Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (2024)

  • Burgers
  • Sauces
  • Ground Lamb

Mix up your cookout with this easy summer recipe. Grilled lamb burgers with homemade tzatziki cucumber sauce will impress your guests.

By

Sabrina Modelle

Sabrina Modelle

Sabrina has been a professional recipe developer for ten years and has been published in magazines and newspapers from California to Tel Aviv.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated May 29, 2022

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Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (1)

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Up your burger game and be the hero of your next barbecue with Greek lamb burgers and homemade tzatziki!

Assembling the Best Homemade Lamb Burger

I season these lamb burgers with some of Greece's most-loved flavors – like garlic, dried lemon peel, and oregano – before grilling them up and serving them on toasted buns.

I like to set out a little buffet of Greek-inspired toppings near the grill for everyone to help themselves. Some of my favorites are fresh tomatoes, lettuce, feta, red onion, and of course, that tzatziki.

You can make your tzatziki up to three days in advance. I like to pre-salt and drain my cucumbers for a few hours or as long as overnight. If you’re pressed for time, you can salt the cucumber, let it drain for just 10 minutes, and then use a tea towel to press out as much moisture as you can.

Can I Use Other Meat for These Burgers?

If you’re wary of lamb because you find it too gamy and strong-tasting, I recommend trying lamb from New Zealand. It has a clean, grassy flavor and stays nice and juicy after cooking.

And If you’re really unsure about lamb, you try mixing it with some ground beef — up to half of the total weight of the meat in this recipe.

Lamb burgers may not be the most popular burger in the US, but this recipe might very well convince you that it should be!

5 Sides for Lamb Burgers

Tzatziki

  • Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Salad)
  • Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
  • Mediterranean Mezze Platter
  • Greek Pasta Salad
  • Spinach and Orzo Salad

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

Prep Time60 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time70 mins

Servings4 burgers

Yield4 burgers

Recipe can be doubled or tripled to serve larger crowds.

Look for dried lemon peel in the spice section of your grocery store, or order it online. Skip it if you can’t easily find it.

You will likely have some leftover tzatziki sauce after making this recipe. It will keep refrigerated for about a week, and it can be used on sandwiches or as a dipwith pita chips

Ingredients

For the tzatziki:

  • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt(full fat is best here)

  • 1/3 cup lightly packed chopped fresh herbs (I used equal amounts of mint, parsley, and dill)

  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

  • 3 cloves chopped garlic

For the lamb burgers:

  • 1 tablespoon dried oniongranules

  • 1 tablespoon dried garlicgranules or powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried lemon peel, optional

  • 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb (or a combination of beef and lamb)

  • 4 burger buns

To serve:

  • Sliced tomatoes

  • Lettuce

  • Crumbled feta

  • Red onion

  • Tzatziki sauce

Method

  1. Make the tzatziki:

    Salt the cucumber slices with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and place in a sieve over a bowl to drain. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours, occasionally turning cucumbers. (If you need to prepare the tzatziki right away, salt the cucumbers for just 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture with a clean tea towel.)

    In a large bowl, mix cucumbers, yogurt, herbs, vinegar, and garlic. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt if needed.

    This step can be done up to 3 days before serving.

    Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (3)

    Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (4)

    Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (5)

  2. Combine spices:

    Whisk together the dried onion, dried garlic, dried lemon peel, dried oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

  3. Shape the lamb burgers:

    Sprinkle the ground lamb with 2 teaspoons of the spice mix and gently work it into the meat with your finger tips or a spatula; try not to over-mix the meat or compact it too much as you work in the spices.

    Turn the seasoned meat out on a work surface and form into four (6 ounce) patties. Press a shallow dimple in the center of each patty to help the patties cook evenly and prevent them from forming domes in the middle.

    Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (6)

  4. Season and rest the burgers:

    Sprinkle additional seasoning onto both sides of the patties. Rest on counter for 20 to 30 minutes to allow burgers to come to room temperature.

  5. Meanwhile, prepare your grill:

    If you have a gas grill, preheat at high temperature for at least 10 minutes with the lid closed. For charcoal grills, fill a grill chimney with charcoal and light it. When the coals are hot (they should be covered with a layer of fine gray ash) empty the coals into the grill. Set the grate in place and cover the grill. Heat for 5 minutes.

  6. Grill the burgers:

    When your grill is ready, lightly brush the grates with oil. Add the burgers and close the grill. Cook the burgers to your desired doneness, flipping halfway through cooking. (Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or to 145°F.)

    Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (7)

  7. Finish and serve:

    Rest your lamb burgers for 3 minutes while you toast the buns on the grill. Then serve immediately with tzatziki sauce and other toppings.

Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (8)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
797Calories
39g Fat
47g Carbs
63g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories797
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g50%
Saturated Fat 16g79%
Cholesterol 178mg59%
Sodium 797mg35%
Total Carbohydrate 47g17%
Dietary Fiber 5g18%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 63g
Vitamin C 29mg143%
Calcium 368mg28%
Iron 6mg36%
Potassium 1423mg30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are lamb burgers good for you? ›

Lamb is loaded with vital proteins, just one 3 ounce serving of lamb meat contains over 23 grams of protein. Protein does so much for the body, including providing it with slow-burning, sustainable fuel. It also helps your body build, repair and maintain muscle mass. There are a lot of ways to use and cook lamb meat.

What is a Greek burger made of? ›

This burger is a delicious combination of a hearty 80/20 meat patty, sheep's milk feta, and terrific vegetables like kalamata olives, cucumbers, and Marinated Red Onions. Pepperoncini mayo adds a spicy kick, while melt-in-your-mouth Kasseri Greek cheese (or the cheese of your choice) brings a creamy touch.

How long do frozen lamb burgers take to cook? ›

Preheat oven to 180oC. Cook from frozen for 16-18 minutes, turning partway through. Cook from frozen on a medium heat for 13-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes. Microwave (1000w) each patty from frozen for approximately 1 minute 25 seconds per side.

Can lamb burgers be medium rare? ›

Lamb burgers can also be served medium or medium-rare just like a beef burger. Cook for 3-4 minutes if you prefer medium. How to top your burger: We perfected these burgers by slathering our homemade feta-yogurt sauce on both sides of the bun, then topping our patties with red onion and arugula.

Is lamb more unhealthy than beef? ›

Lamb typically has more saturated fat — which can raise your levels of bad cholesterol, putting you at higher risk of cardiovascular disease — than beef or pork. T-bones, rib-eye and New York strip steak tend to be fattier forms of beef when compared to ground rounds, sirloin or flank steak.

Is lamb meat inflammatory? ›

Research shows that fatty meats like beef, pork and lamb are associated with low-grade inflammation. Animal fats and saturated fats can alter your gut bacteria by increasing lipopolysaccharides, which can trigger inflammation.

What type of meat is in the most popular Greek dish? ›

Lamb is one of the most popular types of meat in Greece and is used in various recipes. Souvlaki skewers, roasted leg of lamb, and pastit*io are all popular dishes that feature this delicious meat. Lamb can also be found in traditional dishes such as moussaka or pasticcio.

What is the traditional meat in Greece? ›

Traditionally, local Greek cuisine utilizes a mixture of pork, poultry, veal and beef, lamb, rabbit, and goat. Kleftiko is one of the top meat dishes in Greece. Lamb is the popular meat of choice and you will quickly see why. Kleftiko involves slow-cooked lamb marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.

What meat do they eat in Greece? ›

Popular choices include lamb, goat, chicken, pork, and veal in northern Greece. The meat is usually prepared roasted in the oven with lemon, garlic, and oregano, or as a stew in tomato sauce. Meat is almost always accompanied by roasted potatoes.

Should lamb burgers be pink? ›

A rare, or pink, lamb chop that has been seared well on the outside should be fine because any bacteria on the outer surface will have been killed by the heat. But minced or diced lamb or mutton should never be served pink. It needs to be thoroughly cooked and browned. The same goes for burgers.

How do you know when lamb burgers are cooked? ›

Lamb patties and ground lamb mixtures such as meat loaf should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1° C), and measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.

Can you eat lamb burgers from frozen? ›

You can cook meat from frozen, but the texture won't be very good. Here are ways for safely thawing meat: Move it from the freezer to the refrigerator. This can take a couple of days depending on the thickness of the meat.

Why do my lamb burgers fall apart? ›

Lamb burgers can fall apart for a handful of reasons including the handling of the mixture, lack of binding ingredients and how you cook them. To help keep your burger together, ensure you use a binding ingredient like eggs or breadcrumbs and make sure you aren't flipping them too frequently.

Why do lamb burgers shrink? ›

Ground meat will shrink as it sizzles on the grill. The more fat that's in the meat, the more it'll shrink. To prevent burgers from becoming pint-sized, plan ahead. Shape the raw patties to be slightly larger than the bun.

What is the green sheen on lamb? ›

That green sheen is oxidised proteins on the surface of the meat. It is not inherently harmful but it does mean that the meat has been exposed to air for an extended period of time.

Are lamb burgers healthier than beef? ›

Nutrition: Lamb is a nutrient-dense meat that is rich in protein, iron, and vitamin B12. It is also lower in fat than beef and has fewer calories. Versatility: Lamb is a versatile meat that works well in a variety of dishes, from meatballs and burgers to shepherd's pie and curry.

What is the healthiest meat for burgers? ›

If you choose beef, choose 90 percent lean or higher. Bison and venison are also leaner red meat choices. Poultry such as ground turkey or chicken can be higher in saturated fat and calories if dark meat and skin are used in the mix. If you choose to use ground chicken or turkey, look for breast only.

Is lamb the healthiest meat to eat? ›

Lamb is Incredibly Nutrient dense.

Lamb contains large amounts of healthy fat, including more omega-3 than most land animals and a high level of oleic acid. High concentrations of bio-available, highly digestive protein. A substantial amount of vitamins and minerals, particularly Vitamin B and zinc.

Is lamb better for you than meat? ›

It really depends on the cut of beef. 95% lean ground beef has fewer calories and less fat and cholesterol than many cuts of lamb. However, lamb on the whole, tends to have fewer calories and less fat/saturated fat and cholesterol than beef.

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