These American Lamb Sausage Rolls are crispy, delicious and packed with flavor. Served with a creamy yogurt herb dipping sauce.
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These Lamb Phyllo Rolls are my new favorite dinner recipe.
Why?
- Flavor packed lamb that’s sauteed with aromatics.
- That tangy, delicious feta cheese.
- The light and flaky phyllo dough.
- That refreshing yogurt-cucumber dipping sauce that just takes it over the top.
This post is sponsored by the American Lamb Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ingredients needed
For the lamb sausage rolls, you’ll need:
- Ground Lamb – I recommend cooking with American Lamb. More on that below ↓↓↓
- Phyllo Dough – You’ll find this in the freezer section of your grocery store. More on how to use it below.
- Olive Oil & Butter
- Feta Cheese – You can also swap in swiss cheese, cheddar cheese or any other favorite cheese.
- Onion & Garlic
- Jalapeno – If you’re sensitive to heat, you can remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno. Or, you can leave it out entirely.
- Cumin, Salt & Pepper
To make the sauce, we’ll be using:
- Cucumber
- Plain Greek Yogurt – Or, swap in sour cream.
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Mint & Fresh Dill
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Salt
Why I choose American lamb
I highly recommend cooking with American Lamb. Here’s why:
- By choosing American Lamb, you’re supporting local farmers and ranchers throughout the US.
- Raising lamb in the US is a family affair with more than 80,000 family owned operations.
- Sheep improve pasture quality by recycling vital nutrients back into the soil, minimizing erosion and encouraging plant growth.
- The majority of sheep in the states graze pastures for most of their lives.
What is phyllo dough?
Phyllo dough (also spelled filo dough) is a very thin, unleavened dough used in many Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Balkan cuisines. It’s made primarily from flour, water, and a small amount of oil (sometimes vinegar), and it’s rolled out into incredibly delicate, paper-thin sheets.
Phyllo dough is sold frozen at most grocery stores and needs to be thawed carefully before use because it’s very fragile and dries out quickly if left uncovered.
When you work with phyllo dough, you typically layer multiple sheets together, brushing each one with butter or oil in between. This layering creates a super light, crispy, and flaky texture once baked.
How to use phyllo dough
Using phyllo dough can feel a little intimidating at first because it’s so delicate, but once you know a few tricks, it’s actually pretty easy! Here’s a step-by-step guide. You can also watch the video below for a full how-to.
1. Thaw it
- If frozen, move the package to the fridge the night before you plan to use it.
- Right before using, let it sit at room temperature for about 1–2 hours so it’s pliable but still cool.
2. Set up your workstation
- Have everything prepped and ready (filling, butter or oil, tools) before you open the phyllo.
- Cover the phyllo immediately after opening the package with a slightly damp (not wet) kitchen towel or plastic wrap. This keeps it from drying out and cracking.
3. Handle carefully
- Phyllo tears easily — and that’s okay! Small rips can usually be hidden by layering more sheets.
4. Brush with butter
- Use a pastry brush to lightly coat each layer with melted butter. This makes the final result flaky and golden.
- You don’t need to soak it — just a light brushing will do.
Can they be made ahead of time?
It’s best to bake these lamb sausage rolls first, and then store them. They are best served fresh, but they can be reheated in a 375-degree oven for about 10-minutes, until warm. They also reheat well in an air fryer. Heat them at 350-degrees for 3-4 minutes. They are also great served at room temperature.
Can you freeze them?
Yes! These lamb phyllo roll ups can be baked and frozen for up to two months. Store them in an airtight container. When ready to serve, bake at 375-degrees until warmed through.
Erin’s wine pairings
- A light fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais, won’t overpower the tangy flavors in the yogurt sauce.
- A dry Rosé will also pair well phyllo wraps.
- MORE —-> my 8 favorite lamb wine pairings.
More ground lamb recipes
Did you try these lamb sausage rolls?
If you loved these lamb feta rolls with phyllo dough, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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Full Recipe
American Lamb Sausage Rolls
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground American lamb
- 1 ½ cups onion (minced (about ½ large onion))
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 jalapeno (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 pound phyllo dough (thawed (I used 16 sheets))
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
Sauce
- 1/2 English cucumber (about 6-ounces)
- 3/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400-degrees F.
- To make the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lamb and onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent.
- Drain off any excess fat, then add the jalapeno, garlic and cumin, along with a pinch of salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until fragrant.
- Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. When cool, stir in the feta.
- While the filling is cooling, make the dipping sauce.
- Scoop seeds out of the cucumber with a small spoon. Grate the cucumber using a box cheese grater. Drain the liquid from the cucumber in a metal strainer and sprinkle with a little salt (this helps release the liquid). You may want to use the back of a spoon to help squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Place the drained cucumber in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Assemble the rolls.
- Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough, lightly brush it with melted butter, and place another sheet on top.
- Spoon about 3 TBSP of the lamb mixture along one edge of the phyllo sheets.
- Roll tightly, folding in the sides as you go, to create a neat log shape.
- Place the roll seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat until you’ve used all the filling (I made 8 rolls).
- Arrange on a baking sheet, seam side down, leaving 1-inch between the rolls on the pan.
- Brush the tops with more melted butter and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving with the yogurt sauce.
Notes
- It’s best to bake these lamb sausage rolls first, and then store them. They are best served fresh, but they can be reheated in a 375-degree oven for about 10-minutes, until warm. They also reheat well in an air fryer. Heat them at 350-degrees for 3-4 minutes. They are also great served at room temperature.
- Yes! These lamb phyllo roll ups can be baked and frozen for up to two months. Store them in an airtight container. When ready to serve, bake at 375-degrees until warmed through.
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