Best Lamb Burger Recipe

If you love a good hamburger, then you are going to be thrilled by a great lamb burger. And this one, crafted by chef and recipe developer Jennine Bryant of The Marshside Pantry? It's a great one. Don't you worry for a second that — even though you enjoy a ground beef burger — you won't like a lamb burger. "I would say that minced lamb has a fairly similar texture to minced beef, but it is more rich and flavorful," Bryant says, adding: "The taste of lamb, enhanced by the coriander and mint really elevates this burger patty. I'm not usually the biggest lamb fan but this makes my mouth water!"

And, as a lamb burger cooks just the same as a hamburger, there is no learning curve here. You just make the patties, grill them up (shoot for that same 145 F internal temperature as you want with beef), and enjoy. If you want to hint that they were a challenging gourmet undertaking to your dinner guests, that's all fine and good, though.

Gather your ingredients to make lamb burgers

Of course, all you really need to make a few lamb burgers is some minced (AKA ground) lamb shoulder. But to make them great, you'll also need plenty of toppings. Start with a couple of red onions, one finely chopped or grated, and one cut into rings, along with a few garlic cloves, finely crushed. You'll also want some fresh mint, ground coriander, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, a pinch of paprika, fresh dill, finely chopped, fresh parsley, also finely chopped, and a bit of cooking oil. Finally, you'll need some burger buns, and a handful of lettuce leaves, or whatever your preferred greens are.

Prepare the patties and the sauce

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the ground lamb meat with the chopped onion, three of the minced garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons of chopped mint, the ground coriander, and the Dijon mustard. Once everything is evenly combined via hand, form the mixture into four burger patties, then chill them in the fridge until they are ready to be cooked.

Next, in a smaller bowl, mix together the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, the two remaining minced garlic cloves, a pinch more paprika, and the remaining tablespoon of chopped mint, the parsley, and the dill. Refrigerate this sauce until ready to use.

Grill the burgers and toast the buns

Preheat the grill at a high heat setting, and shortly before you put on the meat, lightly oil the lamb patties. Then, cook the burgers for about four minutes on each side, checking for that 145 F temperature to ensure they will be safe to eat and perfectly tasty.

While the burgers are grilling, place the halved burger buns under the grill for 30 seconds to one minute, until they are lightly toasted. (Of course it's not necessary to toast the buns, but it's highly recommended!) 

Assemble the burgers, then enjoy

Once the meat has cooked and the buns are toasted, quickly move to assembling the burgers. Spread a little of the mayonnaise mixture on the bottom burger bun, top it with a burger patty, a few slices of red onion, some more of the mayonnaise, and finally some salad leaves. Then pop the top bun on and dig in.

As for serving ideas, Bryant says: "I personally think the best burger side servings are homemade chips and salad! There are so many great options though, sweet potato fries would be delicious. Coleslaw is another great side, or I think something like a Moroccan quinoa salad or a Greek salad would go really well."

Just keep in mind she says "chips" to mean "fries" in American vernacular, being British — but hey, potato chips would be great too!

Best Lamb Burger Recipe
5 from 303 ratings
If you love a good hamburger, then you are going to be thrilled by a great lamb burger.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
10
minutes
Servings
4
Servings
lamb burger
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 pound minced lamb shoulder
  • 2 red onions, 1 grated and 1 cut into rings
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely crushed, divided
  • 5 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped, divided
  • 3 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 8 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch paprika
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • 4 burger buns
  • ¼ cup salad leaves
Directions
  1. In a bowl, mix together the minced lamb with the grated onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons of chopped mint, ground coriander, and Dijon mustard.
  2. Form the mixture into 4 burger patties and then chill them in the fridge until they are ready to cook.
  3. In a clean bowl, mix together the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, the two remaining minced garlic cloves, a pinch of paprika, the remaining tablespoon of chopped mint, parsley, and dill. Refrigerate this sauce until ready to use.
  4. Preheat the grill on high, lightly oil the lamb patties, and then cook for about 4 minutes each side.
  5. Place the halved burger buns under the grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until they are lightly toasted.
  6. Spread a little of the mayonnaise sauce on the burger bun, top with a burger patty, a few slices of red onion, some more of the mayonnaise sauce, and some salad leaves.
  7. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 666
Total Fat 49.7 g
Saturated Fat 14.4 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 92.9 mg
Total Carbohydrates 30.0 g
Dietary Fiber 3.2 g
Total Sugars 5.5 g
Sodium 466.2 mg
Protein 24.4 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Rate this recipe