A delightful departure from traditional beef, these juicy, Greek-inspired lamb burgers are flavored with garlic, feta cheese and fresh mint and topped with sliced tomato, sweet onion and a tangy sauce made with yogurt, diced cucumber and fresh dill.
Garlic-Feta Lamb Burgers With Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce
Ground lamb, combined with feta cheese, garlic and fresh mint, makes a great grilled burger ~ a flavorful change from ground beef.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1-1/2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, about 3 ounces
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices sweet onion, 1/4-inch thick
- 4 slices tomato, 1/4-inch thick
- 4 soft hamburger rolls
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1/2 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start preparing the sauce by placing the diced cucumber in a strainer and setting it over a bowl. Season with salt, toss and set aside to drain. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic and dill and set aside.
- Place the ground lamb in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, feta cheese, mint, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Use a wooden spatula to combine the meat ingredients as best you can before doing a final, gentle mix with your hands.
- Gently form the patties into four equal portions and make a slight depression in the center of each with your thumb. Transfer to a plate and chill for at least 15 minutes before grilling.
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to a medium-high temperature (about 400°F).
- Coat a piece of heavy duty foil with nonstick spray, place it on the grill and arrange the onion slices in a single layer. Season them lightly with salt and pepper and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize around the edges, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the foil from the grill and set the onions aside.
- Oil the grill grates and add the burgers. Grill for 4 minutes on the first side, turn and grill for an addition 2 to 4 minutes, or until the burgers reach the desired doneness.
- Ground lamb is best served medium, which is an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Transfer the burgers to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- While the burgers rest, combine the diced cucumber with the yogurt mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the burgers by placing a slice of onion on the bottom of each roll, top with tomato, a lamb burger and a spoonful of sauce. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes:
You can serve the onion slices raw if you prefer, we just like the slightly mellower flavor that develops from that brief amount of time on the grill. Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Barbara Sugerman says
These lamb burgers are really terrific – loved the sauce and the eggplant fries go so well with it!