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Grilled Spiced Beef Patties with Cucumber Herb Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the patties:

  • ½ small red onion, grated
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped mint (optional)
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper

For the cucumber salad:

  • ¼-½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 large English cucumber, chopped or thinly sliced (about 2+ cups)
  • ½ cup loosely packed parsley leaves, torn or chopped
  • ¼ cup mint leaves, torn or chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

For the lemony yogurt:

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼-½ tsp kosher salt
  • Water, to thin

To serve:

  • Warm pita/flatbread or other starch - roasted potatoes, cooked grains, tortilla, toast, etc…
  • Lemon wedges
  • Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
  • Note: ~ you can skip both the yogurt sauce and salad to save time/prep work. Instead, just top the beef with yogurt and a squeeze of lemon + salt. Serve with chopped cukes and herbs.
  • Nutrition tip! ~ Grill a bell pepper with the patties to add to your plate (or tomatoes). The vitamin C from the peppers help you absorb more iron from the beef.
  • No grill? ~ Brush patties with oil and bake at 425 convection for 10–15 minutes, or until the centers reach 160°F.

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Grate and squeeze ½ small red onion
  • Finely chop ½ cup parsley + 2 tbsp mint (if using)
  • Make the patties
  • Thinly slice ¼-½ small red onion
  • Chop 1 large English cucumber
  • Prep ½ cup parsley leaves
  • Prep ¼ cup mint leaves
  • Make the salad
  • Make the lemony yogurt

Instructions

  • Add the sliced red onion for the cucumber salad to a medium bowl with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss and let sit for at least 10 minutes to soften.
  • Place the grated onion for the patties in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towel and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible.
  • Add the squeezed onion to a large bowl along with the beef, garlic, parsley, mint (if using), cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined.
  • Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape into sturdy oval patties about ¾-inch thick. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Refrigerate for 15 minutes if the mixture feels especially soft.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high. Clean and oil the grates well.
  • While the grill heats, to the bowl with the onion, add the cucumber and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Then toss in the parsley, and mint. Adjust the lemon juice and salt to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and toss once more.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Add a splash of water if you prefer a thinner, drizzleable sauce.
  • Grill the beef patties for 4–5 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and the centers reach 160°F.
  • Serve the patties with the cucumber salad, lemony yogurt, and warm pita or starch of choice.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • If you want to make this vegetarian, make these falafel in place of the beef patties. 
  • To make vegan, see above + use a vegan yogurt or skip the yogurt and be sure to squeeze with lemon and add avocado.
  • You can use any ground meat in place of beef, though any leaner meat will be a bit more dry.

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
    • Patties: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze up to 1 month
    • Salad: up to 5 days in the fridge
    • Yogurt sauce: up to 7 days in the fridge

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Chop up leftover patties and warm them up in a covered skillet with a bit of oil (or microwave it). Serve with cucumber salad, yogurt sauce, and starch of choice
  • Make it a taco, grain bowl, or eat it as is for a lighter meal