Moroccan Style Hamburger Recipe

burger with tomato
Moroccan Style Hamburger. Matilda Lindeblad/Stock Food Creative/Getty Images
  • Total: 25 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yield: 8 hamburger patties (8 servings)

By Christine Benlafquih

Updated 04/08/19

Ground beef is rarely cooked without seasoning in Morocco, even when shaping kefta into large patties to serve as hamburgers. The addition of Moroccan spices and herbs to the meat helps elevate a routine hamburger into a memorable meal. Grilling the meat will add even more flavor.

The recipe below reflects my preference for reducing standard kefta seasoning by about half when serving hamburgers with American toppings on soft rolls. If you'd like to try more intense Moroccan seasoning, follow the Kefta Kebabs Recipe and shape the meat into patties.

Serve the Moroccan hamburgers on Homemade Hamburger Rolls or Moroccan khobz with lettuce, tomato, and other toppings. Some suggestions are:

For best flavor, allow time for the seasoned hamburger mix to rest before cooking. It can be prepared a day in advance.

What You'll Need

  • 2 lb./1 kg ground beef (can use half lamb, if desired)
  • 1 small onion (grated)
  • Optional: 2 cloves garlic (grated)
  • 4 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon black (or cayenne pepper)

How to Make It

  1. Mix all the ingredients together, kneading the mixture for a minute or two to evenly distribute the spices and herbs.
  2. Cover and leave the seasoned ground beef to rest for an hour or longer before cooking.
  3. Shape the meat into patties and grill over hot coals, turning once. (If you prefer, you can cook the hamburgers under a broiler, on a grill pan, or in a regular frying pan.) ​
  4. Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.
    Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
    386 Calories
    24g Fat
    8g Carbs
    32g Protein
    (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)