I have nothing against hamburgers; a well-made one can be terrific, and often (or a couple of times a year, anyway) it’s just what I want. For the most part, though, I find sausages more interesting, and more fun to make at home.

Making sausage isn’t really so difficult. If it seems daunting, think of sausage as seasoned ground meat: a step up from plain burgers and even easier than meatballs (no bread crumbs, egg or onion; no browning and braising). It’s no trouble to mix up a batch of farmstead-style breakfast sausage with ground pork and a little chopped sage. Italian sausage is just as simple, but takes fennel seed, garlic and red pepper instead.

For this lamb sausage recipe, a few more spices are required. It is modeled after North African merguez, which is sometimes served as part of an elaborate couscous meal, but good on a bun, too. For its deep rust-red color, merguez relies on lots of dried sweet red pepper (paprika) and a goodly amount of hot red pepper (cayenne). Garlic, cumin and coriander are strong supporting players.

Traditional merguez is made from ground lamb or goat, though sometimes you do find all-beef versions; you can combine both if you want a somewhat milder flavor.

Like all sausage mixtures, merguez is best prepared a day ahead, to let the flavors mingle. I usually don’t put the meat in casings. Rather, I just form the mixture into patties or flattened oval shapes, which simplifies matters enormously. I use lean meat if possible, so with these sausages it’s important to grill them carefully. If overcooked, they will be dry, so I keep them a bit pink at the center.

To accompany the spicy merguez, I like slices of briefly grilled sweet onion and zucchini along with ripe tomatoes and lettuce leaves, drizzled with a garlicky harissa-flavored vinaigrette. Stuffed into a warm fresh pita, it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. If you don’t want a sandwich, eat it as a salad. (To add a dab of something saucy, stir some chopped mint and scallions into a pint of plain yogurt and spoon it over.) Either way, it’s a flavorful alternative to a humdrum hamburger.

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Grilled Onions and Zucchini

Makes 24 (2-ounce) sausages, 6 to 8 servings.

Sausage:

3 lbs ground lamb, or a mixture of half lamb and half beef or veal

2 tsp toasted cumin seeds

2 tsp toasted coriander seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

6 allspice berries

2 tsp salt, more as needed

1⁄2 tsp cayenne

Pinch cinnamon

4 TBS mild paprika

8 lg garlic cloves, smashed to a paste

Vinaigrette:

1⁄2 tsp toasted cumin seeds

1⁄2 tsp toasted coriander seeds

1⁄2 tsp toasted caraway seeds

1 tsp paprika

Cayenne, to taste

2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste

2 TBS red wine vinegar

1 TBS lemon juice

1⁄4 tsp salt

4 TBS olive oil

Assembly:

2 sweet onions, such as Vidalia, in 1⁄2-inch crosswise slices

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 med zucchini, in 1⁄2-inch lengthwise slices

2 heads bibb or other lettuce, washed

3 or 4 lg ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges

2 TBS roughly chopped cilantro

2 TBS roughly chopped mint

Pita breads, optional

To make the sausage, put ground lamb in a mixing bowl. Using a spice mill or mortar and pestle, grind cumin, coriander, black pepper and allspice. Add to lamb, along with salt, cayenne, cinnamon, paprika and garlic. Mix well with hands to incorporate. Fry a little piece of the mixture in a small skillet. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt if necessary. Mix again and refrigerate at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight. Form mixture into 24 2-ounce patties.

To make the vinaigrette, grind cumin, coriander and caraway. Combine with paprika and a good pinch of cayenne in a small bowl. Add garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Whisk in olive oil.

Light a charcoal grill or use a grill pan. The heat should be moderate. Grill sausages, in batches if necessary, for about 2 minutes per side, until just done. Keep warm. Paint onion slices with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until softened slightly, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with zucchini. Keep at room temperature.

Line a large platter with lettuce leaves and pile sausages in the middle. Arrange onions and zucchini around the platter. Salt the tomatoes and distribute. Whisk the vinaigrette, then drizzle over everything. Sprinkle with cilantro and mint; serve with warm pita, if desired.