55 ground lamb recipes

Greek gyro sandwiches blend ground beef and lamb with oregano, thyme, and garlic into thin patties, then tuck into pita with homemade cucumber-yogurt sauce and sliced onion. Street food classic done at home.

Cevaps are Balkan skinless grilled sausages made from a spiced blend of beef, lamb, and pork. Smoky, garlicky, and loaded with cracked black pepper heat.

Kibbi neeyee blends bulgur wheat with ground lamb or beef, grated onion, and warming cinnamon. Lebanese kibbeh base for raw mezze, baked layered trays, or fried football-shaped torpedoes.

Forfar bridies, the Scottish hand pies stuffed with seasoned ground lamb or beef and onion, sealed in flaky pastry. A classic UK-style meat pasty for picnics or pub fare.

I sometimes pan fry these then let them simmer for at least an hour in a spicy Moroccan tomato sauce (recipe to follow). I usually serve the kefta with couscous, a vegetable, some cucumber yogurt sauce, and warmed pita.

Hand-rolled Greek stuffed grape leaves filled with seasoned beef or lamb, rice, currants, pine nuts, and mint. Simmered until tender and served with a classic avgolemono egg-lemon sauce. Makes 60.

Kashmiri lamb koftas shaped into spiced sausages, browned in whole cardamom and cinnamon, then simmered in yogurt sauce until tender and saucy. Aromatic Indian comfort food from the Himalayan foothills.

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around seasoned beef, rice, and a whisper of cinnamon, simmered until melt-in-your-mouth soft and drizzled with tangy avgolemono sauce. Greek comfort food at its finest.

Greek-seasoned burgers with oregano, cumin, lemon juice, and fresh tomato tucked into whole wheat pita pockets with romaine and red onion. Low-fat and diabetic-friendly.

South African-inspired curried beef bake with almonds, raisins, and lemon juice under a silky egg custard topping. Rich, fragrant, and crowd-sized for 16 servings.

Kibbee with ground lamb and bulgur wheat pressed into a pie plate with a pine nut stuffing center, scored into wedges, and baked until crusted. A Lebanese classic.

Homemade Balkan-style skinless sausages (cevapi) made from a three-meat blend of lamb, veal, and pork with paprika and garlic. Grilled until charred and smoky.

Minted lamb patties broil in 6 minutes, infused with fresh mint, garlic, and green onion, then glazed with bubbling Major Grey's mango chutney for a sweet-savory finish.

Basic kibbi (kibbeh) of ground lamb, bulgur wheat, onion, and warm cinnamon, mixed to a smooth paste and baked or fried. The foundational Lebanese recipe for the national dish of the Levant.

Moroccan-spiced lamb patties with cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic, and parsley, pan-fried and served with harissa sauce on the side.

Lamb loin wrapped in puff pastry with a pistachio and chestnut puree stuffing, served with a juniper-and-thyme red wine reduction. A showstopper main course for special occasions.