Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki and Pesto

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This recipe for juicy, gently spiced Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki and homemade pesto are quick and easy enough to make on busy weeknights. Serve them by themselves for a quick meal, or with a fat handful of fancy salted crisps, potato wedges or some air fryer French Fries (yum!)

Lamb burger with tomato, cucumber ribbons, tzatziki and pesto on a white marble countertop.

There is just something about a Greek-inspired Lamb Burger that just screams summer. And they're so simple to make, either at the last minute or simply when you've got a moment, ready for later. They're a great shout for a family dinner as they're something everyone will love, but work great for entertaining too.

So, what makes our lamb burgers special?

Well, first we've got juicy, spiced lamb with no extra fillers. Just tender meat and lots of flavour.

Next, we've got a creamy homemade tzatziki to cut through the richness of the lamb. It's a great sauce to have on hand for Greek-style wraps and sandwiches, or even to serve with flatbreads as a dip.

Then, not quite sticking with the Greek theme, we've added a slick of homemade basil pesto. We love it as it adds a little brightness and vibrancy with that extra layer of flavour.

Finally, onto toasted brioche buns we've got fat, juicy tomato slices, and cucumber ribbons: an easy, beautiful way of serving the flavour and crunch of cucumbers in your burgers without adding more water which will make your burger fall apart. Clever, right?

Seriously we think this is the perfect recipe for lamb burgers (with tzatziki!)

Ingredients

lamb mince (don't go for lean mince as it's the fat in the burger that helps hold it together!)
garlic
ground cumin
ground coriander
paprika (sweet smoked is best here, but go for hot smoked it you want your burgers to have a bit of spice!)
salt (something fine for seasoning)
brioche burger buns (Marks & Spencer do our favourite supermarket version)
Greek yogurt (full fat works best here as it is thicker: you don't want a runny tzatziki in your burger!)
cucumber
fresh mint (dill would make a good substitution)
tomato
pine nuts
parmesan (pecorino or grana padano would make good substitutes)
fresh basil
olive oil (nothing too strong or grassy as it is being blitzed into a pesto)
fresh lemon juice

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to make the sauces? What else could I serve in these lamb burgers?

Obviously we LOVE this dreamy tzatziki / pesto combo, but if you're looking for a speedier option crumbled feta would work in place of the tzatziki (or, our fave feta brand Odysea make a creamy feta and yogurt spread that's absolutely dreamy) and of course your favourite pre-made pesto would work here too. Or you can leave the pesto out. It adds an extra layer of flavour, but you do really want something creamy with the lamb burgers.

Can I make this recipe for lamb burgers with tzatziki ahead?

Yes, the pesto, tzatziki and the burgers (uncooked) can be made a few hours in advance and kept in the fridge for easy entertaining.

Do I have to plan fry then bake the burgers? Can I grill them or cook them on the barbecue instead?

We find baking lamb burgers the easiest no-fuss method for weeknights, but you could grill them, barbecue them or air fry them! Just keep in mind that lamb mince gives off A LOT of fat which catches fire and smokes easily so keep an eye on them!!

Two cooked lamb burgers on a lined oven tray.

To Make The Burgers

Add the lamb mince to the bowl along with the minced garlic, spices, a dash of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Mix together with your hands, and shape into two burger patties. Hint: if you're not sure of the seasoning (not enough salt can make or break a lamb burger!) fry a little pinch of the seasoned mince off in a frying pan with a splash of oil. Then you can taste it and see if the burgers need more!

In a nonstick frying pan fry the burgers on each side until golden, then place in the oven for about 7 minutes until cooked through.

Grated cucumber being strained in a kitchen towel.

White bowl of tzatziki garnished with fresh mint.

To Make The Tzatziki

Meanwhile, grate ½ the cucumber and place it on top of a clean towel. Use the towel to squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to the yogurt along with some chopped mint and another good pinch of salt.

Pesto ingredients in the body of a bullet blender.

White bowl of green pesto with a silver spoon.

To Make The Pesto

Simply blitz all the pesto ingredients in a blender until smooth!

Hand holding a lamb burger in a brioche bun with salad, tzatziki and pesto.

Lamb burgers pictured close up on a white countertop.

To Assemble The Burgers

Slice the tomato and use a peeler to create cucumber ribbons.

In a dry pan, lightly toast the brioche buns. Hint: if you're working in a small kitchen, you can do this in the same pan just before you cook the lamb burgers. Alternatively, you can toast the cut sides of the buns under the grill (but be careful to watch them as the sugar in the brioche means they can go from toasted to burnt in just moments!) or if you're not too fussy about presentation you can also pop them in the toaster on it's lowest setting.

Assemble the burgers with the tzatziki, pesto, a couple of slices of tomato, some cucumber ribbons and one of the patties.