. Stir in chopped scallions, ground cumin, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, smoked paprika, 1 large egg, and 1 large egg white. Stir in bulgur. Shape into 4 (3/4-in.-thick) patties.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add patties to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned and done.
4. Mash 1 ripe avocado; stir in 1/8 tsp. kosher salt and 1 grated garlic clove. Divide patties and avocado mixture among 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns.

Recipe pulled from Cooking Light! Get the full recipe here.

For-The-Road Sandwich

While this isn’t necessarily a skinny alternative to a cheeseburger, it’s WAY healthier than grabbing fast-food on a road trip! Our friend Christy Jordan from Southern Plate likes to stop at a deli on road trips and pick up the ingredients to make these delicious, for-the-road sandwiches. Next time you’re road-trippin’, try her recipe!

All you need is sliced roast beef, Hawaiian Sweet Rolls or whole-wheat hamburger buns, and cheddar slices. Christy likes to pair these burgers with Southern Breeze Sweet Tea! Take the sweet tea on-the-go in our swanky mason jars and you’ll be totally set for your road trip!

Get more of Christy’s road trip ideas here!

Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Burger

We know what you’re thinking: chicken?!?! But I want a juicy cheeseburger! Well, we think this healthy alternative to a cheeseburger is DELICIOUS! Give it a try and pair the salty sandwich with a chilled glass of sweet tea for the perfect National Cheeseburger Day meal!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Toppings
• 4 burger buns, toasted
• sour cream
• lettuce
• sliced red onions
• 1 cup Guacamole

Instructions

1. Prepare an indoor or outdoor grill over medium heat.
2. Transfer the ground chicken to a medium bowl. Add in the onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, cheddar cheese, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Using your hands, incorporate everything together. Make sure everything is evenly incorporated without over mixing the ground chicken.
3. Form the mixture into four 1/2"-thick patties. Grill burgers over medium heat until cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side.
4. Serve each patty in a burger bun topped with guacamole and sour cream and any additional toppings needed.

Get the full recipe here!

What do you think, y’all? Are you feeling adventurous enough to leave the traditional cheeseburger behind, even on National Cheeseburger Day? There are SO many delicious ways to make a traditional cheeseburger way healthier. We think it’s worth trying ‘em out! Let us know what your favorite healthy alternatives are in the comments below!