The juicy Greek Feta Burger with Tzatziki Sauce is my ideal dinner — not only is it a delicious vegetarian dish, but it takes very little time to make. And the yogurt sauce is such a nice add-on!
In a perfect world, I would eat a vegetarian meal once a week. I tried to adopt the Meatless Monday philosophy but found that having a specific night of the week to do it on was too restrictive. But I could very easily be a vegetarian, as I eat very little red meat as it is, but I would have a hard time giving up chicken. However, if I had meals like this to replace it with, I would have no problem giving it up. This is my ideal dinner. Everyone at the table liked it (even the skeptics, ahem, Ed) and it will be on heavy rotation around here.
Why You Will LOVE This Recipe
- I do try to have one vegetarian meal a week. It is good for your body and your wallet. Especially when you eat the way that we do.
- This burger reminds me of an appetizer that my mom used to make at parties when I was a kid. It had parmesan and a ton of melted butter, but the idea is the same. You could easily roll these into little balls and bake them off and have a great appetizer.
- My husband was surprisingly jealous that he was missing out on the Greek feta burger. I say “surprisingly” because this is a man that lives for hamburgers and red meat. If you cook for someone similar (or that’s you, yourself!) you/they are in for a treat.
- If you are even toying with the idea of throwing a vegetarian meal into the mix at your house for whatever reason, this is a great place to start. It is easy, flavorful and I did not miss the meat.
- It took no time to put together and no time to cook.
- I usually also have all of the ingredients in my pantry and freezer.
Greek Feta Burger Ingredients
The veggie patties:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup herb stuffing mix
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper
The cucumber yogurt sauce:
- 1 small container non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 small cucumber, chopped finely
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
The burgers:
- 4 whole wheat hamburger buns
- 1 red pepper (I used red and yellow)
- 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- extra feta crumbles
- red onions
How To – The Steps
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Coat the stuffing mix with the olive oil and herbs. Add the eggs, feta, and spinach. Shape into 4 patties.
Step 2: Heat a pan to MED-HIGH heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side. The outside should get crispy and brown.
Step 3: If you need to, you can keep the spinach feta burgers warm while you are getting the rest of the toppings together and toasting the buns. I put them in a 300°F oven until I was ready for them.
Step 4: To make the cucumber yogurt sauce, simply combine the ingredients in a bowl.
Step 5: Add the Greek spinach feta burgers to a toasted whole wheat bun. Add some sliced tomatoes, red onions, peppers (roasted peppers would be good, too) and extra crumbled feta. Drizzle the yogurt sauce on top. And just like that, dinner is served.
What To Serve With Greek Feta Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce
Assuming you want to keep the “Greek” theme going, here are some suggestions for what to serve alongside these burgers.
Greek Salad: A healthy side featuring cucumber, tomato, red onion, black olives, and feta cheese in a lemon-herb dressing. I also make a simplified version — Cucumber and Onion Salad — that you can adapt to your liking.
Roasted Vegetables: This Roasted Pepper Salad is so beautiful and so simple to prepare. Cut up some peppers, grill them slightly and drizzle them with a slightly sweet dressing. This salad is my idea of a perfect spring side dish.
Fries: As you can see, this is what I went for. Classic fries or Greek-style fries seasoned with herbs and lemon juice would both work.
Grilled Vegetables: Grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and onions are a delicious and healthy side dish that will complement the flavors of the burger.
Pita Bread: Warm pita bread is a great option to serve alongside the burger. That said, you may find this to be too much bread. In which case, might I suggest using pita bread for the bun?
Rice or Quinoa: This Mediterranean Rice Salad is the best summer side dish to serve alongside Greek-inspired fare. Cool basmati rice, citrus juices, herbs, spices, currants, and pistachios come together to make this fresh, flavorful, and nutritious rice salad.
FAQs
What kind of herb stuffing mix do you use?
I like Pepperidge Farm.
Is there a carb-conscious version of this burger?
This is from Andrea Eickelmann, a reader:
“I decided to get creative and try to give them some protein factor because it was kinda making me feel guilty all those bread crumbs. So I ended up replacing 3/4 of the bread crumbs with quinoa ( yummy grain that is over 5g of protein per serving) and it was awesome.”
How do I prevent the burgers from falling apart?
First, make sure you’re using the right amount of egg and bread crumbs. The egg will bind the ingredients together while the crumbs absorb excess moisture. Don’t overwork the meat. Doing so results in a tougher burger, which is more prone to crumbling. Chill the patties for 30 minutes before cooking and, while cooking, don’t flip them too often.
How To Store Greek Feta Burgers
Let the burgers cool to room temperature (but don’t leave them out for more than 2 hours). Wrap each patty in plastic or aluminum or place them all in an airtight container. They should last for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them by wrapping them individually then placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They should last frozen for up to 3 months. When reheating, use a skillet or a grill to prevent them from drying out. You can also microwave them but they may get mushy.
Vegetarian Feta Burger with Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup herb stuffing mix I like Pepperidge Farm
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1-10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach thawed and well-drained
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- salt and pepper
to assemble the burgers:
- 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
- 1 red pepper I used red and yellow
- 1 small red onion sliced thinly
- 1 large tomato sliced
- extra feta crumbles
- red onions
For the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 small container nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 small cucumber chopped finely
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Coat the stuffing mix with the olive oil and herbs. Add the eggs, feta, and spinach. Shape into 4 patties.
- Heat a pan to medium high heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side. The outside should get crispy and brown.
- If you need to, you can keep the spinach feta burgers warm while you are getting the rest of the toppings together and toasting the buns. I put them in a 300 degree oven until I was ready for them.
- To make the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, simply combine the ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the Greek Spinach Feta burgers to a toasted whole wheat bun. Add some sliced tomatoes, red onions, peppers (roasted peppers would be good too) and extra crumbled feta. Drizzle the yogurt sauce on top. And just like that, dinner is served.
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