Turkey and Black Bean Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Healthy but hardy — turkey and black bean burgers are a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional burgers. Made with lean ground turkey and fiber-rich black beans, they are packed with protein and nutrients. Bonus points for anyone watching their waistline: These burgers are lower in fat than those made with beef.

When baked instead of fried, sweet potato fries are a salty and nutritious companion. The side dish is a great source of complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Even more, sweet potatoes are also lower in calories than regular potatoes and contain more fiber.

Together, this burger and fry recipe makes for a satisfying and healthy meal that the whole family will love.

Turkey and Black Bean Burger with Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

Turkey and Black Bean Burger

INGREDIENTS

1- 15oz. can black beans
3 green onions
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
19 oz lean ground turkey
Whole wheat hamburger buns

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. Drain and rinse the black beans. Place the black beans in a large bowl and mash them slightly with your hands or a potato masher.
3. Slice the green onions and add them to the bowl along with the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir until the beans are evenly seasoned.
4. Add the ground turkey to the seasoned black beans. Mix well using your hands. Form 4 patties (about 2-2.5 inches diameter, 1/2 inch thick). Place the patties on a roasting pan or a baking sheet covered with foil and wire cooling racks.
5. Bake the patties in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries*

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium-large or 3 medium)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Optional spices: freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and/or garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven (make sure the top rack is about 6″ from the heat source and no closer).
2. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper so the fries don’t get stuck to the pans.
3. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces about 1/4″ wide and 1/4″ thick. Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly. Transfer half of the uncooked fries to one baking sheet, and the other half to the other baking sheet.
   Sprinkle the sweet potato fries with the cornstarch (use 1 1/2 teaspoons per pan) and salt (1/4 teaspoon per pan).
4. Toss until the fries are lightly coated in powder. Drizzle the olive oil over the fries (1 tablespoon per pan) and toss until the fries are lightly and evenly coated in oil, and no powdery spots remain (use your fingers to rub visible cornstarch into the fries as necessary).
5. Arrange your fries in a single layer and don’t overcrowd; otherwise, they will never crisp up. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. (The easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick wrist turn.)

*Adapted from Cookie and Kate

Start your meal with a refreshing salad. Try one of the following recipes:

Watermelon Salad
Summer Salad
Strawberry Salad and Rhubarb Balsamic Vinaigrette
Citrus and Seed Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Recipes by Alekka Sweeney / Photography by Dave BryceSubscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.