Saganaki Lamb Burger

While making a classic smash burger is pretty great, I also like to sometimes push the boundaries on my burgers by trying out different flavour profiles and combinations. This Saganaki Lamb Burger was probably the best lamb burger I've ever had, made with a double smash lamb patty, grilled halloumi and the most incredible Greek salad dip ever. If you're asking what Saganaki is, it is a Greek-style fried cheese (and then set on fire table-side), with a soft melty interior and crispy golden exterior. The standard cheese for this Greek dish is kefalotyri, and if you can find it, you can definitely use it, but this recipe calls for halloumi cheese instead. A step you don't want to miss of this recipe, is to finely shave onions and smash them into your lamb burgers. The onions grill up and caramelize so nicely and add a great flavour to the burger. Lastly, don't skimp on the garlicky, salty, feta, olive and artichoke Greek salad dip, it adds a coolness and creaminess to the burger you don't want to skip. My final pro tip, just make sure to keep your eyebrows out of the way when you're making your Saganaki. To find out how to make my Saganaki Lamb Burger recipe, keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.

Divide the ground lamb in two equal portions and rolls each into a ball. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

To make the Greek salad dip, in a bowl, finely grate the garlic and lemon zest and add the finely chopped Kalamata olives.

Remove the seeds from the cucumber, finely chop and add to the bowl. Crumble in the feta. Finely chop the marinated artichoke hearts and add to the bowl.

Add in the Greek yogurt. Mix. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon and season with salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

Slice the halloumi into ¼ inch thick slices.

Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, thinly shave the red onion. Shred the lettuce and slice the tomato.

Place the balls of lamb on the plancha and place a handful of the shaved onions on top. Let the lamb cook, as-is, while you make the halloumi.

Add the slices of halloumi to the plancha and carefully pour the vodka over it, being careful of the flare up from the centre fire pit. Cook one minute and flip. Cook a minute or two more. Remove once golden and crispy.

Using a metal spatula or burger press, smash the lamb burgers on the plancha. Allow to cook about three minutes, flip and cook about three minutes more or until cooked through.

Toast the buns on the grill. Add 2-3 slices of halloumi to each lamb burger.

Stack the burgers on top of each other and place on the bottom bun, remove from the grill.

Top the burgers with lettuce and tomato. Spread the Greek salad dip on the top bun and close the burger.

And now for the full recipe...

Saganaki Lamb Burger

Makes 1 burger

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

½ lb ground lamb

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 garlic cloves

Lemon zest and juice from 1 lemon

4-5 Kalamata olives

¼ English cucumber

2 tbsp feta

3 marinated artichokes (hearts) 

4 tbsp Greek yogurt

Salt

Pepper

6 slices halloumi cheese

½ oz vodka

1/3 red onion

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

4 tomato slices 

Sesame seed bun

How to Make the Saganaki Lamb Burger

Divide the ground lamb in two equal portions and rolls each into a ball. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

To make the Greek salad dip, in a bowl, finely grate the garlic and lemon zest and add the finely chopped Kalamata olives. Remove the seeds from the cucumber, finely chop and add to the bowl. Crumble in the feta. Finely chop the marinated artichoke hearts and add to the bowl, then add in the Greek yogurt. Mix. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon and season with salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

Slice the halloumi into ¼ inch thick slices. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, thinly shave the red onion. Shred the lettuce and slice the tomato.

Place the balls of lamb on the plancha and place a handful of the shaved onions on top. Let the lamb cook, as-is, while you make the halloumi.

Add the slices of halloumi to the plancha and carefully pour the vodka over it, being careful of the flare up from the centre fire pit. Cook one minute and flip. Cook a minute or two more. Remove once golden and crispy.

Using a metal spatula or burger press, smash the lamb burgers on the plancha. Allow to cook about three minutes, flip and cook about three minutes more or until cooked through.

Toast the buns on the grill. Add 2-3 slices of halloumi to each lamb burger and then stack the burgers on top of each other and place on the bottom bun. Remove everything from the grill and top the burgers with lettuce and tomato. Spread the Greek salad dip on the top bun and close the burger.

Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss out on a new recipe, follow me on all my social channels @chefmattbasile and check out my new project @alchemygrills for updates, recipes and videos.