Mint Lamb Burgers are juicy, delicious, and nutritious. Easy, ready in an hour, cooked on a skillet or grill, and gluten-free. Made with a combo of ground lamb and beef plus feta, red onion, and fresh mint. Topped with a rich tzatziki sauce, the whole family will enjoy these!
About Mint Lamb Burger
These lamb burgers with feta cheese are a huge hit with anyone who enjoys that taste of lamb.
And they might even convert someone who thinks they don't like lamb!
Full of spices and rich flavor, these mint lamb burgers are rich and satisfying. Plus, they are packed with nutrients thanks to the nutritious lamb, red onions, and spices.
Want to learn more about ground lamb? Check out this post comparing ground lamb and ground beef.
Ingredients
For the Lamb Burgers
Lamb: Ground lamb makes up the base of these burgers and it's typically one of the easier cuts of lamb to find. Most grocery stores sell ground lamb, especially in the springtime.
Beef: Because lamb is often more expensive, I like to add ground beef or ground turkey to the burgers. Adding ground beef also helps tone down the intensity of the lamb since it can have earthy, gamey flavors.
If you prefer, you can use all 1.5 pounds of ground lamb instead of the combo of lamb and beef.
Red onion: Diced red onion gives the burgers excellent flavor, contrasting textures, and nutrients. You can also use green, white, or sweet onion instead of red onion. Dried onion flakes can be substituted in a pinch.
You won't use the entire red onion, so save yourself time for a future meal by dicing the entire onion. Store the remaining diced red onion in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Feta: To cut the richness of the lamb, add salty and tangy feta cheese. You can use crumbled feta cheese or crumble it from a block of feta.
Spices: Cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt season the lamb burgers.
Mint: Fresh mint is added inside the lamb burgers. Mint is an excellent herb to go with lamb, so it's the perfect addition to this recipe.
For the Sauce
The sauce is very similar to tzatziki sauce, but it's optional. You can buy tzatziki sauce or simply skip sauce altogether.
Yogurt: The base of the sauce is plain Greek yogurt. Make sure to buy plain. I prefer Greek yogurt or strained yogurt because it is thicker.
Cucumber: Cucumber gives a fresh taste and added crunch to the sauce. I prefer English (or hothouse) cucumbers and to leave the peel on. You can use regular cucumbers and/or peel them if desired.
Since you aren't using the entire cucumber for the sauce (you only need about ¼ or ⅓ of a cucumber), you can slice the remaining cucumber to serve on the side. Or enjoy the cucumber slices and any extra sauce for a snack.
Mint: Tzatziki sauce can be made using different herbs like mint, dill, or thyme. To simplify this recipe, use fresh mint in the sauce as well as the lamb burgers. If you prefer, you can add fresh dill or thyme.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is ideal in this tzatziki sauce. Garlic powder can be used in a pinch though.
Salt: A touch of salt helps bring out all the flavors of the sauce. You can use a little less or omit if needed.
Lemon Zest: To brighten the flavor a bit, add a touch of lemon zest. Alternatively, you could add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, but this will slightly thin the sauce.
Note that if you are serving the sauce immediately after stirring it together, it's better if you skip the lemon zest. Only add lemon zest if you have at least 1 hour before enjoying.
Recipe Cost
- Greek yogurt 1 cup: $1.12
- Cucumber ½ cup: $0.38
- Fresh mint 6 tablespoons: $0.50
- Garlic 2 cloves: $0.12
- Lemon zest 1 teaspoon: $0.50
- Ground lamb 1 pound: $5.85
- Ground beef 0.5 pound: $2.75
- Red onion ½ cup: $0.44
- Feta 2 ounces: $0.88
- Cumin ½ teaspoon: $0.06
- Red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon: $0.05
- Salt ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
TOTAL COST: $12.66 or $2.11/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2024)
Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.
How to Make Mint Lamb Burgers
Time needed: 45 minutes
Mint Lamb Burgers are delicious and nutritious. Easy, ready in under an hour, cooked on a skillet or grill, and gluten-free. Here's how to make them:
- In a plastic or glass bowl, stir together ingredients for the sauce.
Refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
- Add all the ingredients for the burgers into a large bowl.
Stir together.
- Shape into 6 burgers.
- Cook the burgers on one side over medium-high.
- Flip the burgers and finish cooking on medium heat.
- Serve burgers with tzatziki sauce, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
*Because the cucumbers have a high water content, they will thin the sauce a bit after it sits. Simply stir the sauce before serving and it'll be fine. Or you can pour off the excess liquid for a thicker sauce.
