Lamb Burgers
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Kick off your grilling season with these easy lamb burgers! Featuring ground lamb and loaded with aromatics, they turn out ridiculously juicy and tender.
My family might be out of the norm, but my lamb burger recipe is a BBQ staple over beef burgers.
Ground lamb typically comes in 80/20 or 75/25, which is optimal for burgers and prevents them from drying out. Because of this, lamb burgers are naturally juicier, hold onto so much more flavor, and are also super affordable. Our summer barbecues have slowly converted all our friends, too.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Mouthwatering. The patties themselves are tender, juicy, and absolutely flavorful.
- Quick and easy. Combine the ingredients, shape them into patties, and grill them for 10 minutes. Also, there is no resting time!
- Healthy. Lamb is naturally high in protein and iron, and a great source of B vitamins.
- Make ahead. These burgers are perfect for batch prepping. Make in bulk and freeze until use.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what goes into this lamb burger recipe, along with my kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Ground lamb. Most grocery stores stock this cut, but you might be lucky to have a butcher who grinds their own lamb (like I do!). If that is the case, I recommend asking for the meat to be ground from lamb shoulder, which is super juicy and tender. Forequarters and chops are a little leaner, but will also work well.
- Onion. Grated onion melds into the burger patties beautifully and amps up the flavor.
- Garlic. Freshly minced cloves.
- Egg. Helps to bind the patty together.
- Flavor boosters. Kosher salt, black pepper, Rosemary, lemon zest, and ground cumin. These are my five go-tos for the juiciest lamb burgers ever!
- Burger fix-ins. Hamburger buns, tomatoes, red onion, salad, arugula, and my favorite garlic yogurt sauce (or Big Mac sauce!).
How to make lamb burgers
Step 1- Combine ingredients. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2- Shape the mixture into four circular patties using your hands.
Step 3- Grill the patties on each side for 4-5 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Check the internal temperature. My #1 tip for perfectly cooked burgers! Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the burger and check for doneness. Look for 140°F for medium, 150°F for medium-well done, and 160°F for well-done.
- Chill the patties. To keep your patties held together and juicy, store them in the fridge while your grill heats up. This also prevents the risk of them falling apart.
- Press a circle in the center of the patties to prevent them from swelling and shrinking during cooking and to yield even juicier burgers.
- Flip only once to avoid tough and gummy burgers.
Variations
- Use another sauce. Swap out the Greek yogurt sauce for Tzatziki sauce, or whisk sour cream with cucumber and fresh mint.
- Amp up the patties by adding crumbled feta cheese or chopped kalamata olives.
- Mix your meats. If you are a little skeptical about an all-lamb burger, mix ground beef and lamb for the meat mixture.
- Add more herbs and spices, like fresh dill, lemon, oregano, or basil.
Storage instructions
To store. Leftover lamb burgers will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
To freeze. Wrap the patties individually in cling wrap or aluminum foil, then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat. I recommend reheating the patties in a hot skillet with a tablespoon of water (not oil) until hot and sizzling. If reheating from frozen, keep the heat low and flip the patty regularly until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Sure, you can! If you don’t have a grill or don’t feel like lighting up one, heat a cast-iron skillet to high heat and grease it with any neutral oil. Fry the patties on both sides for 5 minutes each.
You shouldn’t have an issue with these lamb burgers tasting gamey, because the seasoning blend I use incorporates key herbs and lemon zest, which cut through the richness of the fat. The only reason that the burgers may taste gamey is if the ground lamb isn’t fresh. This is why I recommend getting it from the butcher.
If you overmix the meat mixture, you risk the burger patties turning out a little chewy or perhaps gummy. I always recommend using a light touch and stopping once everything is incorporated.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
“I appreciate this lamb burger recipe for their bold flavor and nutritional value. Lamb is rich in iron and B vitamins, which support metabolism and red blood cell production, making this a nourishing choice that doesn’t sacrifice taste.” – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Lamb Burgers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1 small onion grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, garlic, egg, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon zest, Rosemary, and onion and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Using your hands, shape the mixture into four patties. Press down in the center of each patty with your thumb. Place the patties in the fridge.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly grease the grill grates with the olive oil.
- Once hot, add the lamb patties and cook for 4-5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 4 minutes or until the desired doneness is reached. For medium, aim for 140°F; for medium-well, 150°F; and for well-done, 165°F.
- Assemble the lamb patties into burgers with your favorite burger fixins.
Notes
- Ground lamb from a butcher: Typically ground from lamb shoulder. If they grind it fresh, request it from this cut of lamb.
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above for the perfect lamb burger.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
More simple lamb recipes to try
- Lamb kabobs– Skewers of seasoned lamb and veggies that are grilled or baked to perfection. I love this for a light and high-protein dinner.
- Lamb ribs– I find these so much easier and flavorful than beef or pork short ribs. The oven takes care of all the hard work.
- Lamb meatballs– If you enjoyed cooking with ground lamb, these meatballs are what you should make next. They are seasoned with Mediterranean spices and are so versatile.
- Lamb lollipops– Aka mini lamb chops. I pan-sear these with some spices, and it takes less than 10 minutes!
Originally published June 2023
I gave this five stars before even making it because I was searching for lamb burgers, decided on this one and THEN saw whose blog it was. The big man has never steered me wrong. Literally every recipe I’ve tried has been a winner and I’ve tried a LOT of yours. Thank you in advance!
Amy, you are the sweetest- Thank you for your kind words 🙂
Delicious! Liked that the recipe did not include egg. Substituted garlic powder for fresh since we are sensitive to raw garlic. Also added some crumbled feta to the mayo sauce. Loved it all. Will make this again with some good pita bread in place of the burger buns.
Adding fresh herbs to your sauce will add lots of brightness
PearlGirl55- yes, this is often my goal when developing burger recipes, is to not need eggs where possible. LOVE that you added crumbled feta to the sauce. These lamb burgers would be sensational using pita or even gyro bread!
These were delicious. So flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!
You are so welcome, Pamela- they really are super juicy aren’t they? I think people assume lamb can be a little tough to flavor, but this proves otherwise 🙂
Burgera are considered as fast food. But actually if you make it with good iingredients it should be healthy!
totally agree
Absolutely, Mario- and that is something I do strive for with many recipes- give them a healthy makeover without sacrificing on taste! Glad you enjoyed my lamb burger recipe!
These are the best lamb burgers I’ve ever made!
Very Good! Glad I gave them a try
Thank you, Nancy- I appreciate you making my recipe and leaving a lovely review.
Excellent!! Thank you!
Which will provide a stronger rosemary flavour, fresh or dried?
I typically used dried herbs for the burger mixture, but fresh ones can be used in a pinch if that is all you have. I found in testing, the dried ones had a more pronounced flavor.