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When it comes to roasts on Sundays or special occasions, there’s few things more delicious and impressive looking than a Roast Leg of Lamb. This foolproof recipe gives you maximum flavour but is super easy to prep, with a simple rub and then into the oven.
I’m not sure there’s anything more delicious than the smell of a Roast Leg of Lamb cooking is there?
Lamb is my favourite to serve up at Easter or on those promise-of-spring Sundays, but what I don’t have time for is anything too labour intensive.
That’s why this simple recipe works. After a 10 minute prep with a simple garlicky, herby, zesty rub (like the one in my Lamb Shoulder recipe), I am happy to sit back and let my oven do the work.
My first port of call is always to weigh my lamb leg and work out the timings, then I write it down so I don’t forget, and it’s a doddle from that point.
Getting the oven times and temperatures right is the secret to getting perfectly cooked lamb to slice up and serve (see what these are below ⬇️). And don’t forget to rest it at the end.
Why you’ll love this Roast Leg of Lamb recipe
⭐️ Quick and easy prep
⭐️ Mouthwateringly delicious
⭐️ Perfect for hands-off special meal
Lamb Cooking time & temperatures
✅ Start off by weighing your lamb leg so you know how long to cook it for.
✅ Do an initial cook of 20 minutes at 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6, then reduce the heat:
✅ Cook the lamb for 15-22 minutes for each 500g of lamb you are cooking.
- 15 minutes if you like your lamb quite pink
- 17 minutes if you like your lamb medium (my favourite), or
- 20 if you like it well cooked through.
✅ The best way to check that your lamb is cooked is to use a meat thermometer.
Check the thickest part of the lamb for this. If the temperature has reached:
- 54°C/129F, the meat will be medium rare
- 58°C/136F for medium or
- 60°C/140F+ for well cooked (try to not go past this or your lamb might be a little tough)
RESTING
You need to rest your lamb for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
The lamb will keep cooking while it rests so the temperature will increase a little from the one you chose above to give you the perfect slice of lamb.
Roast Leg of Lamb Ingredients
- Leg of lamb – Make sure it has the bone in. For reference, this recipe serves about 6 with a 2kg leg, so you can plan around this if you’re feeding more or fewer. This weight doesn’t need to be exact, just thereabouts.
For the rub: - Mint, rosemary and parsley – Fresh, only the leaves are needed. We tested this recipe with dried herbs too, but I would say it’s really worth investing in fresh for this as the flavours complement the rich lamb beautifully.
- Garlic – About 4 peeled cloves.
- Lemons – Only the zest.
- Oil – I use olive oil.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper – Season generously.
How to make a Roast Leg of Lamb
1. Blitz together the mint, rosemary, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Weigh your lamb, then place it in a baking tray and use a sharp knife to make small incisions all over the lamb. Rub the herby paste all over and cook in a preheated oven, as per the recipe below.
Storing
In the fridge You can keep the cooked leg of lamb in the fridge for up to 3 days, but it’s much easier if you slice it all first and then keep it in an airtight container.
I like to use any leftover meat in dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie, Lamb Tagine or Lamb Curry.
It would also be great cold in sandwiches, salads or wraps.
In the freezer This will be fine to freeze, but make sure you defrost it and reheat thoroughly. Results would be best if the meat is in a sauce dish, like the ones above.
Recipe Tip
It’s important to take your lamb out of the fridge for at least an hour before cooking to make sure it comes up to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly.
The best roast recipes…
Beef
Roast Beef
Christmas Recipes
No Fuss Roast Turkey
Vegetarian
Nut Roast
Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Gammon {BEST Ever Ham!}
FAQs
If you have a piece of lamb that fits in your slow cooker, follow my Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb recipe here. This recipe is slightly different, and there are a few tips to follow.
Go classic with Roast Potatoes, spring greens and Yorkshire Puddings, or jazz it up with Dauphinoise Potatoes and Cauliflower Cheese too! If you’re cooking this at Easter, why not serve up a dessert like Mini Egg Chocolate Pudding?
Oh, and obviously mint sauce!
Blitzing it up in a processor is the quickest and easiest method. I use my beloved Mini Food Chopper for this job. It’s so useful, easy to get in and out of the cupboard and inexpensive.
No, we did test this with gravy but it was a little too fatty. I serve this up with Onion Gravy instead.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Roast Leg of Lamb {with Garlic & Herbs}
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4.5 lb) Leg of lamb, Bone in
For the rub:
- 30 g (1 oz) Fresh mint, Leaves only
- 30 g (1 oz) Fresh rosemary, Leaves only
- 30 g (1 oz) Fresh parsley
- 4 Garlic cloves, Peeled
- 2 Lemons, Zest only
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
- Blitz together the mint, rosemary, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper. (Add a little extra olive oil if needed to make a paste.)
- Weigh your lamb and make a note of the weight.
- Place in a baking tray and use a sharp knife to make small incisions all over the lamb, then rub the herby paste all over the lamb.
- Cook in the oven for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
- Cook the lamb for 15-22 minutes for each 500g of lamb you are cooking (SEE NOTES BELOW).
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Notes
- 15 minutes if you like your lamb quite pink
- 17 minutes if you like your lamb medium, or
- 20 if you like it well cooked through
- Medium rare – 54°C/129F
- Medium – 58°C/136F
- Well cooked – 60°C/140F+ (try to not go past this or your lamb might be a little tough)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
Made this on Sunday. It was delicious and so easy! Thanks Sarah.