These are grilled turkey burgers served over warm broccoli slaw instead of a bun, with a coconut milk and sriracha sauce doing double duty — mixed into the patty and drizzled on top. The honest reason to make them: one sauce, one skillet for the slaw, one grill. Dinner in 30 minutes with almost nothing to wash.
Ingredient notes
- Coconut milk: Use canned, unsweetened, full-fat or light both work. Carton coconut milk is too thin and will make the sauce watery.
- Broccoli slaw: This is the bagged shredded broccoli-stem mix, not a dressed coleslaw kit. Grab it from the produce section, not the deli case.
- Peanut butter: Creamy natural peanut butter blends in cleanly. Avoid the sweetened, stabilized kind — it makes the sauce taste like a dessert.
- Ground ginger: Dried and ground, not fresh grated. Fresh ginger is stronger; if you swap in fresh, use about one teaspoon instead of one tablespoon.
- Lean ground turkey: Standard lean (93/7) works well here. Extra-lean (99%) tends to dry out on the grill even with the sauce mixed in.
The short version of why this works
Two things keep this recipe from falling apart. First, mixing a quarter cup of the sauce directly into the raw turkey adds fat and moisture before the patty ever hits the grill — ground turkey has almost no fat of its own, so without this step the burgers go dry fast. Second, serving over slaw instead of a bun means the sauce soaks into something that can hold it without going soggy, and the slight crunch of the slaw gives you the textural contrast a bun would normally provide. Neither trick is complicated, but skipping either one changes the result noticeably.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pulling the burgers too early: Ground turkey must reach 165°F (74°C) internal temperature — use an instant-read thermometer. Color alone is not reliable; turkey can look done before it is safe.
- Overworking the patty mix: Stir the sauce into the turkey just until combined. Kneading it like dough compresses the proteins and produces a dense, rubbery patty.
- Cooking the slaw too long: Low heat and a few minutes is all it needs. Once it goes limp and starts releasing liquid, it loses the crunch that makes it worth using in the first place.
- Skipping the reserved sauce: The quarter cup mixed into the patties is not enough sauce on its own — the reserved portion drizzled at serving is where most of the flavor lands. Don’t reduce or skip it to save a step.
- Making the patties too thick: One pound divided into four patties should be roughly three-quarters of an inch thick. Thicker patties take longer to reach 165°F and the outside can char before the center is safe.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store the sauce separately — it also keeps for 3 days refrigerated, though the coconut milk may separate slightly; just stir it back together before using. Reheat patties in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, or in a microwave at 50% power to avoid drying them out. The slaw is best made fresh each time since it goes soft quickly once cooked, but the sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead, which cuts prep down to about 10 minutes on a weeknight. Patties can be formed and refrigerated raw for up to 24 hours before grilling.
Lip-Smacking Sriracha Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut milk unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter creamy
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ medium lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey lean
- 1 bag broccoli slaw
- 1 medium avocado sliced thin
Instructions
- Preheat grill to high heat. Whisk together all ingredients except turkey, slaw and avocado.
- Gently mix together turkey and 1/4 cup of sauce, and reserve the remaining sauce. Form turkey into 4 patties. Grill burgers until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Heat slaw in a nonstick skillet over low heat. The slaw will only take a few minutes and should still have a crunchy texture.
- Serve cooked burgers over slaw, drizzle with reserved sauce and top with avocado slices.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I cook these on a stovetop instead of a grill?
Yes — a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat works well. Cook about 5 minutes per side and verify the internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C) with a thermometer before serving.
Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Yes, the sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed jar. Give it a good stir or shake before using since the coconut milk and peanut butter can settle.
Is there a substitute for the coconut milk?
Unsweetened oat milk or a thin plain yogurt thinned with a little water will both work as a base. The flavor will be less rich and slightly less sweet, but the sauce still holds together.
Can I freeze the uncooked patties?
Yes — form the patties with the sauce already mixed in, place them on a parchment-lined sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to a zip bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before grilling, and always cook to 165°F (74°C) internal.