Meat + Poultry Ground Meat Ground Lamb Lamb Sliders with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce 5.0 (1) 1 Review A symphony of herbs—in the form of za'atar—and little bits of toasted pine nuts add bright flavor and texture to the ground lamb patties that accompany this fresh summer salad. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award for "Mississippi Chinese Lady Goes Home to Korea" and a cookbook award for The New Way to Cook Light. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Ann lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, their 13-year-old twin boys, one big dog, and one little dog. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 31, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients Sauce ½ cup plain whole-milk strained Greek-style yogurt 2 tablespoons tahini 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 1 garlic clove, grated (about 1/2 teaspoon) ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Lamb Patties 1 ½ pounds ground lamb ¾ cup finely chopped toasted pine nuts (from 1 cup pine nuts) (see Note) 2 tablespoons za'atar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 teaspoon) ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses Salad 4 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves (from 1 head lettuce) 1 ½ cups sliced Persian cucumbers (from 2 small [3-ounce] cucumbers) ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Directions Make the sauce: Whisk together yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside. Make the lamb patties: Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Place lamb in a large bowl. Add pine nuts, za'atar, salt, garlic, and pepper; mix with your hands until well combined. Divide mixture evenly into 8 (31/2-ounce) portions; shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Arrange patties on oiled grates; grill, covered, until well marked and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 125°F, 3 to 4 minutes per side, brushing patties evenly with pomegranate molasses during final 1 to 2 minutes of grill time. Transfer cooked patties to a large platter. Make the salad: Toss together lettuce, cucumbers, and onion in a medium bowl until combined. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Serve salad with lamb patties and sauce. Make Ahead Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. Note To toast pine nuts: Spread pine nuts on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake at 300°F for 13 to 15 minutes, stirring or shaking pan occasionally. Suggested Pairing Spicy Mediterranean red: 2017 Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva. Rate it Print