A juicy grilled lamb burger in a bowl, Greek style, is hard to beat. Accompanied by a garlicky tahini sauce over savory orzo, this Greek burger pairs well with a fresh tomato cucumber salad, lemons, extra virgin olive oil, and herbs. Alternatively, serve the burgers with all their toppings in a brioche bun, perfect for your next barbecue gathering.

If you love grilled lamb burger, you will also love this Souvlaki With Pitahomemade traditional Greek pork gyros, or Meatballs – Keftedes!

A bowl with two lamb burgers, orzo and tomato salad and lemon wedges. On the table a bowl with salad more lemon wedges and a wire rack with burgers.

Why this recipe sings

In this recipe, well-seasoned lamb burgers are grilled to perfection over charcoal. They are served in bowls with buttery orzo, fresh and fragrant tomato-cucumber-olives salad, and a tahini-garlic sauce. A drizzle of fresh lemon juice adds a finishing touch to the burgers. The result is a savory combination of sizzle, flavor, and heat.

You can cook the burgers on the stovetop, they will be nearly as good, but they are arguably better prepared on a charcoal grill.

Here is what you need

Ingredients for making lamb burgers Greek style on a butcher block.
  • Ground lamb. Shoulder meat is the preferred cut for ground lamb because it is lean. You can also go for leg meat. Ask a butcher to grind grass-fed fresh lamb meat for you instead of buying pre-ground packaged lamb. You can also mix ground lamb and ground beef.
  • Extra virgin olive oil. The lean ground lamb mixture gets much-needed fat from half a cup of extra virgin olive oil.
  • Seasonings:  Ground coriander, ground cumin, ground nutmeg, chili flakes, dried oregano, sumac, sea salt.
  • Onion and garlic.
  • Breadcrumbs. I love using leftover stale sourdough bread to make my own breadcrumbs in a food processor. However, you can use store-bought unseasoned breadcrumbs.
  • Whole milk. It adds moisture to the burgers.
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley and spearmint. The aromatic herbs are used in the mixture as well as serving.
  • Fresh rosemary. Mixed with olive oil and garlic, it is brushed on the burgers right before grilling.

How to make the lamb burgers

Ground lamb mixed with herbs and breadcrumbs in a bowl on a table.

In a bowl, mix the ground lamb with all the ingredients.

Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours or at least 2-3 hours.

Calculate about two full tablespoons of the ground lamb mixture for each burger. This recipe yields about 14 to 16 patties.

A hand holding a rosemary sprigs brushing olive oil on lamb burgers on a wire rack.

Brush the burgers with the olive oil garlic rosemary mix.

Then, place them on the grill. I usually do batches of four.

Four lamb burgers grilling over charcoal.

Turn burgers only once.

For medium-well burgers, cook halfway through for 4.5 minutes on one side and then flip. Please check the recipe notes

Do not press down on your burgers. Pressing on your meats squeezes out the juices, which can lead to a dry burger.

Don’t put a cover over the grill.

Orzo toasting with a spoon in a pot.

In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. 

Add the orzo and toast for 3-4 minutes. Add 8 cups of water and cook until the orzo is fully cooked but retains a bite, about 15 minutes*. Drain the orzo, and return to the pot. 

*Check box cooking instructions for cooking time.

A bowl with two lamb burgers, orzo and tomato salad and lemon wedges. On the table a bowl with salad more lemon wedges and a wire rack with burgers.

Serving suggestion

Make a quick tomato salad*

Cut up some tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes, dice some onion, and add some kalamata olives and tiny cubes of fetaโ€”season with sea salt and dried oregano. Add a tiny amount of red wine vinegar and about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Mix and let sit for 15 minutes. Check my Greek tomato salad recipe for more tips on how to make a great tomato salad.

*Ingredients are not shown or listed in the recipe card.

Serve

Add two burgers in a bowl next to โ…” cup of orzo. Drizzle burgers with lemon juice. Next, add a โ…” cup of orzo and a couple of tablespoons of tomato salad. Drizzle all over tahini sauce. Enjoy!

Best to serve while the burgers and orzo are warm.

Cook the lamb burgers on the stove.

You will have the best results with a cast iron skillet.

Heat the skillet over medium/high heat. Then add a little olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add a couple of burger patties and cook without moving them for 3 to 5 minutes per side.

The recommended internal temperature for a lamb burger is 145ยฐF/ 63ยฐC

I prefer to cook my lamb burgers medium well, which translates to an internal temperature of 160ยฐF / 71ยฐC

Check out my Greek pantry staples 

Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

WANT TO EAT LIKE A GREEK? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

The Greek Foodie Logo.
A bowl with two lamb burgers, orzo and tomato salad and lemon wedges.

