Greek-Inspired Lamb Burgers, the Martha Stewart Way
Lamb and burgers are not opposites.
- 1 bunch parsley
- 500g ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 3/4 cups of feta, drained and crumbled
- 3/4 cups of plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tomato, cored and coarsely chopped
- 4 brioche buns, preferably seeded, split
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Pluck parsley leaves and tender upper stems, discarding tough lower stems. Chop half of the parsley and gently fold into lamb just until evenly combined (do not overmix, or patties will be tough). Form into 4 patties slightly wider than buns, each about 1/2 inch thick. Season generously with salt and pepper; brush with oil.
- Stir together cheese, yogurt, and remaining 1/4 cup chopped parsley; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, stir together tomato, whole parsley leaves and tender stems, and oil; season with salt.
- Brush grates with oil and grill patties, flipping once, until charred in places and cooked to desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare; 9 to 11 minutes for medium. Transfer to a plate and let stand a few minutes. Meanwhile, grill split sides of buns just until charred in places, about 30 seconds.
- Divide patties, yogurt-feta sauce, and tomato salad evenly among buns.
- Serve immediately, with fries.
Lamb and burgers are not opposites. In Greek cooking they have always belonged together — minced lamb, herbs, yogurt, tomato, a soft bun or warm bread — and Martha Stewart’s Greek-inspired version is still one of the cleanest home-cook takes on that idea.
Stewart built the burger around parsley used three ways: folded into the lamb, stirred into a yogurt-feta sauce, and left in leaves with chopped tomato. The point is freshness against the richness of the meat, not another stack of bacon and processed cheese. Ground beef works if lamb is hard to find; lamb is the reason the burger tastes Greek.
The official recipe remains on Martha Stewart’s site as Grilled Lamb Burgers With Yogurt-Feta Sauce. It is a 40-minute grill job for four: season and form the parsley-lamb patties slightly wider than the buns, mix crumbled feta with Greek yogurt and more parsley, toss tomato with whole parsley leaves and olive oil, then grill the patties and toast the brioche. Medium-rare is about 5–7 minutes; medium closer to 9–11.
Rest the meat briefly so the juices stay in the patty, not on the plate.
What to keep in mind when you cook it now.
- Do not overwork the lamb or the burgers turn dense.
- Season the patties generously; lamb needs salt.
- Seeded brioche is Stewart’s call; a toasted pita is the more everyday Greek move if you want less sweetness.
- Double the yogurt-feta sauce if you are serving fries. It is better than ketchup with rosemary shoestring fries, which she suggests on the side.
- A ripe tomato matters more than a fancy bun.
