This simple boneless leg of lamb recipe is the perfect centerpiece for a holiday table. Made with just a handful of ingredients, your family will absolutely love this no fuss recipe.
Around the holidays, I’m always looking for more main dish recipes that you can serve. It’s always important to me that these recipes require a small amount of ingredients and are easy to pull off. If you are hosting the holidays, I want you to be both stress-free and look like a rockstar in the kitchen.
This mouth-watering roasted lamb is just such a recipe. It is made with four ingredients plus salt and pepper. The prep time on this recipe is just 20 minutes, but all uncomplicated. The final result is a delicious recipe that will impress all of your guests.
How to Cook Leg of Lamb
Here is a brief overview of how this roasted leg of lamb recipe comes together. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full recipe including all measurements, tips, and baking instructions.
- Prepare the leg of lamb. After removing the netting, lay the lamb flat on a clean work surface fatty side down. (You may have to cut the meat in order to lay it flat if the bone was removed without opening it up.)Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even 1 1/2 to 2-inch thickness.
- Season the lamb. Season the meat with olive oil, then the garlic cloves and salt and pepper. Roll the meat up tight and tie with butcher’s twine in one to two-inch intervals. Pat dry and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Sear the lamb. Cook the rolled lamb in a hot skillet with oil for a few minutes on each side.
- Bake the lamb. Transfer to the prepared rack and bake for 1 hour or until the lamb reaches 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve and enjoy! Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving for the juices to settle. Remove the string and slice the lamb into 1/2-inch slices.
Roasting Pan With Rack
As mentioned above, it is important to roast the leg of lamb on a wire rack in a roasting pan. This allows the air to circulate around the meat as it bakes. When not cooked this way, it can really impact the cooking time and end result of your dish.
Please note that the cooking time of this recipe is based on a wire rack and a roasting pan like in the photos. If you don’t have a wire rack and go with a baking dish for this recipe, I urge you to use a meat thermometer to check on your lamb. This way you will still be able to know it is fully cooked and pull it out of the oven at the correct time.
Roasting Pan
Cooking Leg of Lamb
When prepared and cooked correctly, lamb is moist and delicious. As I said above, I recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to know exactly when your leg of lamb is fully cooked so you can pull it out of the oven at the perfect time. It is considered fully cooked for food safety purposes when the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit and the thickness of your meat will determine how long it takes to get to this point. Be sure to check the meat at its thickest part.
It is really important to let the meat rest for about 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute inside the meat, resulting in a more tender piece of meat. If you cut into it immediately after it comes out of the oven, the juices will run right out. Tent it with foil to keep it warm while it settles.
Meat Thermometer
Adding Potatoes
If you would like to make potatoes with your lamb, it couldn’t be easier. Cut 1 1/2 pounds of Yukon baby potatoes in half. Toss them lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them in the roasting pan being sure not to over-crowd the roast. You want to ensure that air can circulate around the meat. They will be nice and tender at the same time that your roast is done.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover baked lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat leftover lamb in the oven, covered, until heated through. Always use your best discretion when reheating and eating leftovers.
What to Serve With Leg of Lamb
I love to add some fresh rosemary sprigs to the platter to make the roast boneless leg of lamb look extra fancy and festive.
If you make this roast leg of lamb recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment letting me know what you thought!
Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
Ingredients
- 4.5 boneless leg of lamb
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, if using table salt, use half
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a rack in a roasting pan and set aside. See note in the post about including baby potatoes.
- Remove the packaging and string from the lamb. The meat will likely be in a cylinder with the bone missing from the middle. Find the most narrow point of the meat and cut there.4.5 boneless leg of lamb
- Lay the lamb flat on a clean work surface so that the meat is fatty side down. This will mean that the side that was nearest to the bone will be facing up. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even 1 1/2 to 2 inch thickness.
- Season the meat with the olive oil, then the garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Roll the meat up tight and tie with kitchen twine in 1 to 2-inch intervals. Pat dry and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
- In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once it begins to shimmer in the pan, add the rolled lamb and sear for a few minutes on each side. Consider that there are 4 sides to the meat, not 2.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Transfer to the prepared rack and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the lamb reaches 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit at its thickest point.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and tent with foil. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing in 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch slices and serving.
LEAVE A COMMENT