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Cheeseburgers with lettuce wraps get the diner treatment without the bun. A panade of bread and coconut milk keeps the turkey-and-beef patties juicy, and dairy-free cheddar melts over the top. Wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves, they're the burger you can eat with your hands and no regrets.
Pro Tips
- Mash the chopped bread and coconut milk together first — this panade is the trick that keeps lean ground turkey breast juicy inside the patty.
- Break the ground beef over the turkey mixture and combine the two meats gently by hand; overworking makes the burgers dense.
- Form each patty by tossing the meat between your hands into a loose ball, then flattening to a half-inch thickness, 4-5 inches wide.
- Lay the patties in the hot skillet and leave them alone, covered, for 3 minutes before flipping — the crust needs the full time.
- Add the coconut milk cheddar slices at the end and cover for the final minute so it melts while the burgers finish to 160 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why mix turkey and beef?
The lean turkey lightens the patty while the beef brings the richness — and the bread-and-coconut-milk panade keeps the blend from drying out on the skillet.
Do I have to use lettuce wraps?
No — the recipe offers either large lettuce leaves or slices of White Sandwich Bread. Both were made for this patty.
Is the cheese really dairy-free?
Yes — coconut milk cheddar slices melt just like the classic and keep the whole burger dairy-free.
What should I put on top?
The chef's note suggests tomatoes, lacto-fermented vegetables, mustard, ketchup or mayonnaise — anything that sounds appealing to you.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. Mash 1 slice bread and milk together in large bowl with fork until combined.
- Add ground turkey, Worcestershire Sauce, sea salt, and pepper and mix until smooth.
- 2. Break up ground beef into small pieces and sprinkle over turkey and bread mixture.
- Using hands, gently combine meats until smooth.
- Divide meat into four equal portions.
- Working with one portion of meat at a time, toss meat back and forth between hands to form a loose ball, then gently flatten into half-inch-thick patty, about four to five inches wide.
- 3.
- Heat oil in twelve-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Lay patties in skillet, cover, and cook, without moving them, until well-browned, about 3 minutes.
- Flip burgers, cover, and continue to cook 2 minutes longer.
- Top each burger with one slice of cheese, cover, and continue to cook until cheese is melted and burgers register 160° F, about 1 minute.
- Transfer burgers to lettuce leaves or sandwich bread and serve. Chef’s Note: If you’d like a little more flavor on your burger, add tomatoes, Lacto-Fermented vegetables, Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, or anything else that sounds appealing.
