Discover our easy Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb recipe, perfect for any occasion. With minimal prep and maximum flavour, enjoy a tender, juicy lamb with a golden crust. No marinating or searing required!
If you’re here because you’re looking for an effortless meat to meal-prep in bulk, give this even-easier slow-cooker meal prep chicken a try.
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? Why You’ll Love This Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb
This Effortless Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb recipe is a game-changer for your weekly meal prep. Here are the top reasons why you’ll fall in love with it:
- Maximum Flavour, Minimum Effort – This recipe is designed to bring out the best in your lamb with the minimal prep work possible. The blend of lemon, garlic, and herbs ensures a flavourful and succulent roast without the need for marinating or searing.
- Perfectly Cooked Every Time – By allowing the lamb to rest at room temperature before cooking, you ensure even cooking throughout. Plus, the straightforward roasting method delivers a beautiful golden crust and juicy interior that even a beginner can pull off!
- Versatile and Crowd-Pleasing – Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, preparing a family meal, or prepping some quality protein for the rest of the week, this roast lamb is a hit. It’s perfect for a traditional roast dinner, but also versatile enough to be used in salads, sandwiches, curries, or soups.
? Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lamb Leg – The star of the show. Aim for the best quality you can afford for maximum flavour and texture.
- Lemon – Adds a fresh, zesty flavour that cuts through the richness of the lamb.
- Fresh Garlic – Infuses the lamb with a deep, aromatic flavour.
- Onion – Forms a flavourful bed for the lamb to roast on, adding a subtle sweetness.
- Dried Oregano and Rosemary – Classic herbs that complement the lamb and enhance its natural flavours.
- Olive Oil – This optional extra helps the marinade to coat the lamb.
- Salt and Pepper – Season depending on your preference and how you intend to serve the lamb.
See recipe card for quantities.
? How to Make Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb
- Take the lamb out of the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour. This ensures even cooking and a succulent meat.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). To make the marinade, zest the lemon and cut it in half to juice.
- In a bowl, mix the lemon juice and zest with minced garlic, dried oregano, dried rosemary, olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Slice the onion lengthways into1 cm thick slices and arrange them on the bottom of your baking tray. This will serve as a bed for the lamb.
- Rub the lamb leg thoroughly with the marinade, ensuring it’s evenly coated. Place the lamb on top of the onion slices. Pour any leftover marinade over the lamb. Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. This high temperature helps to develop a golden crust on the lamb. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (356°F). Continue roasting for an additional hour.
- Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the oven and cover it with another baking tray. Let it rest for 20 minutes. This step is crucial as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it tender and juicy.
Useful Hints
- It is common practice to cover a roast with aluminium foil to roast and rest, but to minimize my use of foil, I avoid covering the meat during the roasting process and use another baking tray to cover the meat as it rests instead. I have not found that this makes the meat dry-out at all.
- If you want extra flavour, you CAN rub the marinade on the lamb and let it marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. However, this is an effortless recipe for a reason, so don’t feel like you must make your life harder, I promise it will still taste amazing without marinating! ?
- Once you’ve removed the lamb from the pan to slice, simply pour some freshly boiled water into the pan to turn the sticky, meat and onion juices into a delicious gravy. To create a thicker consistency, you can use a mixture of a tablespoon of chickpea (gram) flour and cold water and gradually add it to the gravy while warming it in a saucepan. Season with added salt and pepper if required.
? Substitutions
- Herbs – If you don’t have oregano or rosemary, you can use thyme or marjoram instead. Woody herbs work particularly well for roasts as they can withstand the longer cooking time. Fresh herbs can also be used, but you’ll need about 2-3 times the amount compared to dried herbs.
- Garlic – Garlic powder can be used in place of fresh garlic. Use about 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for every clove of fresh garlic.
- Onion – Shallots or leeks can be used as a substitute for onions. They will provide a slightly different but equally delicious flavour base for the lamb.
? Equipment
Total cooking time will vary depending on the weight of the leg as well as how well-done you like it cooked. A meat thermometer is a fantastic addition to any cook’s kitchen and will help you to determine when your lamb is ready.
Use the following as a guide when checking the internal temperature of the lamb:
- Medium rare = 55-60°C
- Medium = 60-65°C
- Well-done = 65-74°C
Check out the Food Standards Agency for more cooking safety advice.
Here’s a great lamb cooking guide organised by weight by Australian Lamb.
? Storage
Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze any leftover meat in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Save the pan juices in a separate container and refrigerate. These can be used to make a flavourful gravy.
✨ Top Tip
Making Bone Broth
I also like to save the bone to make a broth later and will freeze the bones once cooled down to do this another day.
To make a quality bone-broth, simply add bones as well as some veggie scraps, to a slow cooker, fill with enough water to cover the ingredients, and cook on low for as little as 12 hours, and as long as 48 hours.
Try this slow cooker meal prep chicken for another effortless high-protein dish. The post also includes plenty of tips on how to flavour your broth.
❓ FAQ
Yes, you can use other cuts like lamb shoulder, but cooking times will vary.
A general rule of thumb is to roast your lamb leg for 20 minutes at 200°C (392°F), plus 35 minutes per kg at 180°C (356°F).
So if your lamb leg is 2kg, you would roast it for 20 minutes + 70 minutes = 1 hour 30 minutes total.
Use the following as a guide when checking the internal temperature of the lamb:
Medium rare = 55-60°C
Medium = 60-65°C
Well-done = 65-74°C
? Pairing With Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb
This easy lamb roast is ideal for Easter, Sunday lunch, or whenever you want a simple yet special meal.
Here are some ideas of dishes to serve with this Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb include:
- Mint sauce or chimichurri dressing made with garlic and herbs
- Roasted vegetables such as sweet potato, swede, turnip or green beans – check out this lemon roasted cauliflower steak recipe
- Fresh salads such as this fiery cilantro cabbage salad
? Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Easy Lemon and Herb Roast Leg of Lamb (No Marinating Needed!)
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg lamb leg
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Take the lamb out of the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Zest the lemon and cut it in half to juice. In a bowl, mix the lemon juice and zest with minced garlic, dried oregano, dried rosemary, olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper.
- Slice the onion lengthways into 1 cm thick slices and arrange them on the bottom of your baking tray.
- Rub the lamb leg thoroughly with the marinade. Place the lamb on top of the onion slices and pour any leftover marinade over the lamb.
- Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- After the 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (356°F) and continue roasting for an additional hour (see notes regarding cooking times). Once cooked, remove the lamb from the oven and cover it with another baking tray. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- While marinating is not necessary, for added flavour, you can rub the marinade on the lamb and leave it to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Removing the lamb from the refrigerator an hour in advance ensures that the meat cooks more evenly. Otherwise, it will need cooking for longer, risking overdone and tough meat on the outside.
- Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- A general rule of thumb is to roast your lamb leg for 20 minutes at 200°C (392°F), plus 35 minutes per kg (1kg = 2.2 lb) at 180°C (356°F).
- Use the following as a guide when checking the internal temperature of the lamb:
- Medium rare = 55-60°C
- Medium = 60-65°C
- Well-done = 65-74°C
Last step! If you make this recipe, will you do me a huge favour and leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review letting me know what you thought? It really helps! Thanks for your support!!
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional info is approximate and for general guidance only. Unit conversions are automatically generated and may not be accurate.
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