Skip the basic burger! Creating grilled lamb burgers filled and topped with the quintessential ingredients of the Mediterranean region is an easy task. Olives, roasted peppers, lemon, garlic, mint… the one thing sure to to show up to the party is flavor!
These grilled lamb burgers with herb lemon tahini sauce are grilled to perfection!
Kevin and I love a great burger. You know the kind….fluffy bun topped with a meaty patty that’s piled high in flavorful toppings?
You just can’t go wrong with a burger! Burgers can be made with just about any meat (or veggie) and the topping options are endless! So when we were planning a dinner party for my step-father Barry, we thought we’d make the ultimate grilled lamb burgers.
Barry LOVES lamb. Growing up, we would purchase a whole lamb from the butcher each year, so we ate it super often. Maybe a little too often because it took me a long time to come around to the idea of cooking lamb at home. But lets just say that I’m over that now.
How to make Mediterranean Lamb Burgers
Lamb makes a perfect burger because it is has a nice amount of fat in it. Fat in a burger = juicy!!!! But to make sure we grilled the most juicy burgers possible we added lots of Mediterrean inspired flavors to our patties. (I guess I have a thing for Mediterranean burgers? Do you remember this awesome recipe for Turkey Tabouleh Burgers? LOL! What can I say? I love the intense flavors of the region).
Everyone knows that to get the best tasting burger, you have to start with the patty! So we added olives, garlic, roasted red peppers, lemon zest, fresh oregano and spices to the lamb. The goal is the let those ingredients marinate into the meat. Not only does this add flavor, but moisture. That way when the meat is grilled, the lamb is infused with seasoning while also self-basting from the inside out.
After the grilling comes the bling! For a pop of freshness, we topped our grilled lamb burgers with an herbed lemon tahini spread. The sauce is delicious in it’s own right. So much so, I could eat it with a spoon! It’s got all the classic ingredients that make your mouth water like honey, lemon, garlic, and fresh mint.
But you know a Vintage Kitty recipe has to go one step further! For a little extra glam, we added pickled onions because I am so hooked on them right now! But you can also add feta, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers….
In fact, that’s one of the reasons these grilled lamb burgers make a great dinner party main course! Put out a spread of toppings for your dinner guests to choose from and then watch how unique each burger will be. You can tell a lot about a person from the burgers they build! Am I right?
What are your favorite burger toppings? Leave me a comment below to inspire my next burger recipe!
Grilled Lamb Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
Grilled Lamb Burgers
- 2 lbs ground lamb
- 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives , finely chopped
- 1 cup roasted red peppers , finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano , finely chopped
- zest of two lemons
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon hot chili powder
- 6 hamburger buns
Herbed Lemon Tahini Sauce
- 6 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup tahini
- juice of two lemons
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 bunches fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
Optional Toppings
- Pickled onions
- Feta cheese
Instructions
Grilled Lamb Burgers
- In a bowl, mix together ground lamb, olives, garlic, roasted peppers, lemon zest, oregano, chili powder, and black pepper and then shape into 6 patties.
- Preheat your grill for high heat.
- Sear burgers over direct heat. Once the outside has nice grill marks, move the burgers to indirect heat and let cook until the internal temperature of the burgers reach 160F
- Grill buns if desired.
Herbed Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Combine the tahini, lemon juice, honey and garlic in a blender and process until smooth.
- Add the parsley and mint and pulse until the herbs are chopped.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serving
- Place burgers on buns and smear with tahini sauce
- Add additional condiments like pickled onions and feta if desired.
Notes
- The burger patties can be made ahead! I suggest one day in the fridge or up to one month in the freezer. Make sure to tightly wrap your burgers.
- Tahini sauce can prepped too! It keeps up to 3 days in the refridgerator.
- To save on calories cut the tahini sauce in half. The portion as listed is intended to be served on the table and you never know how much guests will pile on their burgers!
- Make this recipe extra special with homemade brioche burger buns! Learn how to make this classic bread from Foodal.
Nutrition
Love these flavors? Do you have leftover cucumbers and feta? Then this quinoa salad with feta is for you!
You might also like:
Colorful Potato Salad
Take your picnic from boring to wow with this Colorful Potato Salad recipe. Fresh veggies, herbs and spices make this salad pop.
Orange Chai Iced Tea
Orange Chai Iced Tea will make your summer cool and sweet. There isn’t a more classic way to relax with friends on a hot day.
