Roast Lamb: the effortless recipe for a beautiful lamb roast

Roast lamb is a wonderful dish to serve during the holidays. With its tender, juicy meat and crisp crust, it's a fantastically flavorful dish that makes special occasions all the more special.

Making the perfect roast lamb at home is incredibly easy. This recipe calls for a simple yet irresistibly flavorful marinade made from fresh herbs, garlic, and a little olive oil. Preparing the lamb for roasting takes a mere five minutes or so, then all you need to do is pop it in the oven for an hour and wait for it to finish. Making this tasty, elegant festive dinner couldn't be easier!

Roast Lamb Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this mouthwatering roast lamb for the holidays.

Lamb shoulder or leg of lamb is ideal for roasting.

To make the marinade, you'll also need garlic, fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, plus some olive oil, salt, and pepper.

That's it! This tasty recipe also features baby potatoes which are roasted in the pan with the lamb, which allows them to soak up the lamb's flavor. Delicious!

How to Roast Lamb

To make the best roast lamb at home, start by preheating your oven to 450F. Whisk the herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl, then rub the marinade into the meat, making sure to thoroughly coat the lamb. Toss the potatoes with olive oil and give them a generous seasoning with salt and pepper.

Place the lamb on top of the potatoes, then put it in the oven. Do not cover the lamb when it's roasting in the oven. This will prevent the skin from crisping up. Cook the lamb for about one hour, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145F or your desired level of doneness.

Take the lamb out of the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes so that the juices can redistribute through the meat. This will help make your roast lamb ultra-tender and juicy. Finally, slice the lamb and serve it with your favorite sides and a helping of gravy.

What Temperature Should You Roast Lamb?

Lamb should be roasted at high heat. A temperature of 450F/230C is perfect. It will ensure the outside of the lamb develops a lovely browned, crispy crust while the inside cooks to perfection and stays tender and moist.

If you want to serve your lamb rare, take it out when it reads 110F/42C on a meat thermometer, about 15 minutes per pound.

For medium-rare, take the lamb out of the oven when it reads 120F/58C or 20 minutes per pound.

For medium-well, aim for 145F/68C, or 25 minutes per pound.

Tips for the Best Roast Lamb

If your potatoes are quite large, cut them in half.

You can easily switch up the marinade. Use different herbs like mint, oregano, or tarragon, add some cayenne pepper for a bit of spice, or seasonings like za'atar.

Roast lamb tastes wonderful with gravy. You can either buy gravy or make it yourself from scratch.

What to Serve with Roast Lamb

There are many great side dishes you can serve with your roast lamb. Roasted vegetables like carrots, asparagus, leeks, and cauliflower are excellent with lamb.

It's also excellent with a side of risotto, a fresh green salad, and dinner rolls.

How to Store Roast Lamb

Store leftover roast lamb in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450F.

Whisk garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and one tablespoon of oil in a small bowl.

Tie the lamb.

Season the salt.

Rub the marinade into the lamb.

Place the potatoes in a baking dish and toss them with the two tablespoons of remaining olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the oil and seasoning over potatoes with your hands.

Lay the lamb on top of the potatoes.

Roast for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let the lamb rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Cook your lamb in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.