This Roasted Rack of Lamb is much easier to make than you might think and it’s an impressive and amazing main dish.
One of my favorite things to eat is roasted rack of lamb. When I first made this recipe, I was looking for something impressive to serve to guests at a dinner party, but after that first time, I started making it regularly, even for weeknight dinners, because it’s so addictive!
If you haven’t tried making a rack of lamb before, you should definitely give this recipe a try. You’ll see how easy it is to make, and once you taste the amazing dry rub you’ll never go back.
It’s like these amazing oven-roasted baby back ribs. You might think this is going to be a difficult process, but it’s not. Give it a try and you’ll be surprised.
The only difficulty with rack of lamb is finding and buying the right thing. In most cases, you’ll be able to purchase a French cut or trimmed rack of lamb at the grocery with no problem. However, sometimes it isn’t trimmed yet.
» You might want to try these Oven-Baked Tomahawk Pork Chops and Easy Instant Pot Lamb Chops.
What is French Trimmed Lamb?
Rack of lamb is often French trimmed (also known as Frenching in the US), This is when the rib bones are exposed by cutting off the fat and meat that covers them.
It gives each rib a sort of built-in handle and makes each rib look a bit like a lollipop when you pick it up.
It’s not necessary to french trim the rack of lamb, but it does make it fancier, and somewhat easier to eat.
Rack of Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 rack of lamb French cut (roughly 1 ½ pounds)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the rub
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dill
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring the lamb to room temperature before cooking. Trim any fat from the top of the lamb rack. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and a wire rack.
- Sear the lamb in a hot pan on both sides. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly. Coat generously with the rub. Place the lamb on the wire rack, meat facing up. Insert an oven thermometer set to 125 degrees F for medium rare (or your preferred doneness).
- Roast the lamb until the meat thermometer alarm goes off, about 15 minutes. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, check the meat temperature after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. The internal temperature will continue to rise, bringing the meat to the perfect temperature for medium rare.
- Cut the ribs apart and serve.
Nutrition
Dry Rub for Lamb
I highly recommend the dry rub in this recipe. It adds a tremendous amount of flavor because it forms a good crust on the lamb as it cooks. Skipping the rub would be a huge shame.
However, don’t add the rub before searing the meat. The rub tends to burn when searing, and you don’t want that. To prevent this, just sprinkle on some salt and pepper before searing, then let the rack cool slightly and add the rub right before putting in the oven.
It might seem like there is a lot of salt in this rub, but believe me, it’s one of the keys to amazing flavor. I wouldn’t reduce it unless you need to, or don’t like salt.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. You’ll need a baking sheet or roasting pan. Line it with with foil and a wire rack. The lamb will sit on top of the rack while cooking.
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What to Serve it With
Rack of lamb is a very versatile main dish, so it can be served with just about whatever you fancy. We love serving it with crispy roast potatoes, roast asparagus salad, roasted twice baked potatoes or a simple wedge salad.
Side Dishes to Try
Salads
Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Corn & Black Bean Pasta Salad
Bacon, Jalapeno & Corn Salad
Classic Wedge Salad
Pear & Gorgonzola Salad
Veggies
Roasted Asparagus with Cranberries & Feta
Shaved Asparagus with Pesto
Roasted Green Beans & Mushrooms
Crispy Roast Potatoes
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes.
So gorgeous! I’ve never made rack of lamb before, so I appreciate all of the tips.
This would be amazing to make for Thanksgiving instead of the usual turkey. Looks delicious! 🙂
That’s our plan for this year!
This was the perfect recipe for lamb. It had the perfect amount of herbs and spices. Loved it!!!
Glad you liked it! I’m in love with this recipe, myself.
Looks delicious. I know my family will love this!
What a great recipe to try for dinner this holiday. Thanks for sharing. My family will definitely love this.
What can I use in place of seasoning salt and celery salt? (Neither one gets used around our house … we don’t cook a lot)
Hi Joseph. You can just substitute both of those for regular table salt.
I’m About To Prepare For My Husband And Twins With Some Garlic Potatoes And Salad