Lamb Kofta Burgers with Sumac Yogurt Sauce

Ground lamb seasoned with onions, tomatoes, parsley and allspice make the perfect Lamb Kofta Burgers. Grilled to perfection and then topped with a tangy Sumac Yogurt Sauce. These burgers are nothing like you have tasted before!!

In partnership with New Seasons Market

The best part of growing up with a strong Lebanese background is food, of course! I didn't grow up in Lebanon or really spend very much time there as a child, but my family always taught me about the culture and especially about the food, the most important part!!

As I journeyed my way through double cultural living as an American Lebanese, I learned to meld the two together. Taking traditional Lebanese cuisine and melding into American culture. As we approach Memorial Day, we begin to think about creating delicious food to be shared among friends and family. A truly American way of bonding.

Kofta is a common Middle Eastern dish and can be prepared in a number of ways. One of my favorite is simply grilled like a burger. It shares the same burger qualities but enhanced with spices and aromatics, taking a basic burger to an elevated flavor profile.

Finding good lamb, like they have in Lebanon is easy living in the Pacific Northwest. My local New Seasons Market carries Umpqua Valley Lamb which is local, pasture raised lamb. The fresh taste can't be beat and makes the perfect kofta burgers.

Ingredients

• Ground Lamb - Using ground lamb is so flavorful for these kofta burgers
• Onion - Diced onion incorporated into the kofta burger helps to keep them juicy
• Tomato - Fresh tomato adds flavor and keeps the burger moist
• Parsley - Chopped parsley gives kofta one of it's signature flavors, it's subtle but adds a depth of flavor
• Salt and allspice
• Yogurt - The base for our yogurt sumac sauce, I use a traditional plain yogurt, if using Greek, you may need to add a bit of water to thin
• Garlic - Using prepared toum or mashed garlic
• Sumac - Sumac spice is very tart and lemony, a great addition to the rich burger
• Salt

Making Kofta

Kofta is one of the easiest Lebanese dishes to prepare. A simple combination of ground lamb (or beef), onion, tomato, parsley and allspice create the ultimate flavor. The juices from the onions rendering while being grilled creates such a juicy burger that you'll add them to ALL your burgers!
I'm always thrilled to pick-up local fresh ingredients from New Seasons Market and especially love their bulk section for spices!

Kofta Burgers

1. In a large bowl, add your ground lamb, onion, tomato, parsley and spices.
2. Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients together until all are combined.
3. Begin shaping into round burger shaped patties, about ¼ pound each. You should be able to make 6 burgers with 1.5 pounds.
4. Make a hole in the center of your burger with your finger, this is supposed to help with keeping the burger the same size and not shrinking.
5. Place on heated medium/high grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-well.
6. Remove from heat and assemble on your choice of bread. Add lettuce, tomato, onion, yogurt sumac sauce and even some feta cheese for an added bonus.
7. Enjoy!

Yogurt Sumac Sauce

1. Combine all your ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined. If using raw garlic (not toum), mince, smash or use a garlic press then combine ingredients.

I've topped my Kofta Lamb Burgers with a yogurt sumac sauce. The tangy yogurt and lemony sumac help to balance the rich lamb flavor. Sumac is a special spice, one of my absolute favorites as it is one that is in za'atar blends. The hills of Lebanon create so much pure sumac, strong and full of flavor. It's often times hard to find something so close to compare. New Seasons Market carries so many unique spices in their bulk department, truly offering some of the best spices to enhance food. I adore their sumac as it's the closest I've found to what you can in Lebanon.

Finally, keeping with American tradition, I've piled these Kofta Lamb Burgers high on top of a fresh kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and a good drizzle of Yogurt Sumac Sauce. Or offer some Creamy Hummus for a dairy free option. Pair with this hearty Mediterranean Rice Salad for a complete meal.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and test it out at your next backyard BBQ. Elevating your burger to create something unique and special. As always, I love seeing your creations, tag me on Instagram or Facebook!! Don’t forget to Pin the recipe!
XOXO,
Cosette 

In partnership with New Seasons market, all opinions are my own.

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