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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 complements them perfectly.
When I tire of beef burgers (such as these baked hamburgers), I like to make bison burgers, turkey burgers, or these lamb burgers.
I love lamb. It has this distinct, bold flavor that I really enjoy. Beef is delicious, but its flavor profile is relatively tame compared with lamb.
The bold flavor of these lamb burgers is complemented perfectly by the mint yogurt sauce. It's a great combination of flavors and textures - the warm, juicy burgers and the cool, creamy sauce.
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- Ingredients
- Variations
- Lamb Burgers Instructions
- Expert Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing Leftovers
- More Burger Recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed 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.
- 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 by half, or the burgers could become too salty.
For the burgers:
- Ground lamb: I use 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: Parsley works if you're not a fan of cilantro.
Variations
- You can use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt when making the sauce. It's even richer and tastier than yogurt.
- Try adding more spices. Good options that I've tried and liked include smoked paprika and dried thyme.
- Although it's best with ground lamb, this recipe also works with ground beef. I've tried both versions, and although I prefer lamb, beef is good too.
Lamb Burgers Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Prepare the sauce. First, make the sauce by processing its ingredients in your food processor. Then set it aside. (Images 1,2).
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. (Images 3,4).
Cook them. Grill the patties to your desired doneness. Serve them with the sauce. (Images 5-8).
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).
Recipe FAQs
What grill should I use?
I grill these burgers on a dual-contact indoor grill. You can obviously use any grill you like, including a grill pan.
What herbs and spices go with lamb?
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.
Can I top these burgers with cheese?
You can try topping them with feta cheese and see how you like it. Personally, I prefer them topped with a Greek yogurt sauce.
Serving Suggestions
I usually 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:
- Tomato salad
- Creamy cucumber salad
- Zucchini fries
- Jicama fries
- Israeli salad
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Homemade coleslaw
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power.
You can freeze the leftovers for up to three months, but you can only freeze the burgers, not the yogurt sauce.
More Burger Recipes
- Grilled Hamburgers
- Turkey Burgers
- Bison Burger
- Baked Hamburgers
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Recipe Card
Lamb Burgers with Yogurt Sauce
These lamb burgers are not just juicy and flavorful but also very easy to make. The mint yogurt sauce complements them perfectly.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 lamb burgers
Calories: 284kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
Mint Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt plain, full-fat
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Burgers:
- 1 lb. ground lamb 85/15
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 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 like to use a dual-contact electric 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 for about 5 minutes on a dual-contact 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.
Video
Notes
The CDC recommends cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
I like to gently make a dimple in the center of each patty to help them retain their shape on the grill.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave at 50% power.
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 1burger + ¼ cup sauce | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 520mg | Fiber: 1g
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Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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About the Author
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. Click to learn more about Vered.
