Mini homemade lamb burgers (egg and gluten free)
When BBQ season hits us, it’s not always easy for kids with allergies to join in with the fun. So many shop bought burgers and sausages are bulked up with extra ingredients containing gluten and dairy, and a lot of recipes use egg as a binder. Luckily this egg free & gluten free homemade mini lamb burgers recipe is very tasty and genuinely easy to make. Just a bit of chopping, frying and mushing everything together!
Quick reference dietary information
Dairy, egg & soy free | gluten free | nut free | sesame free
How to serve mini lamb burgers for kids
For the full burger experience you will need a bun! It can be tricky to find burger buns which are dairy and soy free, but thankfully there are a few now on the market. In the UK, you can try Jackson’s or Baker Street buns. If you need gluten free buns, try BFree or Schar. Both of these are also dairy, egg and soy free. Because they can be hard to get hold of, I tend to buy a couple of packs and keep the extras in the freezer for next time.
If you want to make a dairy free cheese burger, Violife slices work well – they even have that authentic American cheese slice texture 😂.
I like to serve these homemade mini burgers with salad crudites (cucumber, red pepper and carrot sticks all work well for kids) and oven roasted sweet potato wedges. Other options are a jacket potato or oven chips.
How to serve mini lamb burgers for baby led weaning
These are a good finger food for baby led weaning, but burgers can be a bit tough to chew. So you will want to wait until your baby has had some practice in developing their chewing skills! The burgers can be cut into halves or quarters depending on what your baby finds easiest to hold.
Babies are unlikely to be able to cope with an assembled burger in a bun! But serving all the elements deconstructed can be quite fun for them.
How to batch cook and freeze these gluten & egg free mini burgers
It’s worth making a big batch because it’s very little extra effort and the burgers freeze well. Simply double – or triple! – up the recipe.
Freeze the burger patties when they are uncooked. To stop them sticking together, initially freeze them laid out flat on some grease proof paper. Once frozen they can be put into a bag. Doing it this way will allow you to get one out at a time as needed. Defrost the mini burgers thoroughly before cooking.
Avoiding BBQ cross contamination
Even when you have found suitable food, attending a BBQ can be tricky business for children with allergies. Here are a few tips to avoid cross contamination:
- Ensure the grill and all utensils have been thoroughly cleaned beforehand.
- Cook your child’s food first, or ensure there is a separate section for those with allergies. Be aware that sauces, marinades and cheese can easily drip onto the grill.
- Have separate utensils for turning and serving food for those with allergies.
- If attending someone else’s BBQ, make sure you discuss all the points above with them in advice!
- Finally, if all of that sounds stressful, consider cooking your child’s food on the hob / under the grill. It will still taste good, and it’s likely your child won’t even notice!
If you enjoyed these egg & gluten free mini burgers, you might like to try:
- Quick & easy egg free fishcakes
- Courgette fritters – great for baby led weaning!
- Gluten free fish goujons
And for lots more family dinner ideas check out my FREE downloadable meal plan. 4 weeks of family dinners, all free from dairy, soy, egg & gluten x
Mini homemade lamb burgers (egg & gluten free)
Ingredients
- Half red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, for frying
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 500 g lamb mince
Instructions
- Firstly, finely chop the onion and garlic as small as you can get it.
- Heat up a splash of olive or rapeseed oil in a medium frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, until the onion has softened.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then, add the onion and garlic to a large mixing bowl and stir in the coriander and cumin.
- Add the lamb mince to the bowl and squish it up with the other ingredients. I find this easiest to do using my hands!
- At this point I often split the raw meat mix into two before cooking and add some salt/pepper and cayenne pepper for the adult’s batch.
- Form the mix into mini burger patties using your hands, choosing a size which will suit your child.
- If you have time, chill your burger patties in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. This is not an essential step, but does help them retain their shape during cooking.
- Using a medium flame, heat the rest of the oil in your frying pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until the burgers are well cooked through. Or cook on the BBQ!
Notes
- If you or your child has an allergy, always double check that the recipe and all of the components are suitable. This includes checking ‘may contain’ statements on each ingredient and making your own assessment of risk based on personal circumstances.
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