Roasted Leg of Lamb
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This recipe is so good! Doesn’t even require much time, effort + ingredients. Easy and fool-proof even for first-timers!
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If you haven’t cooked a leg of lamb before, don’t be intimidated. I know it seems incredibly daunting but it’s so much easier than you think. This roasted leg of lamb recipe here is fool-proof and fuss-free, I promise. And you don’t even need a long drawn-out ingredient list. The ingredient list is super simple here.
Ingredients
Leg of lamb
Bone-in will have extra flavor.
Garlic
Adds a lovely buttery flavor profile.
Olive oil
This will serve as the rub for your lamb. We recommend using good quality olive oil here such as California Olive Ranch (our favorite).
Fresh herbs
Chopped fresh rosemary and thyme are common pairings with leg of lamb but you can also improvise with some of your favorite herbs.
Dijon
Adds a sharp, tangy flavor to your lamb rub, balancing out the rich taste of the lamb meat.
Salt and pepper
Season generously! 1/2 – 1 teaspoon kosher salt is recommended per pound of lamb.
Now I left the shank on for it’s dramatic presentation but you can easily purchase one with the shank removed – there’s no advantage here except for the aesthetic eye for serving.
Marinating is also not needed here – you’ll see that the simple garlic mixture rub will bring in so much flavor. And it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser for your Easter holiday or next dinner party, impressing all your guests with such minimal effort. It also pairs perfectly with these mini hasselback potatoes!
tips and tricks for success
- Go to a reputable butcher. Cooking such a large cut of meat can be daunting! We recommend purchasing a leg of lamb that is preferably grass-fed and organic. Ask for market weight, avoiding baby lamb or mutton. The butcher can also trim the excess fat.
- Bone-in is ideal. Bone-in will have extra flavor, but if you are nervous about carving and serving, boneless can be used.
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are key here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. Check your lamb halfway through cooking, inserting through the thickest part of the meat but avoiding the bone. The internal temperature should reach 135°F for medium.
- Let your meat rest. As with any large cuts of meat, let your lamb rest for at least 15 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
what to serve with leg of lamb
Roasted Leg of Lamb: Frequently Asked Questions
Bone-in will have more flavor, but boneless will be much easier to carve. If purchasing boneless, we recommend purchasing oven-safe kitchen twine as the lamb will need to be tied together.
Because a leg of lamb is so naturally tender, marinating is not necessary.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
This really depends on personal preference. We recommend medium (135°F, 20 minutes per pound) but you can also cook to rare (125°F, 15 minutes per pound), medium well (145°F, 25 minutes per pound) or well done (155°F, 30 minutes per pound).
Yes! Leftover lamb can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days in the fridge, and frozen in slices wrapped in aluminum foil, reheating at 350°F (still wrapped) until warmed through.
Here is a foolproof step-by-step video guide for a stress-free leg of lamb!
Roasted Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 (5 pound) bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Using paper towels, pat lamb dry. Using a sharp knife, score the top side of the lamb by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, Dijon, salt and pepper.
- Place lamb, fat side up, on a rack in the prepared roasting pan. Spread garlic mixture evenly over the lamb, rubbing in thoroughly into the scored cuts.
- Place into oven and roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium, about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, or until desired doneness. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately with mini hasselback potatoes.
Video
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Really delicious!!! Very easy to do.
Super duper roasted leg of lamb. , delicious, wonderful left overs for another dinner of yummy roast lamb. Or, Enough for a hearty lamb stew or yummy spicy lamb curry . Finally boil the bones , add any bits of chopped lamb, chopped vegetables and left over gravy. Finely grate a raw potato into soup and simmer if a thicker soup is desired . Cheers and enjoy. Douglas Mary Hutchinson
Tried this recipe for a family dinner and it was a hit! Even my cousin who doesn’t care for lamb complimented the great flavor. The prep is easy and in most cases these are ingredients we already have at home, love the practicality. I have also used this on fresh pork ham with great results. Thanks for posting!
I have never left a review before but I just had to today. Leg of lamb is my husband’s all time favourite. He loved this recipe. I am not a lamb fan, but when I cook it I always try it to make sure it is seasoned correctly. It was very juicy and I loved the seasoning. I gave it the 5 stars because my husband is still talking about it. I will definitely be making this for him and guests again.
