Rack of Lamb

A rack of lamb is covered in a herb and garlic mixture and roasted to tender, juicy perfection. A great introduction recipe for those who haven't tried lamb.

Two slices of cooked rack of lamb garnished with rosemary are served on a white plate, with another plate, a wooden bowl, and a cutting board with more lamb and rosemary in the background.
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Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Cooking a rack of lamb doesn’t have to be difficult. This simple recipe makes the process super easy, and you can have it on the table in under an hour! Add some potatoes, rice, or veggies on the side and you’ve got a full meal.

For some great similar recipes, why not make this Guinness® Irish Stew? Or learn How to Cook Prime Rib Roast instead. Serve this delicious rack of lamb with some Buttery Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Buttery Mushroom Rice.

A sliced rack of lamb with a herb crust is served on a wooden board, garnished with rosemary and garlic, with a striped napkin and a stack of plates and cutlery in the background.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

  • Skill Level: Making a rack of lamb is surprisingly easy and this recipe keeps things simple.
  • Total Time: Prep and cooking time will be about 25 minutes. Then 10-15 minutes of resting time for the meat.
  • Variations: While rosemary is the ultimate herb to put on lamb, you can use other herbs if you prefer. Amp up the garlic amount if you happen to adore garlic, add a spritz of lemon juice or some lemon zest at the end for some citrus zing. Maybe even try adding some wholegrain Dijon mustard.
  • Tools Required: For this recipe, you’ll need a large oven safe skillet, a very sharp knife, a cutting board, some foil, and a small bowl. You may also like to grab a basting brush and a knife sharpener.
A sliced rack of herb-crusted lamb is arranged on a wooden cutting board with parchment paper, garnished with fresh rosemary and garlic. A knife, glass of water, plates, and a striped napkin are nearby on a marble countertop.

What You’ll Need For Ingredients

Lamb Rack: Trimmed and Frenched (ends of rib bones cleaned and trimmed), this cut of meat is the star of the show. It’s generally considered to be something one goes to a restaurant to eat, but it can be made at home with minimal fuss. Once you’ve dressed this delicious chunk of lamb with some fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

A rack of ribs on a cutting board next to bowls of spices.

How To Make Rack of Lamb

This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions is in the recipe card below.

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Season the rack of lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy oven safe skillet. Sear all sides of the rack of lamb for 1 or 2 minutes.
  3. Pat the seasoning mixture onto the meat. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent burning. Place lamb rack in the skillet, fat side up.
  4. Roast in oven for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 325°F. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until meat has reached an internal temperature of 135°F (for medium-rare) or 145°FRack of Lamb: (for medium-well).
  5. Remove from oven, cover loosely and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
A rack of cooked, sliced lamb garnished with fresh rosemary and garlic sits on a wooden board, with plates and a glass of water blurred in the background.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Rack of Lamb

Carving Method: After the meat has rested for at least 10-15 minutes, use your very sharpest knife and pierce the meat’s thickest point. You can use a fork to help hold the meat in place. Slice to separate the rib bones, making sure to leave even amounts of meat on each side of the bone.

Cooking Time: The “correct” amount of doneness for lamb is all up to personal preference. Depending on what you like best, aim anywhere in that 135F-145F range, and remember that the doneness will increase slightly as the meat rests.

Avoiding Burned Bones: The ends of the bones in a rack of lamb have a tendency to get scorched if they aren’t protected. Hence, the use of foil to keep them covered (similar to how you might protect the edges of a pie crust

A close-up of a fork holding a juicy piece of cooked meat, garnished with herbs, with more meat on a plate blurred in the background.

Storage Instructions

Lamb will be at it’s best while freshly cooked, so encourage your family to eat it up immediately. However, leftover meat can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for several months.

More Delicious Dinner Recipes

Looking for more Dinner options?

Try a Roast Chicken or an Instant Pot Pork Roast with some Roasted Fingerling Potatoes.

How about Roast Beef on the Barbeque or a scrumptious Rosemary Lemon Chicken & Asparagus Dinner?

There you have it. Rack of Lamb isn’t nearly as complicated as the name implies. Try out this recipe with your favourite side dishes and let me know how it turns out.

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn

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Rack of Lamb

A rack of lamb is covered in a herb and garlic mixture and roasted to tender, juicy perfection. A great introduction recipe for those who haven't tried lamb.
No ratings yet
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 133

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • one 8 bone rack of lamb , trimmed and frenched
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 450 °F.
  • In a large bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
  • Season the rack all over with extra sea salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear the rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes.
  • Pat the lamb with the spice mixture.
  • Cover the ends of the bones with aluminum foil to prevent charring.
  • Place the lamb rack bone side down (fat side up!) in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 325°F, Continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat reads 135 or 145 degrees. The best temperature for medium-rare doneness is 135°F, and145 °F for a medium-well doneness.
  • Remove and let it rest for 10 minutes loosely covered. To carve, slice between each rib, making a perfect "chop" each time.

Notes

  • Cooking temperature on this is a very personal preference when it comes to lamb. Cook to how you like it! 

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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