Brie-Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Figs and Marsala

One of the gazillion things I love about food is that food brings people together. So I find myself getting disappointed every time someone shares a pumpkin recipe and someone else responds, “but I’ve looked everywhere and my stores don’t have pumpkin, so I can’t make this. boo-hoo-hoo.”

This damn pumpkin shortage is driving us apart, not bringing us together.

But for heaven’s sake, people, how do you think pumpkins get into cans in the first place? There’s a pumpkin, and it gets cooked and pureed. But I don’t mean those huge jack-o-lantern ones; you don’t want to eat those. I mean the smaller ones labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins.” If you have an oven and a food processor, you can make pumpkin puree. But get this. The stuff that’s in the can is not actually what you and I look at and call a pumpkin. It’s some other closely related variety of winter squash (I have spent much time googling this hard fact.) So when you do try this at home, I actually recommend picking up a variety of winter squash – like butternut, buttercup, delicata – whatever you can get your hands on – and roasting and pureeing them together. To me this tastes a lot better than just roasting sugar pumpkins alone, and better than what you get out of a can. It freezes perfectly too, so you can make a whole bunch at a time, package it into 2-cup containers, and have yourself a big stash of pumpkin. And we can all feel together again.

Now, I know this post is going to isolate some of you who don’t have access to fresh figs, and for that I have no solution for you. Yeah, you know who you are. My dearest apologies.

For you special lil’ muffins who can walk into your grocery store and find a basket of gorgeous fresh figs, grab ’em now before it’s too late. And make these burgers. Enjoy them, savor them, love them. Just don’t talk about them too much to your non-fig-finding friends, you wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings over food!

Brie-Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Figs and Marsala
Printable Recipe

4 fresh figs, chopped
1/4 cup marsala wine
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/2 lb ground turkey
2 tablespoons minced shallot or purple onion
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1 1/2 ounces brie cheese, without rind, cut into small pieces*

Fresh arugula
Hamburger rolls of choice

Combine the figs, wine and rosemary in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the liquid is almost entirely reduced (about 10-15 minutes.)

Meanwhile, heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Combing the ground turkey with the shallot or onion, salt and pepper, and Herbs de Provence. Gently mix in the brie cheese. Form the mixture into two patties and place on the griddle, flattening with your palm. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through, until meat is no longer pink in the center.

Place some arugula on the bottom half of each roll, and top with a burger and half of the fig-marsala reduction.

*Alternatively you could keep the brie in two large chunks and stuff each one inside a burger.

Nutritional Info (includes burger & fig topping)
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 342.4
Total Fat: 14.1 g
Cholesterol: 101.3 mg
Sodium: 410.7 mg
Total Carbs: 21.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 27.3 g

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22 Responses to “Brie-Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Figs and Marsala”

  1. 1

    Josie — September 24, 2010 @ 2:10 pm Reply

    I LOVE the sound of these burgers. I made some fig glazed burgers earlier in the summer, but brie?! And marsala?! I need to try this, ASAP!

  2. 2

    Bridget — September 24, 2010 @ 2:43 pm Reply

    Gah. Stupid fresh figs. That's it; I'm making this with dried figs. They'll get partially rehydrated in the marsala anyway. I'm going to go bury my sorrows with some fresh-roasted New Mexico Hatch green chile, to remind myself of the good parts of living in this little desert town.

  3. 3

    roxan — September 24, 2010 @ 2:46 pm Reply

    Is it ok to say that I love you, Cara? These have to be the best burgers ever. I'm drooling just thinking about them. Wonderful photography also, as always. AND, thank you for that info on canned pumpkin! I'm pretty lazy so i'll probably still stick to canned pumpkin, but it's still good to know that info. Who knows, maybe sometime this fall/winter i might become inspired and make pumpkin puree on my own.

  4. 4

    Jennifurla — September 24, 2010 @ 2:48 pm Reply

    Cool ingredients, I would have never thought to do this! It makes sense though 🙂

  5. 5

    TJ — September 24, 2010 @ 3:16 pm Reply

    wow…this sounds & looks like a $20 burger at a fancy-schmancy restaurant! YUM! 🙂

  6. 6

    Chelsey — September 24, 2010 @ 3:38 pm Reply

    Figs can be found at Costco for those who don't typically have access to them. These burgers are making me drool. I love your food Cara it's always dreamy and healthy. This one is on my menu next week.

