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Lamb Burgers with Cilantro Raita

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Michigan’s tease of summer has already come and gone. Evil, I tell you!

We had two days this week of 80 degree weather. Sunny. Gorgeous.

Lily got to run and play “soccer” (as much as a bulldog can anyways). I got to run outside, as did Mr. Prevention. We (he) cut the lawn not once, but twice, and of course, we cooked out. Several times.

This meal, however, took the cake.

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Friends of ours cook lamb often. I always enjoy it, though the only time I’ve ever cooked with lamb was in a Moroccan Lamb and Butternut Squash Chili…which was excellent. A boneless leg of lamb, however, is much more intimidating than ground lamb. I admit that my culinary skills are leaps and bounds ahead of what they once were and perhaps ahead of many home cooks, but when it comes to meat, I am pretty well outside my comfort zone once we’ve moved past chicken breasts.

Ground lamb is a baby step towards new meats in my house. This one? Fool-proof.

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Other than doubling up the garlic and putting the salt and pepper into the burgers rather than on them, I pretty much followed the recipe. Half lamb and half ground beef was the perfect compromise between very lean and moderate fat meats. Since there’s no cheese on the burger, the fat grams remain in check and the naturally fat-free Cilantro Raita is good enough to eat with a spoon. Rather than grating the cucumber, I finely chopped it for some texture.

As soon as summer comes back around, I’m going a second round with this recipe!

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Lamb Burgers with Cilantro Raita from Cooking Light (link no longer available)

Cilantro Raita:1/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 1/2 tsp serrano chile, minced (optional)
1/8 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 English cucumber, finely diced

Lamb Burgers:8 0z 90% lean ground beef
8 oz ground lamb
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 thin slices red onion
4 hamburger buns, toasted

Directions:

Combine the cilantro raita ingredients in a small bowl; stir well and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Gently combine beef, lamb, salt, and pepper, being careful not to overwork. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Once hot, add patties; cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Place 2 onion slices, and 1 patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun. Top each patty with 2 tablespoons raita and top half of bun.

Yield: 4 burgers

Nutrition Information (per burger with raita): 428 calories; 18.5 g. fat; 78 mg. cholesterol; 575 mg. sodium; 36.0 g. carbohydrate; 1.3 g. fiber; 27.8 g. protein; 5.5 g. sugar

Result: This Cilantro Raita was…phenomenal! The lamb-beef combination was great — you get the flavor of the lamb while still being lower in calories and fat than all lamb. The mint and cilantro were so refreshing. These are a favorite burger to date and incredibly easy to make. Enjoy!

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 TGIF! I have a very productive weekend planned ahead!

Be well,

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12 Comments

  1. Kim
    May 3, 2013 / 7:43 am

    I’ve never actually cooked with lamb before but these make me want to try it! They look absolutely fabulous – so summery! Now, if only I could get Brian to buy propane for the grill…

  2. Biz
    May 3, 2013 / 11:43 am

    It’s like a gyros burger – love it! I like the idea of combining beef with the lamb too. Enjoy your Friday – hopefully next week we’ll be back to normal weather!

    • Biz
      May 6, 2013 / 12:38 pm

      I am making these tonight Nicole – quick question though, I’ve never used lamb before, can I still cook my burgers medium, or do you cook them longer??

  3. dixya@food, pleasure, and health
    May 3, 2013 / 11:48 am

    I absolutely love lambs but its always super expensive or nonexistent in my grocery store. I would love to try this burger (minus the beef) with raita.

  4. Amy
    May 3, 2013 / 2:57 pm

    Here in California, we completely skipped past spring. We went from slightly chilly end-of-winter weather straight into 90° temperatures! Not fair… And I’m right there with you on meats. I stick to my chicken breasts like velcro. With any other meat, I hand off the chef’s apron to my guy. I’m working on the courage to prepare steak since it’s his favorite meal, but your lamb burgers sound like the next perfect step. Good for you!!!

  5. The Candid RD
    May 4, 2013 / 7:38 am

    Sounds wonderful Nicole. Lamb burgers are definitely something I’ve never made. And since Nick insists he’s “Allergic” to lamb, I may just have to make regular burgers with this cilantro raita!! Yum.

    P.S. I’m SO EXCITED to get your book. Seriously, I’ve been telling everyone!! It really looks awesome.

  6. Dianne
    May 4, 2013 / 5:30 pm

    WOW! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. We love gyros w/ raita, so I know we would love this. No place to get lamb close to us, will have to make a special trip up to Knoxville to the middle eastern grocery. 🙂

  7. Lynne
    May 5, 2013 / 8:15 am

    I only taste lamb whenever there is a chance for me to eat recipe, which involves Levantine Arab meat preparation. But I like the idea of eating burgers with onions and cilantro on it. The picture shows that the burger looks yummy, delicious and appetizing. Where can I get serrano chile and kosher salt? Are there alternative ingredients for it?

  8. Pingback: More Quiche and Lamb Burgers | My Bizzy Kitchen
  9. Renee@Mykitchenadventures
    May 7, 2013 / 9:49 am

    Love that the two meats are mixed together. I’ve never done that. I will have to give a try with my Greek Style Lamb burger…which I love!

  10. Pingback: More Quiche and Lamb Burgers | My Bizzy Kitchen
  11. Pingback: More Quiche and Lamb Burgers - My Bizzy Kitchen

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