Best Lamb Burger Recipe

If you love a good hamburger, then you are going to be thrilled by a great lamb burger. And this one, crafted by chef and recipe developer Jennine Bryant of The Marshside Pantry? It's a great one. Don't you worry for a second that — even though you enjoy a ground beef burger — you won't like a lamb burger. "I would say that minced lamb has a fairly similar texture to minced beef, but it is more rich and flavorful," Bryant says, adding: "The taste of lamb, enhanced by the coriander and mint really elevates this burger patty. I'm not usually the biggest lamb fan but this makes my mouth water!"

And, as a lamb burger cooks just the same as a hamburger, there is no learning curve here. You just make the patties, grill them up (shoot for that same 145 F internal temperature as you want with beef), and enjoy. If you want to hint that they were a challenging gourmet undertaking to your dinner guests, that's all fine and good, though.

Of course, all you really need to make a few lamb burgers is some minced (AKA ground) lamb shoulder. But to make them great, you'll also need plenty of toppings. Start with a couple of red onions, one finely chopped or grated, and one cut into rings, along with a few garlic cloves, finely crushed. You'll also want some fresh mint, ground coriander, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, a pinch of paprika, fresh dill, finely chopped, fresh parsley, also finely chopped, and a bit of cooking oil. Finally, you'll need some burger buns, and a handful of lettuce leaves, or whatever your preferred greens are.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the ground lamb meat with the chopped onion, three of the minced garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons of chopped mint, the ground coriander, and the Dijon mustard. Once everything is evenly combined via hand, form the mixture into four burger patties, then chill them in the fridge until they are ready to be cooked.

Next, in a smaller bowl, mix together the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, the two remaining minced garlic cloves, a pinch more paprika, and the remaining tablespoon of chopped mint, the parsley, and the dill. Refrigerate this sauce until ready to use.

Preheat the grill at a high heat setting, and shortly before you put on the meat, lightly oil the lamb patties. Then, cook the burgers for about four minutes on each side, checking for that 145 F temperature to ensure they will be safe to eat and perfectly tasty.

While the burgers are grilling, place the halved burger buns under the grill for 30 seconds to one minute, until they are lightly toasted. (Of course it's not necessary to toast the buns, but it's highly recommended!) 

Once the meat has cooked and the buns are toasted, quickly move to assembling the burgers. Spread a little of the mayonnaise mixture on the bottom burger bun, top it with a burger patty, a few slices of red onion, some more of the mayonnaise, and finally some salad leaves. Then pop the top bun on and dig in.

Much like a classic beef burger, there are plenty of foolproof pairing options that range from air fryer french fries to more green, leafy options. "I personally think the best burger side servings are homemade chips and salad! There are so many great options though, sweet potato fries would be delicious," Bryant suggests. "Coleslaw is another great side, or I think something like a quinoa salad or a Greek salad would go really well." Or, if you want to go the fry route but want to get creative with their size, these shoestring garlic Parmesan fries would certainly keep things interesting.

If you want to pair your lamb burgers with a potato side but don't want to strictly go the french fry route, there are other options there as well. Something like Greek lemon potatoes would complement the creamy, minty sauce you garnish the burger with (and perhaps you could spare some sauce to drizzle right onto the potatoes). 

Regardless of what type of your protein you're using, be it beef, turkey, or lamb, there's a common problem that many folks run into when making burgers from-scratch: They fall apart a little too easily. Though this particular recipe doesn't call for it, breadcrumbs are a common addition to help ensure that burgers hold their shape a little more easily and don't fall apart when cooking. If you have breadcrumbs on hand, you can add a small amount to your burger mixture until you reach a texture that holds together easily. Keep in mind that this recipe calls for refrigerating the burger patties after shaping them, so this step aids in holding the burgers together even as they cook. Another option is to add an egg to the mix, which will act as a binder once combined with the lamb.

Since burgers also tend to crumble on the grill, another easy fix is to add oats and an egg to your patty mixture. The oats may affect the taste of the burger slightly, but they'll work wonderfully in helping to ensure that your beautiful lamb creation doesn't crumble into your grill grates. 

When ordering a beef burger at a restaurant, you're often asked how you want it cooked, with options ranging from well-done all the way down to rare with lots of red in the middle. Though many cuts of lamb can be served in a similar way — in fact, many types of lamb should be served medium rare instead of well done — ground lamb is something that you'll want to cook through. The USDA recommends cooking lamb patties (AKA ground lamb) to an internal temperature of 160 F, which would put your burger in the well-done range.

So, no, you shouldn't enjoy your lamb burger rare, but don't think that means you'll be stuck with a dry, crumbly mess. Thanks to the flavorful mix-ins like onion, garlic, and Dijon mustard, your lamb burger will be far from flavorless. And, so long as you cook the patties with care and remove them from heat right when they hit 160 F, you'll soon be biting into a perfectly juicy, safe-to-eat lamb burger.

Unless you're serving your family or friends when making these lamb burgers, there's a good chance you'll have a patty or two leftover. First, you'll want to make sure that the patties have cooled to room temperature before placing them in a storage container or resealable bag. Then, they can sit in the fridge for about three days, but you'd be best off enjoying the leftover burgers within a day or two. Also, be sure to store burger components separately; if you try to store assembled burgers, you'll find that they won't reheat evenly, and the sauce will have made the buns quite soggy.

When it does come time to reheating and serving, you have a few options. Since the patties are already cooked, you can give them a quick zap in the microwave until they're warmed through, or you could even heat them on the stovetop or fire up your grill once again. Then, you can assemble the burgers as you did the first time, re-toast the buns, and pile on any toppings that you'd like.

You can also freeze the lamb patties, but again, make sure that they've cooled to room temperature before storing. Frozen patties can last for a few months in the freezer, though for optimal flavor, you'll want to try to enjoy them within a month or so. Place the patties on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven for best results.