It’s summer! Finally. What better way to celebrate than with a fat, juicy burger?
I’m usually a burger traditionalist — give me some bacon, cheddar, and barbecue, and I’m a happy girl. Then there was last summer’s favorite, stuffed with stilton and topped with onion jam. But this Greek Burger, laden with feta and spices and slathered with cool, tangy tzatziki sauce? I’m pretty sure this will be making frequent appearances on our table from now on. Especially since it pairs so naturally with a greek salad instead of unhealthy pastas salads or fries. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect meal to get my summer started.
The idea for this burger had been in the back of my mind for a few days, but when I found this beautiful fresh, local garlic at the farmer’s market (along with a crate of cucumbers that were marked down to a dollar because they were “ugly”) I knew it was time to act. We debated turkey vs. lamb vs. beef for a while before settling on lean beef — it was far leaner than the lamb, and I always get nervous cooking ground turkey (which had very similar nutritional stats to the beef anyway). By the time you finish mixing the meat together with the feta cheese and gyro seasonings, I don’t think the choice of protein really makes a ton of difference flavor-wise.
Burger Shaping Tip: Tired of your burgers shrinking in diameter as they cook? As you form your burger, press your thumb into the center to create a shallow crater about 1/3 the diameter of the patty. As your burger heats and the center puffs up, it will rise to fill in the crater instead of pulling the edges in. As a result, the burger will have a smooth top and a diameter that is almost identical to the raw patty that you formed.
Healthy Delicious
Greek Burger with Feta and Tzatziki
Mixing feta into these burgers means you can use lean ground beef without sacrificing flavor or substance. The tangy yogurt and cucumber sauce is a refreshing alternative to other traditional toppings. Be sure to have plenty extra on hand, because your guests might really want to pile it on! The burgers can be cooked on a grill or in a pan on the stovetop.
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
- 2 ounces reduced fat feta, crumbled
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp diced red onion
- 2 clove garlic, grated and divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 6-ounce container of fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cucumber
- 2 Tbs fresh dill
- Salt to taste
- Rolls, sliced red onion, and lettuce for serving
To make the burgers: combine the beef, feta, oregano, 1 clove grated garlic, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients. Form into four patties that are the same diameter as your rolls — the patties should be slightly thicker at the edges with a slight indentation in the middle. Let the burgers rest while you prepare the tzatziki.
To prepare the tzatziki: Peel your cucumber and grate it using the coarse side of a box greater (alternately, you can shred it using a vegetable peeler). In a small dish, combine the yogurt, cucumber, 1 clove grated garlic, and dill. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill the burgers over a medium flame for approximately 5 minutes on each side (you can also cook them on the stovetop in a pan set over medium heat) or until they are cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Serve with rolls, lettuce, red onion, and tzatziki.
Serves 4.
Approx. 235 calories, 10 grams fat, 0.5 grams fiber, 32 grams protein (Note this does not contain the roll, which can vary significantly from brand to brand)
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I’m submitting this recipe to Regional Recipes: Greece
This looks soooo good!
A stunning burger,..I so love feta!! A really cool burger!
I also love the tzatziki!! MMMMMMMMM,…lovely & fab food!
I love mixing different flavors into burgers…so much more fun than just eating em plain. I might have to make this with lamb since that is my meat of choice at the moment, but it will DEFINITELY be made this summer. Along with that onion jam that you mentioned. Which sounds downright heavenly.
I looooove lamb and wanted to use that, but Shawn wasn’t feeling it. Plus the NI on the beef was better and we’re both trying to lose a little weight for summer.
Do try the onion jam – its so easy and one of our favorites. It’s also really good on hot dogs!
This is by far my favourite burger, and thanks for the tip on barbecuing:D
I love the tzatziki and the feta!Gr8 pics! Thanks 4 sharing
I love this recipe!
Such an interesting recipe. I’m Greek, so I love when people take traditional Greek ingredients and change things up a bit. Terrific recipe and photos. Have you ever tried Greek Style Macaroni and Cheese? It’s pretty yummy too!
I love that! I never realized it was a “real” dish, let alone Greek. It’s my favorite way to eat leftover pasta.
This looks perfect for a summer barbeque. I have been searching for a recipe that involves a more Greek style and this looks like just the thing. I’ll be giving it a try the next chance I get. Thanks Lauren! Have a great week. =)
oh my oh my…what a GORGEOUS burger! my stomach isn’t feeling so hot but it automatically started growling at the site of it…YUM
Thanks. I hope you feel better!
Looks fantastic! I love burgers with toppings other than lettuce and tomato. Plus, that tzatziki recipe sounds easy and delish!
It is – I make it all the time! It’s an easy way to dress up almost anything, and if you use fat-free yogurt its really healthy.
yum! I have a recipe for Greek turkey burgers with feta and mint and they have been our favorite turkey burgers for a long time. I bet these are delicious too!
Whoa! Those are some perfectly shaped burgers! I love the idea of using lamb. I think I would do that.
What a beautiful burger! Thanks for the tips. I love the sauce, can’t wait to give this recipe a try— delicious!
L, gadzukes. that is the most beautiful burger patty i have ever seen!
I just bought some ground beef yesterday because i was FEENING for a burger. lol
This really makes me want to have a burger for breakfast!
I am usually like you – a burger traditionalist – but I do go Greek sometimes myself! Looks really good, Lauren!
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Great looking burger Lauren! I’ve had a lamb Greek burger before, but yours looks so good! I didn’t know ground turkey and lean beef had about the same nutritional value so I feel a bit better using lean beef.
This looks great – like Andrea, I usually go for lamb with a ‘Greek’ burger but the flavours in this are pretty tempting!