Make This Spiced Lamb Burger the Star Off Your Next Cookout

Summer is upon us, as is the scent of patties sizzling on grills in backyards across America. If you’re looking to go beyond the classic beef burger this season, consider this spiced lamb burger from the Institute of Culinary Education.

The instructions below call for a spice grinder, but you can still whip up the dish’s spice blend without the special equipment. Chef Barbara Rich, a culinary arts chef-instructor and assistant director of education at ICE, says you can also use a mortar and pestle to grind the spices—though that requires a bit of elbow grease. Buying pre-packaged ground spices is another option, though you‘ll be sacrificing taste for convenience. Freshly pulverized spices tend to have a deeper flavor and stronger aroma than the pre-ground stuff. 

If you do have whole spices, begin the recipe by grabbing a sauté pan and heating the cumin, coriander, fennel, black peppercorns, and cinnamon without any oils or other fats. When the ingredients give off an aroma, turn off the heat and let them cool down. Next, use your spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the toasted spices. 

Add the blend to the cayenne, paprika, garlic, salt, and lamb, and mix all the ingredients well. After allowing the meat to marinate covered for an hour, form it into four 4-ounce patties. Pour a bit of neutral oil, such as canola, into a pan over medium heat, and sear each patty to medium well (about six to eight minutes on each side). Serve with lettuce and tomato on the bun of your choice.

As one of the world’s largest culinary schools, the ICE welcomes food fanatics of all stripes—whether you‘re into health-focused cooking, pastry baking, or anything in between. With campuses in New York and Los Angeles, there‘s always something new to learn (and taste). Head to ICE’s website to explore more.

Spiced Lamb Burger Recipe

Yields: 4 4-oz burgers

Burger patties:

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

½ stick cinnamon, broken up

Large pinch cayenne

2 teaspoons paprika

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound ground lamb

Garnish:

Boston lettuce

Sliced tomato

Grilled or toasted hamburger buns

1. In a small sauté pan, dry-roast the cumin, coriander, fennel, black peppercorns, and cinnamon. As soon as you get the aroma, turn off the heat and allow the spices to cool. Using a spice grinder, puree the toasted spices.

2. Blend the ground spices with the cayenne, paprika, garlic, salt, and lamb. Mix thoroughly to combine.

3. Let it sit covered for 1 hour for the flavor to bloom.

4. Form four 4-ounce patties. Over medium heat with a bit of neutral oil (such as canola), pan sear to medium well, approximately 6 to 8 minutes per side.

5. Serve the burgers on buns with lettuce and tomato.

You can freeze the raw patties for later if you’d like. Just place them on individual pieces of parchment paper and stack them, ensuring there’s paper between each burger. Stick the patties in a freezer bag or an airtight container before popping them into your freezer. 

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