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The Ultimate Summer Food

It’s officially summertime, which means family vacations, outdoor fun, and lots of barbeques.

While barbecuing in general is a huge way many Americans celebrate all things summer, burgers tend to be at the top of the chain, you guys!

Grilled burgers are definitely what I consider the ultimate summer food.

Dad’s Famous Burgers

Personally, I have such fond memories of my late dad cooking burgers on the grill when I was a little girl that homemade burgers will always hold a special place in my heart.

In my mind, he was the burger king, and no one’s burgers could ever top his!

I was also a ’90s kid, which meant most of our homemade meals likely contained dyes, processed sugars, and the oh-so-wonderful msg.

All that said, Dad’s burgers were still the only ones for me.

I never ordered burgers at a restaurant, and if I was craving one, it was always Dad’s that I wanted.

So, naturally, I taught my husband early in our marriage how to make those famous burgers because I simply couldn’t eat anything else!

Now, over 20 years later, my husband has evolved that recipe into a healthier (more delicious) version, and my young daughter sees her daddy the exact same way I saw mine all those years ago.

Healthy Burger Recipes

While family recipes being passed down (and sometimes improved) through the generations is a wonderful thing, sometimes starting with something fresh is even better.

We primarily make beef burgers at home because, yes, we are red meat eaters!

I firmly believe that just like anything else in life, red meat is healthy in moderation.

That said, my daughter has experienced recent diet restrictions, which left us desperate for some new options.

We have mainly been leaning on simple turkey burgers so far, but I am pretty excited to try some of these burger recipes alongside our favorite summer sides — opening the door to some new flavors this summer.

7 Healthy Burger Options

While technically I’m about to share 14 healthy burger recipes, I decided to break them up into 7 different categories for you.

I did that simply because these are the 7 categories of healthy burgers I want to add to our healthy grilling mix this summer.

Check out these healthy burger options and why you need to try them!

• Veggie Burgers

First, I want to touch on non-meat options simply because I feel like it’s a misconception that plant-based or vegan burgers always contain soy.

Not everything vegan is filled with tofu, you guys!

For example, this garden veggie burger – via Strength and Sunshine, not only includes many health-conscious ingredients like mushrooms, scallions, quinoa, and greens, but it is also allergy-friendly and completely soy-free!

This is actually a huge deal in our home.

My daughter recently went soy-free, and I didn’t realize just how many things included soy in the ingredients list.

While I’m not 100% positive I will get her on board with trying this recipe, I do know I want to add some variation of veggie burgers to my mix of grilled veggies this summer!

• Mushroom Burgers

While getting extra veggies into our diet will always be a goal of mine, I’m a huge sucker for all things mushrooms — making these next healthy burger recipes a little more my style.

This epic portobello mushroom burger – via Oh La La, it’s Vegan, doesn’t even look healthy, you guys!

I mean, seriously, if it looks this good, it can’t be good for you, am I right?

Wrong. Not only does this one sound freaking amazing, it’s also vegan and pretty allergy-friendly.

Plus, it’s made with some of my favorite sandwich ingredients, such as arugula and red onions.

Definitely going to work on convincing the husband that we need to make this one soon!

If full-on mushroom steaks aren’t your style but you’d like to get more mushrooms into your diet, the next one is for you!

This bean and mushroom burger – via Vegan Huggs, looks like a great mushroom and legumes combo.

However, it does have some ingredients to be aware of.

First, this recipe contains mouthwatering fresh ingredients such as onion and garlic, and is both vegan and gluten-free!

That said, this recipe also includes a vegan Worcestershire sauce. While this used to be a staple ingredient in our home, it no longer is due to the fact that most Worcestershire sauces contain soy.

Also, note that this recipe includes liquid smoke, and some liquid smoke brands contain harmful ingredients such as synthetic colorings.

While I may have to tweak the last recipe a bit to fit some of our personal food sensitivities, both of these mushroom burger options sound amazing, you guys!

• Legumes Burgers

If healthier grilling is your goal, legumes are a great option!

Legumes have been linked to a number of health benefits — from better digestion to weight management.

Making them a wonderful choice for your summer health goals.

This vegan chickpea burger – via Nuts and Twigs, has a much more expansive assortment of ingredients compared to some of the other recipes mentioned above — from flax seeds and oats to sunflower seeds and carrots.

Because of its wider variety, I wouldn’t consider this an allergy-friendly recipe, but boy, does it sound good!

Chick peas are an excellent source of fiber and protein, plus they help with digestive health and a variety of other things.

While I’m excited to try all of the burgers on my list, I’m definitely looking forward to this one for my daughter.

She is supposed to have beets and lentils as staples in her diet, and I have been having a really tough time sneaking them in, you guys!

This lentil and beetroot burger – via Little Nomad Recipes, might just be an answer to my prayers!

Not only is this a unique twist on a traditional American meal, but it includes other healthy ingredients such as chickpeas and balsamic vinegar.

