Lamb Burgers with Feta Yogurt Sauce

Burgers, Mediterranean-style

Burgers are on frequent repeat for us, so I like to search out methods to change them up—as a result of whereas a few of us could be content material to eat air fryer hamburgers each single day, I crave a little bit extra selection. Swapping floor lamb for my common floor beef or floor turkey burgers led me to this Mediterranean-inspired lamb burger recipe.

Prime the lamb burger with a creamy yogurt dill sauce, add peppery arugula, pink onions, and juicy tomatoes, then pile all of it onto your favourite buns (or tuck all of it right into a pita!) for an epic burger that’s additionally a pleasant change of tempo from the identical ol’, identical ol’.

Juicy Lamb Burger Recipe

Straightforward to make. Lamb can really feel a little bit bit fancy and a little bit bit intimidating (regardless that braised lamb shanks and lamb chops are each simpler than you’d count on!). However floor lamb is not any more durable to work with than floor beef! Simply combine your elements, kind into patties, and prepare dinner on the grill or stovetop, the identical as you’ll with every other floor meat.

Distinctive taste. When you’re used to beef burgers, lamb is an entire new world! It has its personal distinctive style that’s wealthy and nearly a bit decadent. The spices and herbs I put into these burgers actually complement that taste, with coriander and cumin lending Mediterranean vibes.

Creamy do-it-yourself sauce. Fairly than topping this lamb burger with the normal slice of cheese, lettuce, and tomato, I needed to lean into the Greek taste, so I stirred up a unbelievable Greek yogurt sauce with crumbled feta, garlic, contemporary lemon juice, and dill. It’s acquired tzatziki vibes, however bolder taste because it doesn’t have the cucumber.

Versatile. These burgers are an awesome possibility for cookouts with family and friends or for an off-the-cuff weeknight dinner. It’s also possible to serve them with conventional toppings for those who want!

Ingredient Notes

• Floor lamb: Not like floor beef or turkey, the place you may select which ratio of fats you need to purchase, floor lamb is often bought merely as “floor lamb”, with out itemizing the completely different ranges of fats. It may be wherever from 80/20 to 93/7 relying on what lower of lamb the bottom meat is constructed from.
• Seasonings: I take advantage of pantry seasonings so as to add a lot of taste to the patties: salt, floor black pepper, floor cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander.
• Garlic: You may finely mince the garlic cloves with a knife or push it via a garlic press.
• Recent parsley: Finely minced parsley provides a contemporary, herbaceous component; cilantro can be utilized in its place.  
• Worcestershire sauce: This sauce provides unbelievable umami and richness. It’s my secret ingredient at any time when I make burgers!
• Olive oil: I fry the burgers in olive oil however you should use one other oil you want for cooking. A little bit olive oil is stirred into the sauce as properly.
• Plain Greek yogurt: For the sauce, I take advantage of complete milk Greek yogurt to make a thick, wealthy, and creamy base. The tanginess of the yogurt provides taste to the sauce.
• Feta cheese: Use small crumbles that are straightforward to stir into the sauce.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice has a vibrant taste.
• Garlic: The sauce is garlicky however not aggressively so, as a result of the lemon juice tames among the chunk. Be happy to make use of kind of garlic for those who want.
• Recent dill: When you’re not a dill fan, contemporary mint, basil, or parsley can even work.

To Serve:  

• Burger buns: Brioche or sesame are classics, or tuck the patties into pitas.  
• Arugula: The tender leaves add a peppery, contemporary crunch; spinach or romaine lettuce can be utilized as an alternative.  
• Tomato: Burgers are at all times an awesome alternative to make use of the juicy, colourful heirloom tomatoes they promote on the farmers’ market in the summertime! 
• Pink Onion: Attempt pickled pink onion for a milder possibility.

Easy methods to Make Lamb Burgers

Make the sauce. Whisk collectively the sauce elements in a small bowl; style and season with salt and pepper, if vital. Refrigerate the sauce (it is going to change into a bit thicker) or depart it on the countertop when you work on the remainder of the recipe.

Make the lamb burger combination. Use your fingers to combine the lamb, seasonings, garlic, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce in a big bowl. Be mild and aware to not squeeze and smash the meat an excessive amount of, or your burgers will probably be powerful.

Kind the patties. Divide the bottom lamb combination into 4 parts and gently form them into ½-inch thick patties. Make a slight indentation within the heart of every; this can forestall them from puffing up whereas cooking.

Prepare dinner the burgers. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill pan set over medium-high warmth. Add the patties and prepare dinner to an inner temperature of 160ºF for medium doneness; this could take 5 to six minutes per aspect.

Assemble. You may toast the buns for those who’d like by putting them straight on the grill or skillet with the cut-side down. Add the yogurt sauce to the underside of the buns, adopted by the arugula, patties, and remaining toppings. You may add extra sauce on prime for those who’d like!

Recipe Variations

• Use half lamb, half beef. If you wish to attempt lamb in your burger, however you’re not absolutely able to commit, attempt mixing it with floor beef. 
• Make them into sliders. Use dinner rolls and portion out your patties accordingly to make tasty sliders for a celebration. 
• Take a shortcut. Use store-bought tzatziki or hummus as an alternative of creating your individual Greek yogurt sauce.

What to Serve With Lamb Burgers

• Refrigerate: Leftover lamb burgers will be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days, with the toppings and sauce saved individually.
• Freeze: To freeze cooked lamb burgers, wrap every particular person lamb patty tightly in plastic wrap and retailer in a freezer-safe bag or container for as much as 3 months. Uncooked lamb burgers will be frozen, too. Place the burgers in a single layer to flash freeze, then wrap securely. Thaw frozen burgers within the fridge earlier than cooking them.
• Reheat: To reheat your leftover lamb burgers, you should use the microwave for velocity and comfort, or a skillet on the stovetop for one of the best texture and taste. Heat the patties in a nonstick skillet over medium warmth.