If there’s one thing I love about summer, its the endless Caprese salads.
Wait, you don’t have endless Caprese salads where you’re from? That’s weird. I thought it was a universal thing.
Okay, I get it. Caprese salads aren’t really a “sign of summer” like lemonade stands and hot dogs. But it’s something I make nearly every summer in big portions. It’s the ultimate summer salad is absolutely refreshing on a hot summer day.
It has everything you need: creamy cheese, fresh tomatoes, and pungent basil. I could eat this stuff every day during the hot months of the year.
I’ve been experimenting with the Caprese formula over the last few years. I’ve made Caprese casseroles, Caprese panzanella salads, Caprese spaghetti squash and Caprese pasta salad. It’s a fun set of ingredients to make new and improved recipes.
This might be my favorite experiment so far. I loaded up the Caprese ingredients to top a burger with and was thoroughly impressed. The mozzarella melted perfectly, the basil went well with the burger, and the tomato was *chefs kiss*.
This is a simple, yet adventurous, version of a burger you should definitely try out this summer.
Enjoy!
Caprese Turkey Burger

A juicy turkey burger topped with classic Caprese toppings: mozzarella, basil, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 TBS. balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper
- 4 toasted buns, for serving
- Fresh sliced tomatoes, for serving
- Fresh sliced mozzarella, for serving
- Chopped fresh basil and balsamic vinegar, for serving
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix together turkey, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add in breadcrumb and knead until meat and seasonings are well mixed.
- Form turkey into 4-5 patties.
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add burgers and grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.
- Make the burgers: Place turkey burger on a toasted bun and top with a slice of tomato, a few slices of mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Broil cheese to melt, if desired.