Variations
Ingredient Options
Fresh mint: Dried mint can be used in place of fresh in the recipe. Use 2 teaspoons of dried mint in the burgers.
Flavor Substitutions
Mint: You can add rosemary, dill, or thyme in place of the mint. Use an equal amount.
Cumin: Rosemary or thyme can be used instead of cumin. Use ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary or thyme.
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
These mint lamb burgers with feta cheese are naturally gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
Because of the feta cheese + yogurt sauce, they are not dairy-free. However, you can omit the feta cheese and skip the yogurt sauce to make them dairy-free.
How to Fix a Mistake
Burgers are burning but not cooking on the inside: Turn the temperature to medium-low, and cover the burgers. Cook low and slow until they are done in the middle.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Prepare the sauce up to 5 days in advance. Some liquid might collect at the top of the sauce that you can either stir back into the sauce or pour off.
You can also mix and shape the lamb burgers up to 24 hours in advance. Be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Alternatively, you can wrap the uncooked lamb burgers individually in parchment paper and freeze them for up to 4 weeks.
Cook them on a stove, griddle, or grill over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes per side.
Storage Suggestions
Store the lamb burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
If freezing, it's best to individually wrap each burger in parchment and then store them in a zip-top bag to keep them as fresh tasting as possible.
To reheat:
- In the microwave: Place on a microwave-safe plate, and heat for 45 seconds at 100% power. Flip and microwave for another 30-45 seconds until warm.
- In a skillet: In a dry skillet over medium heat, place the burger in the skillet and cook for about 2-4 minutes per side until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lamb is highly nutritious. One (4-ounce) serving of ground lamb is an excellent source of omega 3s, zinc, niacin, Vitamin B12, and protein. Lamb is a good source of riboflavin, phosphorus, copper, selenium, pantothenic acid, and choline.
This recipe for mint lamb burgers also includes antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients like onions, mint, and spices.
Have you ever wondered: can lamb burgers be a little pink? The answer is that it's best to cook them all the way through. When meat is ground, bacteria on the meat get ground into all of the meat. That means you need to cook ground lamb to an internal temperature of 160F to ensure the possibly harmful bacteria are killed.
Nutrition Benefits
Lamb provides significant nutrients that are essential for immune function like zinc, selenium, protein, and iron.
One (4-ounce) serving of ground lamb is a good source of riboflavin, phosphorus, copper, selenium, pantothenic acid, and choline. And it's an excellent source of omega 3s, zinc, niacin, Vitamin B12, and protein.
This recipe for mint lamb burgers also includes antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients like onions, mint, and spices.
Each burger with sauce is an excellent source of protein (27 grams) and a good source of iron (11% RDA) and calcium (13% RDA).
What to Serve with Mint Lamb Burgers
Enjoy your minted lamb burgers with a side of veggies and carbohydrates for a complete meal.
Serve the lamb burgers on a bun with sliced cucumbers and baked fries.
Because you won't use the entire cucumber, you can slice it and serve on the side. It's great for dipping in the extra sauce.
Or skip the bun and wrap the burgers in lettuce with a side of roasted veggie lentil salad.
In the photos, you can see it served with potato chips and air fryer roasted bell peppers (above) as well as on a bun with sliced cucumber, frozen fries, and roasted frozen green beans (below).
Final thoughts:
My whole family loves these burgers, and everyone gets excited when I make them. They're simple, delicious, and perfect for changing up your typical burger.
If you're tired of serving the same old thing for dinner, make these mint lamb burgers and enjoy their rich and savory flavors.
You can cook them on a skillet or on the grill, and they take less than an hour total to make.
MORE LAMB RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
Mint Lamb Burgers
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup chopped cucumber
- ¼ cup chopped mint fresh
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon zest optional
For the Burgers:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup feta cheese 2 ounces
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint fresh
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the sauce:
- Stir together all sauce ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the burgers:
- Add ground lamb, ground beef, red onion, feta cheese, and chopped mint to a bowl.
- Season with cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Stir together.
- Shape into 6 burgers. Refrigerate if you are not cooking immediately.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the burgers, and cook until the easily flip (about 7 minutes).
- Flip burgers, reduce heat to medium, and cook until done. The internal temperature should reach at least 160°F.
- Transfer to paper towel to absorb excess grease if desired. And serve with sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Meme
Mint Lamb Burger Nutrition Facts
Nutrition facts include 1 burger (without a bun) + ¼ cup sauce
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