3 Easy Ground Lamb Recipes (2024)

Choosing ground lamb is an easy way to make quick every day meals.

Lamb is among the most common meats consumed throughout the world. It’s a flavorful, tender meat that lends itself well to a variety of flavors and spices. Ground lamb recipes are healthy, versatile, affordable and delicious. Try lamb in meatballs, tacos, burgers, or stir fry’s, scroll down for three of my favorite ground lamp recipes.

It’s especially flavorful when you pair your ground lamb meat with globally-inspired spices:

Asian Spices– Curry, Ginger, Mustard seed

Mediterranean Spices– Greek Oregano, Garlic, Lemon Peel, Mint

Latin Spices – Cumin, Ancho or Chipotle Chile Powder, Garlic

Middle Eastern Spices – Coriander, Paprika, Cinnamon

Morroccan Inspired spice mix for ground lamb meatballs – Use a mixture of Cumin, Paprika, Coriander, Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Allspice, Garlic, Cloves & Cayenne Pepper.

Lamb can turn ordinary ground beef recipes into a journey of global flavors that your whole family will enjoy!

Grilled Lamb Burgers with Green Onions in Pita Recipe

3 Easy Ground Lamb Recipes (1)

Burger Ingredients
2 pounds certified halal American ground lamb
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

8 medium pita breads, whole wheat or regular, cut into halves
Olive oil for brushing

Cucumber Yogurt Ingredients (optional)
2 cups finely chopped or shredded cucumber
2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon crushed dried mint
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
– Drain cucumber of any liquid and combine with the yogurt, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Serve chilled.

Directions
In a large bowl combine lamb, green onions, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt.

Preheat grill or grill pan. Stuff the pita bread halves with the lamb mixture, spreading and filling to edges.

Brush the pita on each side with olive oil and grill until the filling is cooked through and the pita brown and crispy, 5-7 minutes per side. Let cool 5 minutes before serving with cucumber yogurt sauce, if desired.

Pasta with Ground Lamb, Broccolini, and Pecorino Recipe

3 Easy Ground Lamb Recipes (2)

Pasta Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp kosher salt
1 pound orecchiette pasta
1 bunch broccolini (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season it with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until almost tender but still a little underdone, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add the broccolini to the pot and cook 3 minute more, until the pasta is al dente and the broccolini is bright green and crisp-tender. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or other large pot. Add the lamb and break it up into small chunks. cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is deeply browned and a little crispy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the pepper flakes (to taste), season with 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook about 1 minute longer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the pasta and broccolini into the pot with the lamb. Add the reserved cooking water and continue cooking about 1 to 2 minutes more, to allow the pasta to absorb the flavors. Sprinkle in about 1/2 cup of the cheese and stir to combine well. Serve the pasta in warm bowls with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese sprinkled over the top.

Ground Lamb & Goat Cheese Pizza Recipe

3 Easy Ground Lamb Recipes (3)

Pizza Ingredients
1 package pre-made whole grain or almond flour pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground lamb
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
3/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
2 cups arugula (about 2 ounces)

Directions
Brush rimmed baking sheet with 1 teaspoon oil. Using your hands, spread pre-made pizza dough over entire length of baking sheet, pushing dough to edge (or roll out on floured surface and transfer to pan). Bake for 5 minutes at 450ºF. Remove from oven; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add lamb, shallot, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper; cook until ground lamb is completely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Brush par-baked crust with 1 teaspoon oil. Evenly distribute cooked lamb and pepperoncini; top with crumbled goat cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, until cheese looks slightly melted and edges of crust are golden brown. Toss arugula with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; set aside. Remove pizza from oven and top with dressed arugula.

You can find more every day, easy lamb dinner ideas at American Lamb.com! Whether you like to grill, roast, or braise lamb – They have hundreds of delicious lamb recipes to tempt your taste buds.

How often do you incorporate lamb into your dinner rotations? Be sure to leave us a comment below.

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3 Easy Ground Lamb Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How should ground lamb be cooked? ›

Lamb patties and ground lamb mixtures such as meat loaf should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1° C), and measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.

What seasonings go well with lamb? ›

Fresh rosemary, fresh garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt are simple but amazing flavors that pair amazingly with the lamb! Each of these ingredients adds its unique warmth and depth to enhance the flavor of the dish.