Greek Lamb Burger

by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
This grilled Greek lamb burger in a bowl is served with a garlicky tahini sauce, orzo, and a tomato olive cucumber salad.
5 from 10 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinating time 1 day
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Servings 8 people
Calories 812 kcal

Equipment

  • Large bowl To mix the lamb burgers
  • Small bowl or jar To mix the sauce
  • Medium saucepan For the orzo

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb ground lamb
  • โ…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ยฝ teaspoon chili flakes
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons sumac
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 onion minced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • โ…” cup breadcrumbs
  • โ…“ cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons spearmint leaves finely chopped

For brushing the burgers

  • โ…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1ยฝ teaspoon rosemary leaves minced
  • 1ยฝ garlic clove minced

For the sauce

  • ยฝ cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ยฝ cup water
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt

For the orzo

  • 2 cups orzo pasta
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper

For serving

  • olives
  • sweet cherry tomatoes
  • 1 lemon cut in wedges
  • flat-leaf parsley for garnish. Optional
  • spearmint leaves for garnish. Optional
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

Mix the burgers

  • In a bowl, mix the ground lamb with all the ingredients. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours or at least 2-3 hours.
  • Take about two full tablespoons of the ground lamb mixture for each burger.
    This recipe yields about 14 to 16 patties.

Prepare the grill

    Cook the burgers

    • Brush the burgers with the olive oil garlic rosemary mix.
      Then, place them on the grill.
      Turn burgers only once.
      For medium-well burgers, cook halfway through for 4.5 minutes on one side and then flip. Please check recipe notes
      Doย notย press down on your burgers. Pressing on your meats squeezes out the juices, which can lead to a dry burger.
      Don't put a cover over the grill.
    • Allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

    Make the tahini sauce

    • Add all the tahini sauce ingredients to a jar and shake it well. You might need to use an immersion blender to emulsify the tahini paste with the rest of the ingredients.

    Make the orzo

    • In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
      Add the orzo and saute for 3-4 minutes.
      Add 8 cups of water and cook until the orzo is fully cooked but retains a bite, about 15 minutes*.
      Drain the orzo, and return to the pot.
      *Check cooking instructions for cooking time.

    Serving suggestion

    • Make a quick tomato salad.
      Cut up some tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes, add some kalamata olives and tiny cubes of fetaโ€”season with sea salt and dried oregano. Add a tiny amount of red wine vinegar and a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil. Mix and let sit for 15 minutes.
      Serve
      Add two burgers in a bowl next to โ…” cup of orzo. Drizzle burgers with lemon juice. Next, add a โ…” cup of orzo and a couple of tablespoons of tomato salad. Drizzle all over tahini sauce. Enjoy!
      Best to serve while the burgers and orzo are warm.

    Notes

    Cook the burgers on the stove.
    You will have the best results with aย cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet over medium/high heat and add a little olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add a couple of burger patties and cook without moving it for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
    The recommended safe internal temperature for a lamb burger is 145ยฐF.
    I prefer to cook my lamb burgers medium well, (I think they taste better) which translates to an internal temperature of 160ยฐF
    ย 
    This recipe yields 14-16 burgers, about two full tablespoons of the mixture.ย 
    Nutrition is calculated for two burgers, โ…” cup of cooked orzo, and a drizzle of tahini sauce.ย 
    Nutritional Infoย โ€“ Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 812kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 28gFat: 59gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 743mgPotassium: 517mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 208IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
    Greek Lamb Burger Bowl

    Similar Posts

    5 from 10 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    10 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      If I could eat like this every day I would die very happy. All the flavours are magic together. I can see we will be having Greek lamb bowls for a while to come. My tastebuds say thank you.

    2. 5 stars
      We don’t have a charcoal grill, but these lamb burger bowls were still amazing on the gas grill. I think this is our new favorite way to eat burgers. So good!

    3. You have me drooling over here… this bowl contains all of my favourite flavours and I can just image how great it smells and tastes. Add this recipe to next week’s dinner rotation.

    4. 5 stars
      The orzo and the tomato olive salad went perfectly well with the burgers. I’ve never had such delicious lamb burgers! The combination of sumac, nutmeg, and cumin was soo good and something I haven’t tried at home before. We already want to make these again!

    5. 5 stars
      My husband and I are big fans of Greek food and this lamb burger bowl did not disappoint. The flavors are so fresh – just like Greek food should be! We will definitely make this again and again!

    6. 5 stars
      I am so excited to make this burger bowl! Pinned to make it this weekend, thank you so much for this recipe ๐Ÿ˜‰

    7. 5 stars
      I don’t know what I like the most, the recipe or how you plate these lamb burgers. I have to ask my butcher when I can have some lamb t recreate this deliciousness! Thanks for this great idea.

    8. 5 stars
      This Greek Lamb Burger bowl is my families new favorite dish. The burger was so good and full of flavor. The tahini sauce is amazing and is what really makes this special . This is something I will be making again and again.