Lamb Patties With Fried Onions And Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Published July 7, 2021
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2pounds ground lamb
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- ½teaspoon ground coriander
- ½teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼cup finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
- ¼cup chopped cilantro
- 2tablespoons chopped mint
- ½teaspoon minced garlic (from 2 garlic cloves)
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1large onion, sliced into ¼-inch half-moons
- Pita or other flatbread, for serving (optional)
- 3tablespoons tahini
- 3tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)
- 2large garlic cloves, finely grated
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- 1½cups plain whole-milk yogurt
- Kosher salt
For the Burgers
For the Sauce
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
617 calories; 49 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 22 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 652 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put lamb in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, some black pepper, the cumin, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, scallions, cilantro, mint and garlic. Mix well with wet hands, kneading the mixture to distribute seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the seasoning penetrates. (Alternatively, season meat and refrigerate overnight.)
- Step 2
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, put tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne. Stir well to dissolve the tahini. Then stir in yogurt, and mix well. Taste and add salt, to taste.
- Step 3
Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. When oil is wavy, add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and well browned, edging toward burned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Lower heat if browning too quickly. Add a little more oil, if pan looks dry. Season lightly with salt. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Step 4
Light a charcoal grill for a medium hot bed of coals. (Alternatively, use a medium-hot gas or electric grill, a cast-iron pan or griddle, or a broiler.)
- Step 5
With wet hands, knead lamb mixture once more, then form into 4 (8-ounce) oval patties (or 6 5-ounce patties), about 1-inch thick. Set aside until the fire is ready. Place the grill about 1 inch from the coals.
- Step 6
Cook patties about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, 130 degrees. After flipping, cook until red juices appear on the top of the patties. For medium, 140 degrees, cook longer, about 5 minutes per side. In either case, let them rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes before serving, to keep in juices. They will continue cooking a bit as they rest.
- Step 7
Top each burger with fried onions. Serve with tahini-yogurt sauce and warm pita, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Great recipe, very Middle-eastern. In the Third World, (pricey) meat is often extended with a cheaper protein (egg or chickpea flour). An extra souring agent (chaat masala in South Asia, pomegranate molasses in Middle East) adds kick. Sample S. Asian recipe (using flatbread as wrap): food.ndtv.com/recipe-mutton-kathi-roll-236180 . (Use ground meat of your choice to save time: extra-firm tofu & paneer work great as meat substitutes).
Wow! This is one of the best lamb burgers ever! Seasonings were just right. I thought about skipping the onions--you know, frying on a summer afternoon--but glad I didn't. The sauce is great on both the burger as well as the flat bread. I think this is now my go-to lamb burger recipe.
This is a great recipe! It’s delicious and very adaptable. These are just some suggestions: -I made the fried onions, but my bf and I both agreed they really didn’t add much to the dish so I’d say you could skip them unless you really want them -we added sliced cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumber slices, and torn romaine lettuce to the sandwiches -added feta (to taste) to the tahini yogurt sauce So good!
These lamb patties are wonderfully spiced and the onions are fantastic. This is part of my regular rotation. Love this!
Drop the cinnamon if you wish and I use parsley in place of cilantro (for the members of my family who taste 'soap'). I also put in a bit more cayenne since they like it with sizzle.
That was truly delicious!! Made just as suggested with a side of Israeli salad. I made smaller burgers because I thought “we don’t need an 8 oz lamb burger!” But…we went back for seconds.