Description
Succulent lamb burger delights palates with Mediterranean-inspired flavors and herbs from Greece. Crisp lettuce, tangy tzatziki, and juicy meat combine perfectly when you create this memorable culinary experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (¼ lb or 115 g) ground lamb
- 1 burger bun or pita bread
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup (120 ml) tzatziki sauce
- ¼ cup (30 g) feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Blend ground lamb with grated onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, mint leaves, dried oregano, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and optional cayenne pepper in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Seasoning and Mixing: Integrate kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil, folding ingredients gently until evenly distributed throughout the meat mixture.
- Patty Formation: Divide the seasoned lamb into 8 portions, shaping each into smooth patties approximately 3/4 inch thick. Create a shallow thumb indentation in the center to promote even cooking and prevent puffing.
- Chilling: Refrigerate patties for 15-20 minutes to solidify shape and enhance flavor integration.
- Grilling Preparation: Heat outdoor grill or indoor griddle to medium temperature (375-400°F), ensuring cooking surface is clean and lightly lubricated.
- Cooking Process: Grill lamb patties 4-6 minutes per side, monitoring internal temperature until reaching 160°F for medium doneness using a meat thermometer.
- Resting and Serving: Allow cooked patties to rest 5-7 minutes, then present on toasted brioche buns or warm pita pockets with garnishes like lettuce, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce.
Notes
- Meat Moisture Magic: Use freshly ground lamb with a fat content around 20% to ensure juicy, flavorful burgers that won’t dry out during cooking.
- Temperature Timing: Letting patties rest in the refrigerator helps proteins relax and seasonings meld, creating a more cohesive and intensely flavored burger.
- Thumb Technique: Creating a slight dimple in the center prevents patties from puffing up and ensures even cooking, resulting in a perfectly flat burger.
- Resting Ritual: Allowing cooked burgers to rest for 5-7 minutes lets internal juices redistribute, guaranteeing a moist and tender eating experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg