Lamb Burger
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This Lamb Burger recipe creates juicy, tender, flavorful burgers that are anything but ordinary! Seasoned with bold spices and grilled to perfection, they’re a delicious twist on classic burgers, perfect for cookouts, weeknight dinners, or whenever you’re craving something unique and delicious.
Why this lamb burger is the best
Around the time I started blogging in 2011 a New Zealand inspired restaurant opened right down the street from my condo in downtown San Diego. I quickly fell in love with the cute decor, tasty sangria, and delicious food. But my favorite menu item that I kept coming back to again and again was their “bare lil lamb burger”.
This lamb burger recipe is a copycat of that burger, loaded up with all of the delicious toppings from mint jelly, to pickled beets, to blue cheese crumbles. Here’s what makes this recipe the best.
- The combination of flavors. The burger patty itself is delicious. It’s seasoned with my homemade lamb seasoning and grilled to perfection. But the toppings are what really take this burger to the next level. Funky blue cheese, tangy pickled beets, sweet mint jelly, and savory garlic aioli really add amazing layers of flavor to the burger.
- It’s easy to make and customize to your taste. It only takes 15 minutes to make the burgers, then you can make them your own with your choice of toppings. I’ve got a few variation ideas that I’ll share later in this post.
- It’s a fun spin on burgers. If you want a new way to enjoy burger night at home, I highly recommend trying this lamb burger recipe for a unique twist on a classic burger!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this lamb burger recipe and the toppings I added to it. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ground lamb
- Lamb seasoning – click the link for my homemade seasoning blend. It’s a delicious combination of dried herbs and spices, like garlic, ground coriander, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and mint. The flavors pair perfectly with the earthy, savory flavor of the lamb, and it’s easy to mix up in just 5 minutes!
- Hamburger buns – for serving the burgers. I love the buttery taste of brioche buns, but feel free to use your favorite type of hamburger bun.
Toppings
These are the toppings I added to the burger to make it a copycat from Queenstown restaurant in San Diego. See the section below for other ways to serve the burger that includes other topping ideas.
- Pickled beets – you can click the link to make your own pickled beets, or purchase them in a can or jar at the grocery store.
- Mint jelly – because what better pairing is there than lamb and mint jelly!
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Garlic aioli – you can purchase this in a bottle at the grocery store or make your own. To make your own combine 5 crushed garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup mayonnaise. If you don’t like garlic, or don’t want to prepare the aioli, you can simply use mayonnaise instead.
- Lettuce – I used butter lettuce for this recipe, but feel free to use romaine, iceberg lettuce, or leaf lettuce.
- Tomato
- Red onion
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the burger patties. In a large bowl, combine ground lamb with lamb seasoning. Form the meat mixture into four burger patties that are approximately ½ inch thick. Press your thumb in the middle of each burger patty. This will prevent the burgers from expanding up as they cook.
- Grill the burgers. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, place the burger patties on the grill grates and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until they’ve reached an internal temperature of 150°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Add cheese. If following my recipe, add ⅛ cup of blue cheese crumbles on top of each burger patty during the last minute of cook time. Remove the burgers from the grill and let them rest for 3-5 minutes, while preparing the buns.
- Assemble the burgers. Toast the buns on the grill. Remove them from the grill and spread garlic aioli on each of the bottom buns. Add a piece of lettuce, slice of tomato and sliced red onion. Top with the burger patty. Add mint jelly and pickled beets on top of the burger. Place the top bun on it and serve immediately.
Ways to serve the burger
As I mentioned, I made an exact copycat of the lamb burger from Queenstown restaurant in San Diego. I love the flavors so much that I just had to recreate it at home!
The great news is, the burger itself is a blank slate. Once you season the meat, then grill the burger, you can serve it with a ton of different flavor variations. Make this lamb burger recipe over and over again to try each one and see which one is your favorite!
- Make a Greek lamb burger – serve the burger in pita bread instead of on a bun with tzatziki sauce and tomato cucumber salad. Replace the blue cheese crumbles with crumbled feta cheese.
- Make a bbq lamb burger – this white bbq sauce pairs deliciously with these lamb burgers. Melt swiss cheese over the burgers during the last minute on the grill, then top with the bbq sauce and crispy onions.
- Make a mushroom swiss lamb burger – my most popular burger recipe is this mushroom swiss burger with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and melted Swiss cheese. Easily make it into a lamb burger by replacing the ground beef burger patty with this lamb burger patty.
Recipe tips
- Do not immediately place the burgers on the buns when removing them from the grill! By placing the toasted buns and grilled burgers on separate plates, you allow the juices to redistribute throughout the burgers and not just soak right into the buns. I recommend waiting 3-5 minutes before assembling the burgers. Just like you rest a steak, resting lamb burgers makes them more juicy and flavorful! And this process prevents your buns from getting soggy, so it’s a win-win!
- Always make sure your grill is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers to a hot grill is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Lamb burgers should be cooked over medium-high heat, between 350-400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Never flatten the burgers with a spatula while they’re on the grill. This will release all of the juicy flavor in the middle of the burger, creating a lamb burger that’s less flavorful and juicy.
- This recipe can be made on the stove. No grill? No problem! Simply cook the burgers on a grill pan, cast iron skillet, or the heaviest large skillet you have available. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the burger patties and cook for 5 minutes per side.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat the burgers on a grill, or in a skillet over medium-high heat, for 2-3 minutes per side.
What to serve with it
Pair the lamb burgers with any of these delicious side dishes!
Lamb Burger
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground lamb
- 2 tablespoons lamb seasoning, click link for the recipe
- ½ cup pickled beets, matchstick sliced
- ½ cup mint jelly
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup garlic aioli, or mayonnaise (see notes below)
- 4 pieces lettuce
- 1 tomato, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 brioche buns, or hamburger buns
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Combine the ground lamb and lamb seasoning. Portion out the seasoned meat into four 6 ounce patties. Press your thumb in the middle of each burger patty to indent it.
- Place the lamb burger patties on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until they’ve reached an internal temperature of 150°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- During the last minute on the grill, top each patty with ⅛ cup blue cheese crumbles. Remove the patties from the grill and let them rest while you toast the brioche buns on the grill.
- Remove the buns, spread garlic aioli (or mayo) on the bottom bun, add a piece of lettuce, sliced tomato and sliced red onion. Top with the burger patty. Add the mint jelly and pickled beets on top of the burger, then add the top bun and serve.
Notes
- To make your own garlic aioli, combine 5 crushed garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup mayonnaise.
Nutrition Facts
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