What is the most popular lamb dish? ›

Some of the most popular lamb dishes include rack of lamb, lamb chops, lamb shank, lamb kebabs, and lamb curry. Whether you prefer your lamb slow-cooked and tender, or grilled to perfection, there are endless possibilities for creating delicious and satisfying meals with this versatile meat.

What cooking method is best for lamb? ›

Fattier cuts of lamb should be roasted long and slow at a low temperature, while leaner cuts of meat should be cooked at a high temperature for the first several minutes and then at a lower temperature the rest of the time. Braising is a popular technique for cooking less-tender cuts of lamb.

Is ground lamb healthier than beef? ›

If we look at fatty acids, like CLA and omega-3's, lamb comes out victorious and can be seen as marginally healthier. If we look at vitamins, like B12 and zinc, beef comes out victorious. The bottom line is both are excellent and both should be eaten with abundance!

How to make lamb taste good? ›

The big, bold Lamb flavor goes well with spices like coriander seeds, cumin, curry powder, harissa paste, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, black pepper, chilly flakes, and mint. Spices compliment Lamb, but it also holds its flavor with just salt and pepper.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook lamb? ›

And when you have a gorgeous cut, like a rack of lamb, you can cook it the good ol' Gordon Ramsay way—which is to say, lightly pan-sear it first, then baste it with an herby, garlicky butter, and finally finish it off in the oven until it's still pink and juicy in the middle. It comes out perfectly every time.

What pairs well with lamb? ›

8 light and simple sides to go with lamb
  • Dijon mustard glazed carrots. ...
  • Herby roasted Jersey Royals. ...
  • Zesty spring greens. ...
  • Roast baby leeks with oak-smoked bacon croutons. ...
  • Peas with pancetta. ...
  • Roast courgettes with lemon. ...
  • Roasted garlic and clementine carrots. ...
  • Roasted butternut squash with garlic and parsley.

Why is lamb not as popular as beef? ›

Because so few states in America initially raised sheep, the cost for lamb meat would be higher than other meats. This cost barrier prevented many Americans from even trying lamb meat. This initial barrier has made it difficult for lamb meat to gain popularity in the US.

What is the most delicious part of lamb? ›

The loin produces the most flavorful and tender cuts of Lamb in our opinion, due to its generous and tasty fat cap. Lamb Loin is located in between the ribs and sirloin. Lamb Loin Chops look like miniature bone-in T-Bone steaks or Porterhouse, that are straightforward to grill or pan-fry.

What is the best lamb taste? ›

American Lamb:

This breed is the largest in size and many say is the highest in quality and consistency. American lamb has grain in its diet and thus tastes less “gamey” compared to imported lamb which is typically grass fed. It is also the most expensive available.

Should lamb be cooked slow or fast? ›

Lower temp = more succulent meat – Tough cuts like lamb shoulder need slow-cooking to tenderise them.

How is lamb traditionally cooked? ›

Whether boneless or bone-in, the perfect leg of lamb should be either oven-roasted until blushing pink on the inside (with an internal temp around 130°F) or roasted long and slow for several hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart to internal temp around 175°F (I often use the slow cooker for that).

What are the rules for cooking lamb? ›

Season the meat all over with salt and pepper, then rub the lamb all over with the olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tin, sat on the onion slices. Roast for 20 mins. Lower the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and cook for another 15-20 mins per 500g (1 hr – 1 hr 20 mins for 2kg leg) depending on how pink you like your lamb.

Is ground lamb safe to eat medium-rare? ›

As we mentioned earlier, ground lamb or lamb burgers should never be cooked rare. The large surface area on ground lamb causes it to be too dangerous to eat. This same rule applies to lamb sausage, lamb kebabs, and lamb stuffing (usually ground lamb and vegetables used to stuff a leg of lamb).

Does ground lamb have to be well-done? ›

Ground lamb should be cooked to at least 160º. But don't serve immediately. Resting your lamb will allow the juices to settle. Wait 10 minutes before serving roasts and just five minutes for chops.

Should lamb be medium or well-done? ›

The USDA recommends cooking lamb to 145°F, which will result in medium-well doneness. 1 This is the official guideline for safely cooking lamb, but many chefs and cooks prefer their lamb rarer.

Is it OK for ground lamb to be pink? ›

A rare, or pink, lamb chop that has been seared well on the outside should be fine because any bacteria on the outer surface will have been killed by the heat. But minced or diced lamb or mutton should never be served pink. It needs to be thoroughly cooked and browned. The same goes for burgers.

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