Thank you for this amazing recipe. This was so good I just had to comment. I used dried basil instead of thyme as that was what I had on hand, ginger powder instead of garlic and added a bit of dried mint and marinated overnight. I roasted it for 2 hours as it still had a little blood after an hour and half. Loved that this was so simple yet so good. Our family roast recipes generally involve heaps of nuts which I can’t use because of food allergies so this recipe was a godsend. Highly recommend!!
Was my first time to make leg of lamb – was so easy and beyond delicious!! Best ever – in my recipe book
Really delish. Just tried tonight and every one loved it
SIMPLE EASY AND ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL
Super easy, 5.6 lb boneless leg came out perfect after 1.5 hrs. Thanks! I decided to serve it with the potatoes, steamed Swiss chard and a tiny dollop of horseradish or Dijon too
Oooo I see now that it says 1 tbsp of salt. I only used a tsp. Still game out great!!!
I’ve never cooked lamb in my life…. do I need to ask the butcher to do anything special when prepping the leg?
Can I take the juices from the lamb and make some sort of gravy…. how do I do this? Please be specific… again never cooked lamb before
What temp should a leg of lamb be when cooked (is it best med rare?)
Thank you for your help!
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it….
I tried it… I loved it! I made it last night!!!!!
I used ground thyme instead of fresh, I also lowered the amount of it to 1/4 t. ( Because it would have been too overpowering) Other than that I followed the recipe exactly as given. I appreciated not needing to marinate it before putting it in the oven. After taking it out of the oven and letting it sit for 15 minutes,I sliced off a few pieces and shared some with my daughter. It was delicious!!!! Even though it was late (after 10 pm) I found myself stealing little slivers. If you’re wondering which recipe to try, look no further.
Hi,
In defence of poor Carol who asked an innocent question . The recipe for potatoes that you shared link to, gave the 425 temperature 😉
Recipe looks great. Will try not to mess with it!
Absolutely delicious!! It was a big leg of lamb, I’ve cut two onions and lots of garlic + thyme and rosemary and a good splash of red wine! Then I’ve put the oven at 160 degrees Celsius, gas mark 3 or 320 Fahrenheit for 4 hour covered with foil then last hour removed it, it was nice and soft, juice meat, delicious!! The juices left to make the gravy it’s to beautiful to mix it with flour…I’ve just used the blender, And smells ridiculously good everywhere in the house!!Beautiful wish I could post the picture
So, you DIDN’T make the recipe. Right? No Onions! Not with Lamb and not called for. 4 hours??? Did you make Lamb Jerky? smh
I haven’t made this yet but plan to tomorrow. How do you cook the lamb at 350 degrees and the potatoes at 425 degrees at the same time in the same oven.
Thanks so much. The recipe sounds delicious.
Thanks, carol
Hi. Where does it say 425 degrees? If you don’t have one of those fancy ovens that can cook at two different temperatures, make the at 350 degrees. Will come out fine.
It says 425° F when you read the recipe for the recommended hasselback potatoes.
I just added potatoes around the roast and cooked together. I’ve also cooked vegetables – potatoes, carrots, or any other of choice, by placing the vegetables in a separate casserole dish to cook alongside the roast, but not in the same pan.
This way, if vegetables are not done, they can continue to roast while the roast is resting before cutting.
When a recipe is changed, it’s usually due to personal taste preferences. It’s helpful to read comments that talk about variations, but I agree that the recipe itself is what need to be rated as is.
Changing the recipe and rating the change is ridiculous.
from the ratings, it looks good. I am doing this for a class 🙂 I need the recipe
Very good
This lamb recipe is so good! The dijon really makes it. I have tried so many of your recipes and they all turn out great.
The best leg of lamb we have had, my whole house smelled good too!
Making this tomorrow! But my local store was out of the fresh herbs. Would i use the same amount of dry herb instead of the fresh ones or would it be a different amount?
Yes dry herbs are more potent, try 1/4-1/3 of actual amounts
Delicious!!
Made tonight for Mother’s Day may 10th 2020, was delicious. Will make again.