Homemade Greek Burger with a Twist

With Summer right around the corner, I’ve been dreaming up recipes that I can make once it gets blistering hot outside. If you live in Texas (or the South), you know that it gets so hot outside that it’s sometimes almost unbearable. With that being said, I’ve learned to cook meals that are not only nutritious but will also cool me and my guests down at the same time. Nothing is worst than trying to enjoy the outdoors while eating a meal that is extremely heavy on your stomach and makes you feel like you can’t move.

I can eat a salad every single day and be completely content, but my husband wants lots of protein in his meals. I usually try to find something in the middle that both of us can enjoy. I’ve been trying to cook more healthy for the both of us and incorporate dishes made from scratch. I love being able to make everything homemade, I think my biggest issue is not having enough time. (Doesn’t that always seem to be the problem?)

We’re having a small get together for Memorial Day at the house and I’ve been trying to find a recipe that is quick, tasty and that will please everybody. I knew we had to have burgers for the guys and I wanted fresh veggies so I instantly thought of Greek food – Tzatziki and Greek Salad. Not only is Greek food healthy, it’s super refreshing and light. I didn’t have to think twice about burgers, but I added a twist. I bought Johnsonville Grillers which are made with pork.  Not only are the patties already made but they are packed with flavor so all  I have to do is take them out of the box and throw them on the grill.   Any guesses how I’m going to combine the two?

I threw the burgers on the grill frozen. I love that I don’t have to thaw them before they go on. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten to thaw meat before! While the burgers were on the grill, I had time to make my homemade Tzatziki and Greek Salad. 

Both Tzatziki and Greek Salad are very healthy, easy to make and I love that there aren’t a lot of random items that go into the recipe. Both recipes use very similar ingredients and I almost always have them in my refrigerator. 

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dill
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Hardest part about both of these recipes is prepping the ingredients. After I was done with the Homemade Tzatziki, I started on the Greek salad. I love having Greek salad in my refrigerator to snack on. 

Homemade Greek Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 tsp oregano
• sea salt to taste
• 1 T Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Your Johnsonville grillers  should be about done now. It takes approximately 12-15 minutes depending on your grill. Now comes the fun part. I made two options for my guests to choose whatever they want. Since my husband loves his burgers, I made a Johnsonville Griller and used the Tzatziki sauce, lettuce and topped the burger with the Greek Salad. Talk about delicious. Not to mention, my husband ate every bite. I call that a success!
If your guests or family don’t like the idea of a Greek salad on the burger, they can always eat it on the side. For those of us who want something a little lighter, I present to you the Bunless Greek Burger.

 Yep, just drop the bun and add a delicious salad. The Tzatziki pairs perfectly with the Griller. I chose the Steakhouse Onion griller, but Johnsonville has lots of different flavors to choose from depending on what you are pairing it with.  I’m now obsessed with the bunless burgers. They’re easy to make and I feel good about eating them!We always keep Grillers in our freezer for a quick meal that is hearty, delicious and full of flavor.

What’s your favorite type of burger? If you have one, be sure to leave a link to your favorite recipe!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville. The opinions and text are all mine.