Loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and filling fiber, avocado makes a creamy and delicious topping for turkey burgers. It's also packed with potassium and vitamin C. Top your burger with avocado slices as an alternative to mayonnaise.
Topping: Onions | Try It On: Beef Burgers
Onions are extremely high in polyphenols, including quercetin — a compound with multiple health benefits, such as heart health and immune function. When caramelized, onions offer a natural sweetness that complements burgers.
Topping: Arugula | Try It On: Turkey or Chicken Burgers
This peppery leafy green adds a mildly spicy bite to burgers and is a flavorful alternative to lettuce. It's high in vitamins A, C, K and is also a member of the cancer-protective family of cruciferous vegetables.
Topping: Kimchi | Try It On: Veggie Burgers
Give your veggie burger a Korean twist with this spicy red pickled cabbage. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable with purported anti-cancer properties, while spicy foods can boost your metabolism. As a fermented food, kimchi contains probiotic bacteria, which are important for healthy digestion.
Topping: Mushrooms | Try It On: Beef Burgers
Add juiciness and an extra layer of meatiness to beef burgers by adding mushrooms to your bun. Besides adding flavor, mushrooms may help to boost immune function. They're also a good source of blood pressure-lowering potassium and are one of the few food sources of vitamin D.
Topping: Cranberry Relish | Try It On: Turkey Burgers
Cranberries are super high in antioxidants, including immunity-boosting vitamin C and heart-healthy anthocyanins. Since cranberries are so tart, many cranberry sauces and relishes can have a lot of added sugars — make your own to keep sugar content in check. Tyler Florence's easy recipe for Cranberry Relish is a good choice.
Topping: Cucumber | Try It On: Salmon Burgers
Cucumbers are a refreshing alternative to pickles and also offer way less added salt and sugar. If you want to boost the flavor, you can marinate them ahead of time in some rice wine vinegar and either a few drops of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds or sprigs of chopped dill.
Topping: Extra-Sharp Cheddar or Blue Cheese | Try It On: Beef Burgers
If you're going to make a cheeseburger — and let's face it, you probably will — go for a strongly flavored cheese, like an extra-sharp cheddar or blue cheese. You'll be less likely to need as much to get the flavor you're looking for, and you'll get some calcium, to boot.
Topping: Green Chiles | Try It On: Beef Burgers
Green chiles offer a lot of flavor for virtually zero added calories. Chile peppers are high in vitamins C and A. They also have a compound called capsaicin, which helps release endorphins, improving your mood.
