These Turkey and Zucchini Patties are tender, juicy and full of flavour. They make a healthy and easy to prepare midweek meal. Double the ingredient quantities and freeze half after step 3. You’ll have a healthy meal only minutes away.
How to Serve Turkey and Zucchini Patties
These patties are so tasty and versatile you’ll find yourself making them on high rotation. Serve them on rice, couscous, bulgar or quinoa with salad, drizzled with Tahini Yoghurt Sauce and sprinkled with sumac*. They are a delicious bite-size canapé to serve with drinks, or as part of a mezze platter – again with Yoghurt tahini Sauce. You can add them to a lunchbox or picnic, or slice and include them in a sandwich.
Cooking and Storage
Always make sure you squeeze the excess moisture out of the zucchini, else you’ll end up with soggy patties that don’t hold their shape.
Unlike duck, turkey must be thoroughly cooked. To ensure the patties are cooked all the way through, remove them from the oven after 10 minutes and cut one through the thickest part. If it is still pink, return the turkey patties to the oven.
You can add an egg to the patty ingredients. However, it’s not really needed as the mixture is moist and holds together well without egg.
Patties can be prepared up to step 3 and refrigerated or frozen to finish cooking later. This is a great time saver if you are preparing a feast, or want to meal prep for those busy weeknights.
When you are ready to use them, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if they are frozen. Proceed with the steps that follow. They may take slightly longer to cook if they have been pre-seared and frozen or refrigerated because they will be cold in the centre. Be extra careful to check that they are cooked through.
Over to you! happy cooking
*Sumac is a middle-eastern spice that is mild and tangy, with a subtly lemon flavour.
Turkey and Zucchini Patties
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini grated
- 500 g minced free-range turkey
- 3 spring onions finely chopped
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cooking salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- Olive oil for cooking
- Drizzle patties with Tahini Yoghurt Sauce sprinkled with sumac. Serve with salad and rice, quinoa or couscous.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Squeeze out the excess moisture from the zucchini and add it to a large mixing bowl with all the other ingredients except the olive oil. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Shape into patties around the same size as golf balls. This mixture makes 16 to 18 patties. See note.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the patties in batches, about 9 at a time, placing them on the paper-lined oven tray as you go. Don't overcrowd the pan, or else the patties will stew and won't brown.
- When all the patties are golden brown, bake them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cut one patty in half to check that they are cooked through the thickest part of the patty. if they are still pink, return them to the oven for a few more minutes.
- Serve patties with salad, drizzled with tahini yoghurt sauce and a sprinkle of sumac.