Name: Greek Lamb Burger
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 lb ground lamb; ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon chili flakes; 2 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 teaspoons sumac; 2 teaspoons sea salt; 1 onion (minced); 3 garlic cloves (minced); ⅔ cup breadcrumbs; ⅓ cup whole milk; 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped); 2 tablespoons spearmint leaves (finely chopped); ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1½ teaspoon rosemary leaves (minced); 1½ garlic clove (minced); ½ cup tahini; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; ½ cup water; 1 garlic clove (crushed); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; sea salt; 2 cups orzo pasta; 1 tablespoon butter; sea salt; freshly ground pepper; olives; sweet cherry tomatoes

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 Pita, homemade 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.

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.

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 feta—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 ⅔ cup of orzo. Drizzle burgers with lemon juice. Next, add a ⅔ 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 145°F/ 63°C

I prefer to cook my lamb burgers medium well, which translates to an internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C