Craving a burger without the carb-heavy bun? This healthy veggie burger swaps bread for tender zucchini buns that turn crisp on the outside while staying soft inside. Layered with creamy cheese, juicy tomato and savory turkey ham, it eats like a classic burger but keeps things light and fresh — much like our Healthy Cottage Cheese Burger, another low-carb favorite.
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) zucchini, grated
- 1 egg
- 30 g (2 tbsp) cornstarch
- Salt, to taste
- Spices, to taste (paprika, garlic powder, black pepper)
- 20 g (1 tbsp) cream cheese
- Fresh herbs, to taste
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 40 g (1.5 oz) turkey ham
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini on a coarse grater and salt it generously.
- Squeeze out all the excess liquid with your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
- Stir in the egg, cornstarch, and spices; mix well and let the mixture rest for 3 minutes.
- Shape into two round buns, or press the mixture into a microwave-safe container with a lid.
- Cook in the microwave on full power with the lid on for 5 minutes, or bake at 180 C (350 F) for about 25 minutes until set.
- Slice the finished bun in half crosswise.
- Layer the filling: cream cheese, herbs, tomato slices, and turkey ham, then close with the top half.
Tips
- Squeeze the grated zucchini really well — the drier the mixture, the crispier your buns will be. For another juicy low-carb dinner, try our Chopped Chicken Patties.
- Let the batter rest for 3 minutes so the cornstarch hydrates and the buns hold together. If you want to geek out on the technique, Serious Eats has excellent guides to cooking with high-moisture vegetables.
- Bake a double batch of buns and refrigerate them for up to 3 days — reheat in a dry skillet and assemble fresh. Bun-free burger fans will also love the Healthy Cottage Cheese Bun Burger.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 145 kcal, protein 7 g, fat 5 g, carbs 20 g