Lamb Burgers
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
These Mediterranean lamb burgers have it all—charred edges, lots of fresh herbs, and bright toppings that balance the richness of the lamb.
This lamb burger recipe has a Mediterranean spin, thanks to toppings like tzatziki and feta. It’s a fun way to change up standard cookout fare. The secret to making the lamb patties extra flavorful and juicy is to mix a panade, or bread-and-milk paste, into the ground meat as a tenderizer and binder, along with plenty of seasoning. You won’t taste the panade, but it guarantees juicy burgers every time—especially if you like them a little more well-done or accidentally overcook them (a little insurance never hurts!).
The flavor of lamb pairs especially well with the fresh, herby toppings, but if you can’t find ground lamb, feel free to substitute 80/20 ground beef.
“Wow! Wonderful…Best recipe for lamb burgers.”
What You’ll Need To Make Mediterranean Lamb Burgers
To make this lamb burger recipe, you’ll need: white bread, milk, shallots, garlic, fresh mint, oregano, salt, pepper, ground lamb, and pita bread (feel free to substitute burger buns).
For the toppings, you can use any or all of the following: iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, and tzatziki.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the panade. Combine the bread pieces and milk in a large bowl, then mash them with a fork until a smooth paste forms.
Pro tip: The paste should be completely smooth with no visible chunks of bread remaining — if it’s not getting there with a fork, just use your fingers to work it into a uniform consistency.
Step 2: Season the base. Add the shallots, garlic, mint, oregano, salt, and pepper to the bread mixture and mix well.
Step 3: Mix in the lamb. Add the ground lamb and use your hands to mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 4: Shape the patties. Form the meat mixture into 6 oval-shaped patties, each about ½-inch thick.
Pro tip: Wetting your hands lightly before shaping helps keep the meat from sticking to them and makes it easier to get smooth, even patties.
Step 5: Grill. Oil the grilling grates and grill the patties, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, about 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for a few minutes more until they’ve reached your desired doneness.
Pro tip: Resist the urge to press down on the patties while they cook—it squeezes out all those flavorful juices.
Step 6: Rest the burgers, warm the pitas, and assemble. Place the burgers on a tray and cover them with foil to rest while you warm the pita rounds on the grill. Assemble the burgers and pass the toppings and tzatziki alongside.
More Lamb Recipes You’LL Love
Lamb Burgers
Ingredients
For the Lamb Burgers
- 1 slice white bread, crust removed and cut into ¼-in (6-cm) pieces
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots, from 1 to 2 shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ lbs ground lamb (not lean; 80/20 beef may be substituted)
- 6 pita bread rounds, or use hamburger buns (see note)
For The Toppings
- 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- Tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- Combine the bread pieces and milk in a large bowl. Mash with a fork until a paste forms. Add the shallots, garlic, mint, oregano, salt, and pepper; mix well. Add the lamb, then use your hands to mix until well combined. Form the meat mixture into 6 oval-shaped patties about ½-in (13-cm) thick.
- Oil the grilling grates. Grill the patties, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for a few minutes more until desired doneness is reached. Place burgers on a tray and cover with foil while you warm pita rounds on the grill. Assemble the burgers and pass toppings and tzatziki sauce alongside.
Notes
- There are two types of pita bread: pita pockets and pocketless pitas. You can use either for this recipe. For pita pockets, be sure they are at least 6 in (15 cm) wide. Trim off the top ¼ of each round and stuff the burgers and toppings inside. For pocketless pitas, serve burgers open-faced or, if pitas are large enough, wrap them around burgers.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The uncooked burgers can be made and refrigerated up to one day ahead of time or frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.) Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This recipe was delicious! We just topped off all that goodness with thin Claussen pickle slices to add a layer of crunch and bite. Incredible!
Absolutely delicious. Even the non-lamb eaters in my family loved them. I used gf bread to accommodate allergies, and subbed scallions for shallots. Will definitely make these again!
Hi Jenn! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your website!! Delicious recipes!!! Can you substitute turkey for the lamb in this recipe?
Thank you!!
Hi Kim, so glad you like the recipes! I think these are best with lamb, but you could use turkey here. (Avoid the extra lean variety– they’ll be too dry with that.) LMK how they turn out!
I will stick with the lamb. I meant to tell you Jenn, I feel like I stumbled upon a gift finding your website. I was searching for a recipe for Peruvian Chicken when I found it. Delicious!! I’m so happy to be in your circle! :o))
That is so sweet, Kim! Glad to have you 😊!
Made these over the weekend and they are absolutely delicious! Another winner from you Jenn!!
Is there nutritional information for these burgers?
Hi Wendy, I just added it. Enjoy the burgers!
We can’t have bread (wheat) or milk (dairy), what would you suggest substituting? Or could this just be omitted? Or could you add egg instead?
Hi Minnie, Could you use wheat/gluten-free bread and dairy-free milk (like almond or soy milk)?
Excellent burgers! Great flavor and very juicy. I made the recipe as written with a couple of minor changes. I added a pinch of cinnamon to the meat mix, and used sour cream instead of Greek yogurt for the tzatziki. To draw the moisture from the English cucumber, I sprinkled the grated cuke with a pinch of salt and let it drain for about 30 minutes in a sieve before pressing it dry. I couldn’t use an outdoor grill for the patties so pan-seared them on medium in a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet for about 4 minutes on each side. I didn’t disturb them while they were cooking and they got well caramelized on both sides. Great recipe!
Can you substitute type of bread? French bread, wheat bread, etc… I can’t see purchasing a whole loaf of white bread for one slice. Thank you in advance.
Yep, any bread would really work here. Hope you enjoy!
These lamb burgers are delicious and even people who say they don’t care for lamb end up loving these!
This is a great recipe.I made these following the directions just as written,and the burgers were flavorful,juicy,and delicious.I make them often and enjoy them very much.
Delicious! I cheated this time and used Trader Joe’s Tzatziki (not as good as yours but I was feeling lazy) but the lamb burgers were still super yummy. My family only has lamb once or twice a year but this recipe never disappoints.
Loved the burgers. I going to try them next time with a feta dressing for the sauce.