Lemon Icebox Pie
Lemon Icebox Pie is sweet, tart, creamy, nutty and best served cold! This mouthwatering icebox pie hits the spot when the thermometer soars!
Sabrina says
Now THIS is my kind of burger! Bursting with flavor…I’m especially loving the herbed lemon tahini sauce!
Vintage Kitty says
Mine too! You won’t find me eating a burger with just ketchup!
Lalaine says
I don’t care too much for the strong taste of lamb but these burgers make me want to dive right in! Gorgeous photos!
Vintage Kitty says
I get that. Lamb can be a challenge, but strong flavors and grilling tame the greasy, strong flavor.
Julie says
That sauce is everything!
Vintage Kitty says
Isn’t it?
Katerina says
My husband would LOVE this burger!! It looks SO delicious!!
Vintage Kitty says
Save the recipe for when you need a little marital leverage ;-)
Jessica says
I’m not a big fan of lamb but for some reasons I love lamb burgers! These looks absolutely juicy and delicious, I like the addition of peppers with the meat.
Vintage Kitty says
I think the aversion to lamb is common. But when you eat it grilled or in Indian or Mediterranean food the flavors are better balanced.
Linda says
I’m a fan of lamb, and this burger looks fantastic! I love the layer of flavors with the pickled onions and tahini sauce.
Vintage Kitty says
What is a burger without all the layers? Sadness!
Brynn McDowell says
oh my gosh, these look so juicy and delicious! and that tahini sauce sounds amazing. definitely going to fire up the grill for this recipe.
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Brynn! Enjoy!
Jenni LeBaron says
I love a good lamb burger but these look extra spectacular. The roasted red peppers and hot chili powder really kick these up a notch – yum!
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Jenni!
Anna says
That lemon tahini sauce sounds and looks like a dream! We will be having the last BBQ of the season this weekend, and I think I will be giving this recipe a go!
Vintage Kitty says
Awesome! Have a great weekend!
Elaine says
I so much agree with you – it is hard to go wrong with a good tasty burger! And there are so many different ways to make it special every time you make one!
Vintage Kitty says
Yes! Is there such a thing as a bad burger?
Chef Markus Mueller says
Great choice of flavours! Big fan of lamb burger/kebabs/skewers etc. The Mediterranean flavor combo is one of my favorites with lamb, and I love that you included tahini! Most folks just use it in hummus but it has some many more uses!
Vintage Kitty says
Tahini is so great in dressings! I only wish it had less calories! Otherwise I’d slather it on everything!
Claire says
My husband is such a big fan of burgers and he’s always on the look out for his next favorite. I’ll definitely have to pass this along to him. I’m sure he’d love it!
Vintage Kitty says
Oh he’ll love it Claire!
Michele says
Those burgers look truly mouth-watering! I am loving the whole idea of that gorgeous tahini sauce too. TOO delish!
Vintage Kitty says
Thanks Michele!
Heather says
Gorgeous burger and what a great combination of flavors .. perfect for busy weeknights and lazy weekends alike! Very creative and super hearty!
Vintage Kitty says
Yes, it’s a great all-round burger!
Nicole says
I swear pickled onions doesn’t get the props it deserves. They are so good on burgers!
Vintage Kitty says
I agree!
Shanna Jones says
My husband LOVES lamb and I so surprised he has yet to make a lamb burger! I’ll definitely be sharing your recipe with him. And that sauce looks amazing!
Vintage Kitty says
I hope he loves it Shanna!
Sally Humeniuk says
The combination of all these ingredients has my mouth watering! That Tahini sauce is brilliant, also. Great recipe, thanks for sharing. :)
Vintage Kitty says
You’re welcome Sally!
Dana says
That sauce is *totally* calling for me! I’m all heart eyes over here! I love a classic burger and all, but I’m always ready to step outside of the box and get creative. I mean, it’s just so much FUN with burgers! I love what you did here, and I can’t wait to try it out.
Vintage Kitty says
You’re so sweet Dana! Burgers can be so much fun!
Sadie says
I’ve tried a few different sauces with lamb burgers and this is the best one so far. It’s excellent! There’s a kick from the garlic, which is nicely balanced by the tahini, honey and mint. I halved the recipe and cut back a bit on the parsley. I used a different recipe for the burgers, but this will be my go-to sauce from now on, and not just for lamb burgers. I think it would be great on a sandwich or beef burger as well.
Vintage Kitty says
Hi Sadie! I’m happy to hear you like the tahini sauce. Happy cooking!