  7. 7

    Tasha — September 24, 2010 @ 3:54 pm Reply

    I don't eat much meat, but I do have a weakness for turkey burgers, especially when stuffed with deliciousness. The fig topping just takes it over the edge!

  8. 8

    Jennifer — September 24, 2010 @ 4:49 pm Reply

    These are just over the top! I love the rosemary, figs, turkey, brie! Winning combo!

  9. 9

    Joanne — September 24, 2010 @ 5:51 pm Reply

    I've always wondered why people complain so much about pumpkin shortages when butternut and buttercup and kabocha are such excellent substitutes! It baffles me. What does not baffle me is how enthralled I am by these. Seriously. I need to go get me some figs.

  10. 10

    Dawn — September 24, 2010 @ 8:52 pm Reply

    MMm….I haven't made turkey burgers in a while. They do sound good. I have ground bison in the freezer though. Need to do something with that!

  11. 11

    Jen — September 25, 2010 @ 12:37 am Reply

    Cara – these look awesome. I definitely have to try these with some fresh figs.

  12. 12

    Elina — September 25, 2010 @ 7:21 pm Reply

    Wow, these sound incredible. Adding to the must-make list before figs disappear for another year.

  13. 13

    newlywed — September 25, 2010 @ 10:18 pm Reply

    That's quite a burger! You've have some awesome fig recipes this year! Thanks!

  14. 14

    Kerstin — September 26, 2010 @ 5:59 pm Reply

    Canned pumpkin isn't really pumpkin, I had no idea! I think I still have some leftover from the shortage last year when I was stockpiling – haha. These burgers look super tasty!

  15. 15

    marla {Family Fresh Cooking} — September 27, 2010 @ 12:45 am Reply

    These burgers sound awesome. Love your use of figs & yes, here in SoCal thankfully we have access to lots of goodies-even figs.Very interesting info you share about pumpkins, the canned stuff etc. I gotta admit I always feel lazy popping open a can of something that I should be puréeing from scratch.Love your wit in this post 😉

  16. 16

    Shannon — September 27, 2010 @ 10:52 am Reply

    people like convenience, i guess 🙂 i had no idea that it wasn't pumpkin, though… interesting! these burgers sound amazing!

  17. 17

    Lizzy — September 27, 2010 @ 6:48 pm Reply

    Cara- how do you always have something on your blog that I was about to make and you make it ten times better that I now have to run out to the store and get figs and brie?!?!? I was going to make burgers tonite- Cali inspired burgers… but maybe I need to make this instead? Thats if I can find figs- I've only found that at whole foods!! Great recipe Cara!

  18. 18

    grace — October 4, 2010 @ 2:15 pm Reply

    turkey burgers? awesome. brie? tremendous. fresh figs? well, having never eaten those, i can't speak to that, but i don't have trouble believing they add a wonderful element to your burgers!

  19. 19

    Kerstin — April 5, 2011 @ 1:13 am Reply

    Canned pumpkin isn't really pumpkin, I had no idea! I think I still have some leftover from the shortage last year when I was stockpiling – haha. These burgers look super tasty!

  20. 20

    marla {Family Fresh Cooking} — April 5, 2011 @ 1:13 am Reply

    These burgers sound awesome. Love your use of figs & yes, here in SoCal thankfully we have access to lots of goodies-even figs.Very interesting info you share about pumpkins, the canned stuff etc. I gotta admit I always feel lazy popping open a can of something that I should be puréeing from scratch.Love your wit in this post 😉

  21. 21

    Jen — April 5, 2011 @ 1:13 am Reply

    Cara – these look awesome. I definitely have to try these with some fresh figs.

  22. 22

    Dawn — April 5, 2011 @ 1:13 am Reply

    MMm….I haven't made turkey burgers in a while. They do sound good. I have ground bison in the freezer though. Need to do something with that!

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