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An oven-roasted rack of lamb is an impressive dish and very easy to make. Only a handful of ingredients separates you from serving tender, flavorful lamb that makes for the most eye-catching centerpiece on the dinner table. Perfect for special meals and holidays, and excellent as a main course served family-style.
This recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy lamb because it’s simple but offers a wonderfully complex flavor profile. The herb definitely takes this roasted rack of lamb over the top! They say lamb can be an acquired taste, but it didn’t take long for me to love it.
It doesn’t get any better than a perfectly seasoned, medium-rare oven-roasted rack of lamb. A layer of seasonings, a herby marinade, and a quick sear will prepare your rack of lamb for the final roasting step. Served carved and presented as lamb chops, they can be plated individually or served up family-style on a platter right at the table.
Ingredients you’ll need to roast rack of lamb:
- A rack of lamb that has been “French trimmed. Most racks come this way, but you can ask your butcher to “French” the racks, which removes the excess meat, fat, and cartilage from the bones. This gives the rack a neat presentation as well. This cut of lamb usually comes with 8 to 9 ribs on the rack.
- For the seasonings, you’ll need garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. You want to allow the lamb to truly shine, so I keep my seasonings very simple. They are intended to complement and highlight the flavor of the lamb; not overpower it.
- For the marinade, combine freshly chopped rosemary and thyme with olive oil. The olive oil helps lock in moisture and ensures the herbs remain on the lamb during the searing process.
- Butter and olive oil will be used to sear the rack of lamb in the skillet before roasting.
How to cook rack of lamb in the oven:
Allow lamb to come to room temperature. If refrigerated, remove from the packaging and allow to sit for 20 minutes so the lamb comes to room temperature.
Season the lamb. Season the entire rack of lamb evenly with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Coat the lamb with the marinade. Add the olive oil, chopped fresh rosemary, and chopped fresh thyme into and small bowl and stir.Take this marinade and coat the entire rack of lamb evenly. (You can also make the marinade ahead of time and marinate the lamb overnight for a more intense flavor.)
Sear the rack of lamb. Heat a large oven-friendly skillet (or cast iron) to medium heat. Add olive oil and butter to the hot skillet.Place the seasoned rack of lamb with the fat side into the pan and sear for 5 minutes. While holding the bones, rock the meat slowly back and forth to brown the top and back of the rack.
Bake the lamb. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how you like your meat cooked. For medium-rare, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees. For medium, the center should read 150 degrees. For well done, the center should read at least 160 degrees.
Rest the lamb and serve. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and serve by cutting the chops in between the bones.
Tips for Roasting Rack of Lamb
- Do you remove the top layer of fat from a rack of lamb? This is personal preference, but I do leave some. The fat cap is from where most of the flavors comes. If you prefer to trim it, I recommend leaving 1/8 to 1/4-inch of fat cap.
- Should I sear my rack of lamb before roasting? Yes! This gives the rack that nice golden brown color on the outside of the lamb chops.
- Do you cover lamb when roasting? I prefer to not cover the lamb when roasting as the direct heat helps to render the fat cap. However, if the crust is browning too quickly, and the internal temperature isn’t where you want it, you can cover the lamb using a piece of foil for the time remaining.
- Is rack of lamb supposed to be medium-rare? Typically, yes. But feel free to enjoy it the way you like it!
- How many people does a rack of lamb serve? One rack can be separated into 8 to 9 lamb chops to serve 2 to 3 people. You can assume you’ll need 2 to 3 lamb chops per person.
- How do you store leftover rack of lamb? Place in an airtight container wrapped in foil or plastic wrap for up to 2 days.
How long to cook rack of lamb in oven?
Depending on how you like your meat cooked, using an instant-read thermometer:
- For medium-rare: 140 degrees
- For medium: 150 degrees
- For well done: at least 160 degrees
What to serve with rack of lamb?
Since the seasoning here is so simple, this dish pairs well with many sides, including sautéed spinach (or creamed spinach), risotto, roasted vegetables, carrot soufflé, and roasted potatoes.
Skip the restaurant and make this delicious dish at home! This roasted rack of lamb can make one feel as if their meal came from a fancy restaurant, minus the expense. 🙂
Roasted Rack of Lamb
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5 from 1 review
- Author: Eric Jones
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Skip the restaurant and make this delicious Roasted Rack of Lamb at home. Served with a side a creamed spinach, this dish is perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 rack of lamb
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Season the entire rack of lamb evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and 1 tbsp olive oil into a small bowl and stir. Evenly coat the lamb rack with the marinade on both sides.
- Heat an oven-friendly skillet or cast iron to medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and butter to the skillet. Place the rack of lamb with the fat side down into the skillet. Sear for 5 minutes. While holding the bones, rock the meat slowly back and forth to brown the top and back of the rack.
- Bake the rack of lamb at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes*.See notes for cooking time for the desired doneness.
- Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and serve by cutting the chops in between the bones.
Notes
Depending on how you like your meat cooked: For medium-rare, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees; for medium, the center should read 150 degrees; for well done, the center should read at least 160 degrees.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 1016
- Fat: 53.5g
