By Becky Hardin
Published Apr 2, 2023
I usually cook ham for Easter, but this year I’m feeling fancy, so lamb it is! I was initially intimidated when testing this rack of lamb recipe, but it was so simple to make! The mint yogurt sauce is the perfect complement to the savoriness of the herb-crusted lamb. Try this roast rack of lamb for a beautiful Easter dinner!
What’s in This Rack of Lamb Recipe?
This rack of lamb (I was inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s recipe) has such a nice flavor. A delightful mixture of herbs gives it a simple yet wonderful taste, while the mint yogurt sauce is a perfect tangy complement to the savory lamb.
- Lamb: You’ll need a 2-pound (8-rib) rack of lamb that has been frenched and has the fat cap removed.
- Oil: Olive oil or grapeseed oil work best in this recipe, but you could also use avocado oil.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard provides a sharp, earthy flavor and helps the fresh herbs to stick to the lamb.
- Fresh Herbs : Basil, parsley, and thyme make up the herb crust.
- Garlic: Adds earthy flavor to the crust and the yogurt sauce.
- Butter: Melted unsalted butter helps the herbs adhere to the lamb and coats them to keep them from burning in the oven.
- Salt: Seasons the lamb to bring out its natural gamey flavor.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are necessary for the right crunch. Do not substitute with regular breadcrumbs!
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds saltiness and a pungent flavor to the crust.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt the base of the minty sauce that perfectly complements the lamb.
- Mint: Fresh mint is necessary for the right balance of flavor to offset the gaminess of the lamb.
- Black Pepper: Adds a bit of earthy pepperiness to the sauce.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon adds brightness to the sauce. I do not recommend using bottled lemon juice.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds a bit of heat to the sauce, but is totally optional.
Variations To Try
You can easily change up this rack of lamb to suit your tastes. I often swap the herbs out for whatever I have on hand, like sage, rosemary, or even mint! You can use a less potent mustard for a lighter flavor.
Try swapping the Parmesan cheese for another hard cheese, like Asiago or Pecorino Romano! And while I think the mint yogurt sauce is the perfect pairing, you could also serve this rack of lamb with balsamic glaze , mustard cream sauce , or chimichurri .
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover rack of lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The mint yogurt sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat the lamb in a 325°F oven wrapped in aluminum foil for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze rack of lamb in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. I do not recommend freezing the yogurt sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This rack of lamb with mint yogurt sauce is absolutely a special occasion kind of dish. Sure, you can serve it any time you like, but it’s so beautiful, so elegant, that it really deserves to be saved for Easter dinner .
I served mine with glazed carrots, but it’s also delicious with garlic mashed cauliflower asparagus almondine . Use up that leftover mint to make a refreshing watermelon salad !
Notes from the Test Kitchen
The official “safe” internal temperature for lamb (according to the USDA ) is 140-145°F, which is medium/medium-well. However, I prefer to eat rack of lamb a bit more rare than that.
Lamb is one of those meats that is okay to serve on the rare side. Cooking it to 125-130°F will leave the insides pink (medium-rare), which is typically fine and safe to eat. However, I prefer (and recommend) cooking it to 135-145°F.
5-Star Review
“Ths mint yogurt sauce is the perfect complement to this delicious lamb!” -Tara
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Lamb
- ▢ 2 pounds rack of lamb frenched (bone exposed) with fat cap removed (1 rack)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
- ▢ 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ▢ ½ cup fresh basil leaves packed
- ▢ ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley flat leaf
- ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled
- ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (¼ stick)
- ▢ 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ▢ 8 ounces Panko breadcrumbs (do not substitute regular breadcrumbs!)
- ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For the Mint Yogurt Sauce
- ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ▢ ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves diced
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced (2 teaspoons)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- ▢ 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Remove the lamb from the fridge 1½ hours before cooking to ensure it is at room temperature before placing in the oven. If the meat isn’t at room temperature before cooking, it won’t cook evenly.
