Juicy and flavorful, these grilled lamb burgers are not just delicious, but also very easy to make.
The mint yogurt sauce is ready in minutes and it complements them perfectly.
I love lamb. It has this distinct, bold flavor that I really enjoy. Beef is delicious, of course, but compared with lamb, its flavor profile is actually quite tame.
The bold flavor of these lamb burgers is complemented perfectly by the mint yogurt sauce. It's not just a great combination of flavors, but also of textures - the warm, juicy burgers and the cool, creamy sauce.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make these tasty burgers. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
For the sauce:
Greek yogurt: I use plain full-fat yogurt. Straus is a good brand and so is Fage.
Fresh mint leaves: They add wonderful flavor to the sauce.
Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself (the tasty option) or use the stuff that comes in a jar (the easy option).
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the burgers could come out too salty.
For the burgers:
Ground lamb: I use a mixture of 85% lean and 15% fat. I don't recommend going any leaner than that.
Minced garlic: Garlic granules work too.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and ground cumin.
Chopped fresh cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro, parsley works too.
Instructions
Making these lamb burgers is truly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Prepare the sauce. First, make the sauce by processing its ingredients in your food processor. Then set it aside.
Make the patties. Mix the burger ingredients and form the mixture into patties. I like to gently make a dimple in the center of each patty to help them retain their shape on the grill.
Cook them. Grill the patties to your desired doneness. Serve them with the sauce.
Expert tip
Although the recipe below is written for four quarter-pound patties, I often make two half-pound burgers, as shown in the video, because I tend to serve these burgers with no bun (not even a low carb bun such as cloud bread).
Frequently asked questions
I grill these burgers on a dual-contact indoor grill. You can obviously use any grill you like, including a grill pan.
Rosemary, mint, oregano, and thyme go well with lamb and you can certainly add a pinch of some of them to the burgers. I also like to season lamb with ground cumin and smoked paprika.
I haven't actually tried that. I like to serve them topped with the yogurt sauce. But you could try topping them with feta cheese and see how you like it.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- When making the sauce, you can use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt.
- Try adding more spices. Good options include smoked paprika and dried thyme.
- Although it's best with ground lamb, this recipe does work with ground beef as well.
Serving suggestions
As I mentioned, I normally serve these burgers on a plate, topped with a dollop of mint yogurt sauce. Sometimes I do go through the trouble of making low-carb bread. As for sides, they go really well with any of the following:
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power.
You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months, but you can only freeze the burgers, not the yogurt sauce.
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Recipe card
Lamb Burgers with Mint Yogurt Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Mint Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt plain, full-fat
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Burgers:
- 1 lb. lean ground lamb 85/15
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Avocado oil spray for grill
INSTRUCTIONS
- To prepare the sauce, process the sauce ingredients in your food processor for a few seconds until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the burger ingredients. Form four (4 oz) patties, 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Or form the mixture into two half-pound patties, as shown in the video.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. I used a two-sided, dual contact, George Foreman Grill, but any grill will work, including a grill pan. Lightly spray or brush the grill with oil.
- Grill the lamb burgers to your desired level of doneness. For medium doneness, grill about 5 minutes on the George Foreman grill, or 4-5 minutes per side if using a regular grill or a grill pan.*
- Serve the burgers immediately, topped with the mint yogurt sauce.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 