Greek Lamb Burgers

These Greek Lamb burgers or Lamb biftekia are so juicy and so flavourful thanks to the spices and herbs in them. They are easy to make and great in pita pockets or burger buns. We love to serve them with tzatziki and are great with tomatoes, onions and some arugula! They are great for meal prep - grill a batch and freeze some for later. If you are looking for a savory, rich alternatives to beef burgers these are the ones you need to try.

Greek Lamb burger Recipe Ingredients

• LAMB: I use lean ground lamb for this recipe. It’s usually 17 % fat which keeps it lean but also still juicy without being greasy. I don’t recommend extra lean lamb cause you want enough fat to help keep them juicy. These can easily be made with lean ground beef as well.
• ONION/SHALLOT & GARLIC: I grate or process mine with the fresh herbs and they add flavor and moisture to the burgers
• HERBS & SPICES: We use a combination of fresh parsley, fresh dill and fresh mint for these burgers. I measure out about ½ cup in total. I process them with the shallot and garlic and these herbs add loads of fresh flavors to the burgers. For spices and dried herbs we use dried oregano, paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper and of course salt and black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• RED WINE VINEGAR: Adding a splash of red wine vinegar to lamb burgers cuts through the meat’s natural gaminess, and balances its rich fat. The acid also acts as a natural tenderizer, keeping the ground lamb moist.
• OLIVE OIL: Adding a splash of olive oil to lamb burgers adds moisture and prevents the meat from drying out on the grill. The oil acts as a fat binder, keeps the patties juicy, and helps create a nice browned, crisp exterior.
• EXTRA ADD INS: We did not need to use egg or breadcrumbs in this recipe as binders because really the lean lamb doesn’t need it - the patties hold up super well and are much juicier without those add ins. But that being said if you find the type of lamb you are using is making it hard for you to shape the burger patties then by all means feel free to add an egg or a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs to help. I would start with a tablespoons of breadcrumbs at a time until they start holding together. Add a little more as needed - adding too much could cause your burgers to be dry.
  
  

Greek Lamb Burger Toppings

• VEGGIES: We keep things simple with sliced tomatoes, slices of red onion or pickled red onions and arugula or any salad greens or lettuce. You could also add sliced cucumber if you wish or even pickles. We also often add hot peppers to ours too.
• SAUCES: We love these with either store-bought or our homemade tzatziki sauce. You could also serve with our Roasted Red Pepper And Feta Dip or our Greek feta cheese dip (Tirokafteri) or our Greek Green Goddess Dip. Mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard work well too if you are a burger purist at heart.
• BUNS: We like other use brioche burger buns for this recipe but these would be wonderful stuffed into an open pita bread as well. Use store-bought pita pockets or homemade if you wish.
  
  

How To Make Greek Lamb Burgers

1. Prepare Aromatics: In a mini chopper process shallots, garlic and fresh herbs until finely minced.
2. Prepare Meat Mixture: Place ground lamb in large bowl (I like to crumble it to allow it to mix better with everything else) with the minced aromatics, spices, red wine vinegar and the olive oil. Use your hands to combine well without over working the mixture.
3. Shape Burgers & Chill: Portion out the burgers, roll into balls then flatten in palms of hand into burger. Make indent in the middle portion of the burger, then cover and chill while preheating grill.
4. Grill Burgers: Transfer cold patties to hot clean and greased grill, grill 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove from grill onto plate and tent with foil and allow them to rest 5 minutes. Grill or toast your burger buns on the hot grill if you wish.
5. Assemble Burgers & Enjoy: Top buns with patties and your favorite toppings and enjoy!!
   
   

Lamb Burger Grilling Tips

Prepare Burgers

• Try to shape burgers to the same general size and thickness - that will ensure even cooking.
• Make sure to press indent into the top side of burger with thumb - this will help the burgers from shrinking too much and also prevents burgers from puffing up into a dome.
• Chill patties right up to grilling - do not let them come to room temperature before putting them on the grill. This is unlike grilling other meats. Chilling burger patties before grilling solidifies the fat so it doesn’t melt and leak out prematurely. This ensures the fat renders inside the meat while cooking, keeping the burgers incredibly juicy and helping the patties hold their shape better.
• Rest Burgers After Grilling. Resting lamb burgers for about 3 to 5 minutes after cooking allows the internal muscle fibers to relax and the savory juices to redistribute throughout the patty keeping them nice and juicy.
  
  

Prepare Your Grill

• Make sure grill is preheated to high heat - noted in recipe. Grease the grill grates well to make them non stick. The best way to oil grill grates is to use a wadded-up paper towel held by a pair of long-handled tongs to apply a thin, even coat of high-smoke-point oil to pre-heated grates.
  
  

Use the Right Utensils

• Use an instant read thermometer (preferably one that is made for the grill with long handle) to ensure proper Lamb temperature so you don’t overcook burgers.
• The best tool for flipping burgers on the grill is a heavy-duty, long-handled metal spatula. Its thin, beveled edge easily slides under the meat to release a crispy crust, while the extended handle protects your hands from the
  
  

How To Handle The Flames / Flare Ups

• Flare-ups happen sometimes while grilling burgers, if they do quickly move the burgers to the coolest part of the grill or a warming rack. Lamb is a naturally fatty, and dripping fat or juices frequently ignites. Move the food to safety/ away from direct heat, close the lid to smother the flames, and do not use water on a gas grill. You could lower the heat slightly if needed, once flames have died down return burgers to hot area of grill to finish cooking.
  
  

Lamb Burger Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing

• MAKE AHEAD: Properly stored, uncooked ground lamb will last for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. So feel free to make the lamb burger mixture and place in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to form your burgers or form them and place on a lined Sheet pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap until you are ready to cook them - within 1-2 days. I usually don’t recommend going past the expiry date on the package so be mindful of that when planning to make them ahead - its best to freeze them for longer periods of time or if its too close to the expiry date.
• FREEZING: Form the patties and freeze ahead of time if you’d like. Place patties in a single layer onto several plastic wrap-lined baking pan or trays; cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze just until meat is firm (1 to 2 hours). Wrap patties tightly in heavy foil or place them into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight to cook or cook from frozen. Frozen cooked and cooled patties will keep for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave, air fryer, stove top in a skillet or on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven.
• STORAGE: These lamb burgers store really well, which makes them great for meal prep! After allowing the burgers to cool, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, you can also freeze them as stated above.
  
  

Serve These Lamb Burgers With:

• Greek Quinoa Salad
• Greek Grilled Potatoes
• Greek Cucumber Salad
• Greek-Style Potato Salad
• Classic Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki)
• Classic Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata)
• Green Goddess Salad - Greek Style
• Cowboy Caviar (Greekstyle)