Free Dinner Recipes E-book!   Download Now

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Almond Eater logo

  • Browse Recipes
    • Recipes by Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Sides
      • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge
    • Recipes by Diet
      • Vegetarian
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Vegan
      • Mediterranean Diet
      • Paleo
      • Whole30
  • Meet Erin
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Browse Recipes +
    • Recipes by Course +
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Sides
      • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge
    • Recipes by Diet +
      • Vegetarian
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Vegan
      • Mediterranean Diet
      • Paleo
      • Whole30
  • About Erin
  • Contact

Home » Recipes » Dinner

Lamb Burgers with Pesto Whipped Feta

By Erin · July 26, 2020 · Updated September 27, 2021 · 5 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
Gluten Free

These lamb burgers can be made on the grill or over the stovetop and are topped with the most delicious pesto whipped feta. They're loaded with flavor and easy to make--a must-try! 

burger on a plate

Well, we did it! We finally bought a grill. I'm not sure what took us so long, but now that we have one, I kind of want to grill EVERYTHING.

Admittedly, lamb is one of my favorite meats. I like it in bowls and in meatball form too. I don't eat it super often, so when I do eat it, it feels like a treat. These lamb burgers with feta might be my favorite recipe yet! You can grill them OR cook them on the stovetop, so really, they're a year-round recipe.

Recipe features

  • Lamb on its own is very flavorful, so you don't need a ton of extra ingredients for it to taste good. These burgers are made with minimal ingredients but are incredibly flavorful.
  • They can be grilled or cooked on the stovetop, whatever method is easier for you.
  • They're topped with pesto-whipped feta, which if you haven't tried it, is the BEST way to eat feta cheese.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the burgers. Add the ground lamb, garlic, salt, and pepper to a bowl and stir to combine. Use your hands to form the mixture into 5 burgers, then cook them on the grill or in a skillet. Plan to cook the burgers for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on how "done" you want your burgers to be.

uncooked burgers on a plate

Step 2: Make the pesto: Add ALL of the pesto ingredients to your food processor and then pulse for 20-30 seconds.

spinach and basil in a food processor

Step 3: Add the feta: Leave the pesto in your food processor, then add the feta ingredients into the food processor as well and pulse until everything looks like the photo below (a mostly smooth texture).

whipped feta in a food processor

Tips and FAQs

  • Don't overwork the meat; otherwise, it'll be too dry. Instead, gently use your hands to form the meat into burgers.
  • A new tip I recently learned: once the meat is formed into burgers, use your thumb to press into the middle of each one, creating an indent. This helps the burgers to cook more evenly!
  • If you're cooking these in a skillet rather than on a grill, I recommend using a cast iron skillet, heating it over medium-high and cooking for around the same length of time (4-5 minutes per side).

How should I serve these?

Lamb burgers are delicious as pictured on a whole wheat bun, or you could serve it on top of a spinach or arugula salad. Though I love whipped feta, homemade tzatziki (paleo-friendly!) would be a delicious topping, as would tomato, greens of any kind, olives, red onion, and/or cucumbers.

Any side dishes to go alongside this recipe?

  • Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
  • Tomato Bacon Green Bean Salad
  • Fried Halloumi Lentil Salad
  • Feta Harissa Roasted Carrots
  • The BEST Roasted Artichokes
  • Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad (without the tuna)

A sandwich sitting on top of a plate of food on a table, with Feta and Cheese

More burger recipes

  • Pan-Seared Salmon Burgers
  • Asian Quinoa Burgers
  • Cheesy Broccoli Potato Burgers

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!

burger on a plate

Lamb Burgers with Pesto Whipped Feta

These lamb burgers can be made on the grill or on a stovetop and are topped with a must-try pesto whipped feta.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 burgers
Author: Erin

Ingredients

for the burgers:

  • 1 lb. ground lamb
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

for the whipped feta:

  • 4 oz. feta cheese softened
  • ¼ cup plain cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoon milk any kind
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup spinach or arugula
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

  • For the burgers: add all ingredients to a bowl, then mix it together with your hands. Once everything is combined, form the mixture into 5 burgers. Then, use your thumb to press down into the center of each burger, which will help them cook more evenly.
  • Heat your grill as you normally would, OR heat a skillet with 2 tablespoon olive oil, then add the burgers and cook until the meat is done to your liking, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
  • For the whipped feta: add the basil, spinach/arugula, garlic, and olive oil to a food processor and pulse until everything is combined. Then, add the feta, cream cheese, and milk and pulse until the pesto and feta are mixed together. You may need to pour everything into a bowl and stir by hand a bit if your processor won't completely mix it.
  • To assemble: place burgers on a bun, then top them off with a spoonful of pesto whipped feta.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are an estimation and are per burger with approximately 2 tablespoon of the whipped feta on top
Tip: Use your thumb to create a dent in the center of each burger before cooking, which will help them cook more evenly. I recently learned this tip (hence why the photo doesn't reflect this), but it works well so I'm recommending it. 

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!

UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally created in August 2018. It was updated with new text in July 2020.

« Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
Vodka Rigatoni »

About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz says

    January 30, 2023 at 10:23 pm

    5 stars
    Yum

    Reply
  2. phyllis says

    August 04, 2019 at 10:25 am

    I love rosemary with lamb, so I substituted the basil with rosemary and it was delicious thank you!!

    Reply
  3. Nancy says

    July 28, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe has officially made it into our regular rotation (this is the second time I am making it this month! The more you trim your basil plant, the fuller it gets - so this recipe actually helps your plant!

    Reply
  4. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says

    August 23, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    whipped feta?!? YUM.

    Reply
  5. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says

    August 23, 2018 at 6:29 am

    This is my kind of burger! I have a weakness for lamb burgers and if there is ever one on a menu at a restaurant I have to order it. Love this idea, and the idea of this whipped feta with pesto. I bet the combination tastes amazing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

girl in kitchen

Hi, I'm Erin!

I share recipes for ALL diet types because I believe that healthy food should be incredibly delicious without being complicated. Learn more

Seasonal Picks

pasta salad made with mediterranean ingredients

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

bowl with lemon orzo salad beside a small dish of chopped fresh basil

Lemon Orzo Salad

cake on a cake stand with a slice cut out

Vegan Carrot Cake

berries and ice cream in a bowl

Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp

Popular Recipes

pasta, peas and sausage in a skillet

Italian Chicken Sausage Pasta

bowl with ground pork and vegetables

Banh Mi Bowl (Paleo, Whole30)

a bowl of pasta with lentils and red sauce

Lentil Bolognese Recipe (Vegan + Gluten Free)

sweet potato brownies

Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies

dog eating cake

Mini Dog Birthday Cake

Caramelized Onion Spaghetti Squash | squash filled with onions, mushrooms and kale for a healthy, vegetarian meal | thealmondeater.com

Caramelized Onion Spaghetti Squash

As Featured On

Footer

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • The Almond Eater Monthly Cooking Challenge

Copyright© 2023 | The Almond Eater. Site Credit

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter