This lettuce wrap burger gets it’s inspiration from In In Out’s protein style burger. It’s made with a juicy turkey burger topped with special sauce, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, fresh tomato and pickles all wrapped up in crisp iceberg lettuce.
Can I just say this lettuce wrap burger is my favorite healthy, quick dinner recipe that is low carb and family friendly.
Growing up in Southern California, In In Out was a weekly fast food run. We would normally get In In Out on Friday nights after the high school football game or after my water polo games. It’s a California staple and is a healthier fast food restaurant that uses all fresh ingredients. Therefore us Californians are kind of obsessed.
When I eat at In In Out I normally order their protein style cheeseburger with grilled onions and pickles. It’s my go to order and a healthier option since “protein style” is code word for lettuce wrapped instead of a bun.
So of course I have to recreate the infamous lettuce wrap burger so I can make it at home. The best part is I made this burger a little healthier with the use of ground turkey instead of the usual ground beef.
You can make it either way and use your favorite burger toppings.
Ground Turkey Burgers:
Turkey burgers get a bad rap. I love them and have some tricks to make them juicy and flavorful. Here are my tips!
- Use a good quality ground turkey (I like to buy organic)
- Don’t use lean ground turkey. You will need some of the fat to keep the burgers juicy.
- Make sure you season the meat adequately for optimal flavor.
- Pan sear on a griddle to create a caramelized crust without drying the burgers out.
The Best Lettuce To Use for Lettuce Wrap Burgers:
The type of lettuce makes a huge difference as to how your lettuce wrap burgers will eat texturally.
Just a warning lettuce wrap burgers are a little messy, so plan accordingly.
I like to use two types of lettuces for lettuce burgers.
- Iceberg: My first choice and probably the best. Iceberg lettuce is very crisp and crunchy, which helps with texture of the burgers and also adds a freshness factor. The leaves are also large so you can use them to create a wrap around the burger.
- Butter lettuce: Another option that has large enough leaves to create a wrap around the burger. Butter lettuce is a very tender lettuce so it may not be as crisp and crunchy.
Other Low Carb Recipes:
If you are looking for some other delicious low carb recipes try these out!
Mexican Quinoa Salad With Chili Lime Vinaigrette
Instant Pot Cheeseburger Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Lettuce Wrap Burger Recipe:
Lettuce Wrap Burger
Ingredients
- 1 Large Shallot
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
- 2 Teaspoons Pickle Relish
- 2 Teaspoons BBQ Sauce
- 1 Head Iceberg Lettuce
- 1 Pound Ground Turkey
- 2 teaspoons Mc Cormack's Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 4 Slices Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Tomato, Sliced Thin
- Good Quality Pickles
Instructions
- Finely dice 2 large shallots.
- Preheat a small saute pan on low heat with 1 tablespoon butter. Add the shallot and caramelize for 10 minutes or until golden.
- Add mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and BBQ sauce to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Remove iceberg lettuce leaves to create the wrap (try to get whole leaves).
- Add 2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning to the ground turkey and mix to combine. Form into four equal patties.
- Sprinkle with extra seasoning on top if desired.
- Preheat a griddle over high heat. Cook the patties on the griddle for 4 minutes.
- Flip the burgers and cook for another 4 minutes or until cooked through.
- The last 1 minute of cooking add the cheese.
- Grab two lettuce leaves to create a bed for the burger. Add the cooked patty, shallot and sauce.
- Top with toppings of choice.
Notes
You can also use ground beef for this burger.