Plus, this recipe includes a secondary recipe for citrus mayo (yum!).

This chipotle black bean burger – via Nuts and Twigs, has a Mexican flair and sounds absolutely scrumptious, you guys!

This recipe is considered vegan and uses top-notch Mexican-inspired ingredients such as cilantro and chipotle peppers.

From veggies and mushrooms to beans and lentils, I’m so excited to try all these veggie, legume, and shroom-inspired burgers!

• Chicken Burgers

Grilled chicken can be super hit or miss.

Sometimes it turns out just perfect, and other times it’s tough and dry.

That said, my husband has recently been working on mastering his grilled chicken game this summer, and it’s been pretty successful so far!

This chicken burger – via Golden Grace Kitchen, is definitely on my try list!

It is served with fresh pico and a dairy-free jalapeno avocado aioli to give it a Mexican flair.

Plus, it just sounds so freaking good!

While this allergy-friendly chicken burger with black olive tapenade – via Strength and Sunshine doesn’t look as fancy or colorful as some of the others, it sounds incredible, you guys!

This recipe uses many of my favorite herbs and seasonings, such as onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme, but what makes it incredibly unique is the black olives, for sure.

We are huge black olive lovers in our family, so this will definitely be on our summer menu!

This chicken feta burger – via Corrie Cooks, sounds incredible!

What I love most about this recipe is that the ingredients are super minimal, but I’m betting the flavor is totally on point, you guys!

While not necessarily allergy-friendly due to the feta, most store-bought feta is from goat’s milk, making this a great option for those who suffer from cow’s milk dairy sensitivities.

This recipe also includes spinach for added nutrients, which I absolutely love because I’m always looking for new ways to sneak greens into our meals, and I always find it refreshing when I see others doing the same!

• Turkey Burgers

While in the past we have traditionally only made beef burgers, turkey burgers are a recent addition to our grilled meals!

My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed the plain turkey burgers we make, so naturally, I’m pretty excited to mix it up and add these healthy burger recipes to the rotation.

These zucchini feta turkey burgers – via Lemons N Lyme, include a super minimal ingredient list (only 5), making them easy to make.

Plus, they sound so darn good!

This unique recipe has grilling, oven, air fry, and skillet instructions, making this a great option for all skill levels and weather.

This turkey burger – via My Chef’s Apron, uses ingredients such as Asiago and Parmesan cheeses, giving it an Italian flair.

While not a dairy-free option, it does include some of my favorite ingredients, such as shallots, rosemary, and garlic

This healthy burger recipe just sounds so tasty, you guys!

This basil turkey burger – via When Salty and Sweet Unite, includes health-conscious ingredients such as the obvious basil + red bell pepper, feta, and even spinach.

Then, it takes things up a notch with the unique add-in of organic corn flakes.

As a huge basil lover, I’m incredibly intrigued by this one, you guys!

While I may not technically consider cereal a healthy ingredient, I do feel it’s ok in moderation.

Plus, I just really want to try this recipe — haha!

• Lamb Burgers

Ok, I just have to say it… When I think of healthy burger recipes, lamb is not what comes to mind.

Veggies and turkey, sure. Lamb? Not so much!

That said, adding lamb to our diet has actually been one of my main goals for this summer.

So, naturally, I’m pretty excited about this one, you guys!

These lamb burgers – via Corrie Cooks, include intriguing ingredients such as mint and feta cheese, and the optional topping of tzatziki cucumbers.

That said, this recipe is also somewhat traditional in the way it uses breadcrumbs and egg (like I do in my meatloaf) to get the right consistency.

Either way, these burgers sound incredibly tasty and I can’t wait to give them a try this summer!

• Seafood Burgers

I am a huge fan of all things seafood, and I thoroughly look forward to adding more grilled salmon and grilled seafood recipes to our summer menu.

I’m also pretty excited about the possibility of turning some of those seafood experiences into sandwich/burger opportunities!

These moist and flaky Salmon burgers – via Foodess, include jalapeños, avocado, and a Mexican chili powder — giving this recipe a Mexican twist! 

Since salmon is a great way to get your omega 3s, this is not only a healthy burger recipe, but a brain boosting one as well!

So excited to add this one to our summer line-up!

Trying Healthy Burger Recipes

Trying new recipes can be fun, but it can also be overwhelming!

So, if you are ready to dive in and try some new burger recipes, try starting small.

Start by simply swapping your traditional beef burger for a leaner cut of meat such as turkey or chicken.

Then, take it up a few notches and add in those veggie burgers, shrooms, and maybe even the more unique options of salmon and lamb!

Just make sure to keep an open mind as you go.

Personally, I am really looking forward to putting at least a handful of these into our summer rotation.

More Healthy Recipes

Love these healthy burger recipes, but looking for something else to munch on this summer?

Check out our full line-up of healthy grilling recipes — from the healthy burgers to the health-conscious pasta salad.

Happy cooking, you guys!