A delicious twist on a classic burger: mint lamb burgers. This recipe combines the rich flavor of ground lamb with the fresh, vibrant notes of mint. Topped with a creamy tzatziki sauce, these burgers are perfect for a summer barbecue.
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid the convenience and ease of picking up a box of frozen burgers from the grocery store, but trust me, making your own at home is incredibly easy and they will taste so much better. Case in point, these burgers! They are spiced with cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon with a burst of fresh minty flavor.
I love to serve these with a summer salad like Greek Orzo Salad or Bocconcini Salad, and since the grill is already hot you could also make Grilled Sweet Potato Fries!
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📋 Ingredients you’ll need
Let’s dive into the ingredients that make these minted lamb burgers truly special, each component is crucial for creating a flavor-packed burger.
- Ground lamb: Rich and flavorful, lamb is the star of the show and can stand up to the spices in these burgers.
- Egg and bread crumbs: Essential for binding the patties together, ensuring they hold their shape while cooking.
- Aromatics: Red onion and garlic combined with fresh mint, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and salt, creating a warm, earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Buns: I love using brioche–style hamburger buns for their softness and subtle sweetness, but feel free to use your favorite.
- Toppings: Tzatziki, arugula, and pickled red onions add a fresh, tangy contrast to the rich lamb patties.
🔪 Step by step instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, egg, bread crumbs, mint, red onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, minced garlic, and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape them into patties. Aim for patties that are about 3″ wide and ½″ thick. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
Place the lamb patties on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until they reach your desired level of doneness (an internal temperature of 160°F for medium).
Assemble the burgers by placing each lamb patty on a toasted bun and adding your desired toppings.
To clean your grill: Let the grill run for 4-5 minutes to burn off any remnants from the burgers before cleaning, make sure you’re using a bristle-free barbecue brush.
✏️ Substitutions
There are easy substitutions you can make for this recipe.
- Ground beef: If you prefer, you can substitute half of the ground lamb for ground beef, this will help to stretch the more expensive lamb. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious!
- Herbs: If fresh mint is unavailable, you could use fresh parsley or cilantro instead.
📖 Variations
I love to make different twists on this recipe depending on my mood!
- Spicy: Add ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes or 1 finely chopped jalapeño to the lamb mixture for a spicy kick.
- Extra herbaceous: Incorporate 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary or parsley into the lamb mixture for an additional layer of herbaceous flavor.
- Cheesy: Mix in ¼ cup of crumbled feta into the patty mixture before cooking. Be aware that feta can add more salty notes to the recipe, so you may want to reduce the salt.
💭 Cooking tips
- Avoid over mixing: When combining the ingredients, mix until everything is just incorporated to prevent the patties from becoming tough.
- Use wet hands to mix and shape the patties: This will stop the meat from sticking to your hands.
- Let the burgers rest: After grilling, let the burgers rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making for a juicier bite.
Mint Lamb Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For toppings:
- 4 brioche hamburger buns
- 1 cup arugula
- ¼ cup tzatziki
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, egg, bread crumbs, red onion, garlic, mint, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, turmeric and salt. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape them into patties. The patties should be about 3" in diameter and ½" thick.
- Place the lamb patties on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until they reach your desired level of doneness (an internal temperature of 160°F for medium).
- While the patties are cooking, toast the burger buns on the grill for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Assemble the burgers by placing each lamb patty on a toasted bun and adding your desired toppings.
Notes
2. Avoid pressing down on your patties as they cook, this will press all the juices out of the burgers.
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