For the Rack of Lamb
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rack of lamb on the prepared baking sheet and brush all sides of the lamb with oil and Dijon mustard. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until the basil crust/seasoning is ready. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 pounds rack of lamb
- In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade, pulse the basil, parsley, thyme, garlic, butter, salt, bread crumbs and Parmesan until the ingredients are evenly processed, about 6-8 times. Season to taste, and add more salt, pepper and/or Parmesan cheese, if needed. ½ cup fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1½ tablespoons kosher salt, 8 ounces Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- With the lamb on the sheet pan, press the basil/parsley/thyme mixture into both sides of the lamb meat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F for 15-30 minutes before placing the lamb in the oven and set the oven rack to the middle position.
- Wrap the bones in aluminum foil and place the lamb with the bones curving up.
- Roast the lamb for 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare (125°F-130°F). For complete transparency, we prefer lamb cooked to medium to medium-well (135-145°F).
- Remove the lamb from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes and cut into individual ribs.
For the Mint Yogurt Sauce
- While the lamb is roasting, whisk all of the yogurt sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- Serve with the finished rack of lamb.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Food Processor
Becky’s Tips
- Lamb Internal Temperature Guide For rare lamb: 125-130°F For medium-rare lamb: 130-140°F For medium lamb: 140-150°F For medium-well lamb: 150-160°F For well-done lamb: 160-165°F
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Rack of lamb is cut from the rib primal, which encompasses the ribs between the shoulder and loin. The meat here is considered the most tender and flavorful.
A “frenched” rack of lamb is a method of trimming the meat. This means that some of the meat and fat is trimmed off the ends (usually about two inches), exposing the rib bones. You can see in the photos how the meat is concentrated on one end, while the other is bare. You can find lamb like this at the store or butcher, so no need to trim it yourself ( although you can ).
One rack of lamb divided into 8 chops will serve 2-3 people. Plan for 2-3 lamb chops per person.
Simply cut between the ribs in smooth, single strokes to separate the rack into chops.
More Easter Dinner Recipes To Try
- Pineapple Ham
- Orange Glazed Ham
- Pork Roulade
- Orange Cranberry Pork Loin
- Beef Tenderloin
- Prime Rib Roast
- Red Wine Pot Roast
Rack of Lamb Recipe with Mint Yogurt Sauce
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Lamb
- 2 pounds rack of lamb frenched (bone exposed) with fat cap removed (1 rack)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves packed
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley flat leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (¼ stick)
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 8 ounces Panko breadcrumbs (do not substitute regular breadcrumbs!)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For the Mint Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced (2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Remove the lamb from the fridge 1½ hours before cooking to ensure it is at room temperature before placing in the oven. If the meat isn’t at room temperature before cooking, it won’t cook evenly.
For the Rack of Lamb
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rack of lamb on the prepared baking sheet and brush all sides of the lamb with oil and Dijon mustard. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until the basil crust/seasoning is ready. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 pounds rack of lamb
- In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade, pulse the basil, parsley, thyme, garlic, butter, salt, bread crumbs and Parmesan until the ingredients are evenly processed, about 6-8 times. Season to taste, and add more salt, pepper and/or Parmesan cheese, if needed. ½ cup fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1½ tablespoons kosher salt, 8 ounces Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- With the lamb on the sheet pan, press the basil/parsley/thyme mixture into both sides of the lamb meat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F for 15-30 minutes before placing the lamb in the oven and set the oven rack to the middle position.
- Wrap the bones in aluminum foil and place the lamb with the bones curving up.
- Roast the lamb for 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare (125°F-130°F). For complete transparency, we prefer lamb cooked to medium to medium-well (135-145°F).
- Remove the lamb from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes and cut into individual ribs.
For the Mint Yogurt Sauce
- While the lamb is roasting, whisk all of the yogurt sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- Serve with the finished rack of lamb.
Notes
- Lamb Internal Temperature Guide For rare lamb: 125-130°F For medium-rare lamb: 130-140°F For medium lamb: 140-150°F For medium-well lamb: 150-160°F For well-done lamb: 160-165°F
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
