Gordon Ramsay’s lamb burger recipe is 600g of lamb mince mixed with za’atar, shaped into thick patties and seared in a smoking hot pan for 4 minutes per side. Topped with harissa yoghurt, preserved lemon salsa and roasted peppers, it’s done in under 15 minutes.
The recipe is from Ramsay in 10, where he says “lamb mince is perfect for burgers because it’s naturally fatty and therefore holds together without needing to add an egg to bind it.” Two ingredients in the patty: mince and za’atar. That’s it.
That simplicity is the whole point. Most lamb burger recipes overload the mince with breadcrumbs, egg, onion and herbs until it turns into a meatball. Ramsay skips all of it because the fat in the lamb does the binding, and the za’atar handles the seasoning on its own.
Gordon Ramsay’s Lamb Burger
Course: DinnerCuisine: Middle Eastern, BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes8
minutes580
kcal18
minutesZa’atar-spiced lamb burgers with harissa yoghurt and preserved lemon from Ramsay in 10. Two-ingredient patties, no egg, no breadcrumbs, just lamb mince and za’atar seared smoking hot. One of three Ramsay lamb mince recipes cross-referenced with Ultimate Home Cooking. Approximately 580 kcal per serving.
Ingredients
- For the Patties:
600g (1 lb 5 oz) lamb mince
2 heaped tbsp za’atar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
- For the Harissa Yoghurt:
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 heaped tbsp harissa paste
- For the Topping:
1 small red onion, very finely sliced
1 small preserved lemon, flesh discarded, peel finely chopped
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
Juice of half a lemon
240g (8.5 oz) roasted peppers from a jar, cut into strips
- For Serving:
4 burger buns
Half a butter lettuce, shredded
Directions
- Mix the patties: Put the lamb mince in a bowl with the za’atar, salt and pepper. Mix with clean hands. Divide into 4 equal pieces, roll into balls and press gently into thick patties.
- Heat the pan: Place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Drizzle with a little oil.
- Sear the burgers: Cook for 4 minutes without moving. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side.
- Make the salsa: While the burgers cook, slice the red onion finely. Chop the preserved lemon peel (discard the flesh). Toss with the coriander leaves and squeeze the lemon juice over the top.
- Make the harissa yoghurt: Stir the harissa paste into the natural yoghurt.
- Add the peppers: Cut the roasted peppers into strips and lay them over the burgers in the pan. Remove from the heat.
- Build the burger: Spread harissa yoghurt on the bun lids. Stir the shredded lettuce into the remaining yoghurt and spoon onto the bottom halves. Place the burgers on top, spoon over the onion and preserved lemon salsa, and close.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay only use za’atar in the lamb patties?
Most lamb burger recipes add breadcrumbs, egg, grated onion and herbs to the mince. Ramsay skips all of it in Ramsay in 10. He says lamb is “naturally fatty” so it holds together on its own without a binder, and za’atar gives enough flavour without cluttering the patty.
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern mix of dried thyme or oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. It adds earthy, nutty and slightly sour notes all at once, which is why one spice blend replaces the five or six individual herbs other recipes call for.
What is harissa yoghurt?
Natural yoghurt with a heaped tablespoon of harissa paste stirred through. Ramsay uses it two ways: half goes on the bun lid, half gets shredded lettuce stirred into it as a dressed salad on the bottom bun.
Harissa is a Tunisian paste made from red peppers sun-dried until they turn deep and crispy, then ground with garlic, cumin and spices. It’s eaten with almost everything in Tunisia, including just spread on bread. Most UK supermarkets stock it now (Belazu and Bart’s are easy to find), so buy the real thing rather than trying to fake it with paprika and cayenne.
What should you serve alongside lamb burgers?
Ramsay serves his with chips or potato wedges in the book. His coleslaw is my go-to because the crunch and vinegar cut through the fatty lamb, and his burger sauce works as a second condiment alongside the harissa yoghurt.
Keep the sides light. Lamb is richer than beef, so a simple green salad with lemon dressing works better than heavy loaded fries. The harissa yoghurt already brings enough richness on its own.
Can you use a different spice blend?
Ramsay has three different lamb mince recipes across his books, each with a different spice profile. In Ultimate Home Cooking, his lamb koftas use mint and yoghurt dressing. In another cookbook, his galouti kebabs use garam masala, coriander and pineapple juice as a tenderiser.
All three follow the same principle: season the lamb with one bold spice mix, don’t add filler. If you want a completely different approach to lamb, his roast leg of lamb takes the same animal in a whole different direction with cider, honey and apple gravy.
How do you stop lamb burgers falling apart?
Ramsay’s answer is simple: don’t add anything that dilutes the fat. Lamb mince from shoulder is fatty enough to bind itself, so breadcrumbs and egg are unnecessary. Press the patties gently into thick shapes rather than thin ones, and don’t move them for the full 4 minutes so a proper crust forms.
Cold patties hold together better than room-temperature ones, so shape them and chill for 10 to 15 minutes if you have time. The crust that forms on the hot pan is what locks the patty together, which is why Ramsay insists on a smoking hot pan and no touching.
