Spiced Lamb Burgers
These super tasty lamb burgers are simple to throw together and use as the foundation for an easy meal. No eggs, breadcrumbs or other fillers needed, just ground lamb, plenty of spices, and some chopped herbs.
The hardest part is sourcing ground lamb from a reputable source. Most tasty will be from an organic farm mindful of their farming practices. If you find some good ground lamb, I recommend buying extra to stock your freezer with a few packages to have on hand for when you want to make these savory patties next. These are definitely a favorite dinner from my kitchen, made and enjoyed frequently.
One pound of lamb makes enough for two, perhaps with a bit leftover, but the recipe is easily doubled. You can grill the patties if that’s easy for you, but I usually cook them in a skillet on the stovetop.
These make a fine meal served with some seasoned yogurt, the most simple roasted potatoes, and perhaps some garden cucumbers sliced and sprinkled with salt and pepper or some steamed green veggies.
Spiced Lamb Burgers
1 pound ground lamb
1 garlic clove, pressed or grated
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
about 1/2-1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, depending on how seasoned you want them
some generous grinds of black pepper
a big pinch crumbled dried oregano (click here for instructions on drying your own 🌱 )
2-3 scallions, finely sliced OR about 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, or 2 tablespoons each chopped mint and cilantro if you have both
1/2 teaspoon ghee or tallow for cooking, optional
In a bowl with enough room to mix everything up, place lamb and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with your hands, making sure to distribute the seasonings throughout. You can let this sit for up to an hour at room temperature so the seasonings will penetrate, or you can even cover it and refrigerate overnight.
With dampened hands, form the lamb mixture into 4 flat patties. Try to make sure the center of each pattie is a bit less thick than the edges, so the patties stay flat while cooking.
If grilling, use a medium-high heat, and same for on the stove. Let your pan get hot, add a small amount of ghee or tallow and let that heat, then place the patties in the pan. Cook until medium-rare. which is 130 degrees if using a thermometer to check. Once done, let them rest for a few minutes. Transfer to plates and serve with yogurt and roasted potatoes and vegetable for a delicious meal!
For yogurt:
You can use any yogurt, but my favorite is a full fat Greek yogurt. Use about 1/2 cup for two people. In a bowl, mix together yogurt with salt to taste, some freshly ground black pepper, a dash of olive oil, and a half or whole garlic clove, pressed, if you desire. You can also add chopped herbs, but it’s great simple too. Just mix it all together, taste and adjust as you like, and that’s it!
For roasted potatoes:
For a long time, I have considered little red potatoes to be a kitchen staple. Why? Well, when you’re pressed for time or just want something easy to prepare to accompany your main dish, this uber simple, hands-off preparation does the trick. Just pop as many little potatoes as you want, whole, onto a baking sheet. I use my deluxe toaster oven, but any oven set to 425 degrees will work. Bake the potatoes; depending on the size, you will need to roast for 15-20 mins, at least until they have become soft when squeezed gently, if not a little longer for a little bit of crunchiness. Once tender, roll the hot potatoes onto a cutting board, and cut into halves or quarters. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper, drizzle with some olive oil or toss in some bits of butter, and toss well to distribute the fat. I love to also sprinkle on a few dashes of garlic powder too, and finely chopped herbs are nice too if you want. So easy and quick and good!