This recipe and post are sponsored by Turkey Farmers of Canada and I was compensated for my time. As always, all opinions are my own.
Being that it’s January, I suspect that a handful of you have made resolutions related to food. These sliders are my answer to eating healthier, but still feeling like you’re indulging. How did I do it, you ask? Lots of big, fresh flavours and one of my favourite lean proteins – turkey.
I absolutely hate resolutions that restrict you. I don’t want to be told I can’t have something, cause guess what, I’m just going to want it more. So instead, I focus on all the wonderful things that I can have. I’m striving to eat more vegetables, so when I have a hankering for a burger, I figure out a way to load it with big flavours and lots of vegetables, because making a regular ‘ole burger doesn’t get the foodie part of my brain excited.
It’s also important to me to choose lean proteins such as ground turkey more often. Not only does it add variety to mealtime, but it’s a healthy option and hella delicious. And I’m all about delicious.
These turkey sliders are big on flavour. The sliders themselves are packed with three of my all-time favourites: ginger, garlic and sesame. And if that wasn’t enough, they are served with a crisp, bright, Asian inspired coleslaw. The slaw is made from cabbage, carrots, cucumber and onions, which have all been quick-pickled – it’s so addicting you’ll be using the pickled vegetables on everything! If you like a little heat, add some hot sauce to the pickling brine – you won’t be disappointed.
And in the name of eating more vegetables and leaning towards the healthier side of things, lets forego the bun, shall we? I mean, we obviously still need a vessel to transport these lovely sliders and slaw, so how about lettuce leaves instead? You still with me? Good! It’s not much different than lettuce wraps (albeit much easier and far less messy to eat), and you won’t even miss the bun, pinky promise.
These Ginger and Sesame Turkey Sliders are perfect for lunch or dinner, but also keep this recipe in your back pocket come game day, because they work phenomenal as an appetizer, too. You seriously cannot go wrong with a recipe that can be dished up for more than one occasion. A real winning recipe, if you ask me.
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Slaw
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 cups coleslaw mix cabbage and carrot
- 1/4 one English cucumber, thinly sliced, then cut in half, about 1/4 cup
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
Sliders
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp grated garlic
- 1 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
- 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped, about 2 onions
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tsp Canola oil for frying
To Serve
- 1 head of butter lettuce
- Sesame seeds
- Hot sauce such as sriracha (optional)
- Sriracha mayo optional
- 1 Lime cut into 6 wedges
- 1 green onion, sliced
Instructions
To make the quick pickled slaw
- In a large bowl, mix together rice vinegar, water, salt, sugar, sesame oil and garlic.
- Add in the coleslaw mix, cucumber and yellow onion. Stir until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperatures for at least an hour. Stir every 20 minutes or so.
To make the sliders
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- To toast the sesame seeds, place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add sesame seeds to the dry pan, and toss and stir until toasted, about 2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, gently mix together the turkey, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, breadcrumbs and the egg. Form into small patties, about 2-3 tbsp of the turkey mixture each.
- Add 1 tsp canola oil to a skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add a few sliders and brown on each side. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. You will likely need to add 1 tsp of oil to the pan for each batch. The point of this step is just to brown the sliders to create flavour, not to cook them through.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 mins or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
To Serve
- Place each slider on a lettuce leaf along with 2 tbsp coleslaw and 1/8 tsp sesame seeds. In addition, top with whatever your heart desires, such as 1 tsp sriracha mayo, a generous squeeze of hot sauce (about 1 tsp), ½ tsp sliced green onions and a squeeze of lime.
Nutrition
Nutritional calculation was provided by WP Recipe Maker and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator
Those look really good. I love sliders to begin with, and these flavors sound perfect for me. I have to make them.
Hi Ben, the flavours are amazing! Let me know how they go if you make them!
I am loving every single thing about this recipe! I’m such a HUGE fan of ginger and turkey so I know I’d love these. I just bought 4 heads of Butter lettuce and some ground turkey. I know what I’m making for lunch this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Lori, well since you have all the ingredients, might as well make them! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Absolutely love how fresh and colourful these sliders are! I would love to have these for dinner tonight. I don’t really have any new year’s resolutions…except to eat more awesome food!
Yes, ALL the awesome food!!
We all loved these sliders at our house! Thanks so much for sharing a great healthy recipe!
Hi Analida, we love sliders, too!
I love that you add ginger to the turkey! And that they look so delicious and healthy. It’s summer here so this looks like a perfect fresh new recipe to try!
ooh I wish it was summer here! These would be great on the grill, too!
The idea to serve this sliders with lettuce is amazing. Thanks for this recipe. I really love the way you have added all the steps for easy prepping
Lettuce wraps are one of my all-time faves, so to serve sliders in the same fashion was a no-brainer for me!
Sliders looks so yummy! May be perfect for weekend lunch! My kids love these kind of food for weekends 🙂
These are definitely great anytime! Even as an appy on game day!
I definitely agree with your approach! Gotta find food that tastes great while being healthy, and these sliders certainly qualify.
They check all the boxes for me!
I am with you on the resolution thing
I don’t believe in extremes and like you dislike when I am told I can’t have something. Now these sliders are something I can sink my teeth into. Love the brightness of their presentation and those flavors. A total craving bow!
Great job!
Thanks Loreto! These sliders are full of bright and delicious flavours that will not disappoint!
These turkey sliders look so delicious and I love the fun twist of serving them as a sort of lettuce wrap rather than on a bun. Can’t wait to give these a try!