This roasted boneless leg of lamb seasoned with rosemary, lemon juice, dijon mustard and garlic is a succulent Easter delight that truly celebrates Spring.
The Best Leg of Lamb Recipe
This is the leg of lamb recipe I come back to every spring—it feels a little fancy but is actually so simple to make. The garlic, rosemary, lemon, and Dijon create the best savory, herby crust, and the oven does most of the work. It’s juicy, tender, and always a hit when I’m hosting or want something a little special without over-complicating it. Perfect for Easter or any time of the year. And don’t just take my word for it–there are dozens of 5-star reviews. One reader commented, “This is hands down the best lamb recipe,” and another said it was “Absolutely tender, flavorful, and utterly fantastic!” If you prefer lamb chops, try this easy Frenched rack of lamb or these grilled lamb chops.
Why You’ll Love This Leg of Lamb Recipe
This easy roasted leg of lamb recipe has incredible flavor and looks great on your holiday table. It uses minimal ingredients, and the prep time is short–and bonus, the oven does all the work for you! With so many rave reviews, what are you waiting for?
- Perfect Any Time of the Year: Besides Easter, it’s great for Thanksgiving or Christmas if you’re tired of turkey or expecting a smaller crowd. I also love to serve it for celebratory occasions, like a birthday or anniversary, because it feels special.
- Easy: If you’ve never cooked lamb before, there’s no need to be intimidated. It’s simple!
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, high-protein, paleo, dairy-free, keto, and anti-inflammatory
Lamb Ingredients
This rub combines classic flavor pairings of garlic, rosemary, lemon, and Dijon mustard to create a savory, aromatic blend that perfectly complements lamb. Find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Garlic: Crush garlic cloves to release their flavor.
- Lemon Juice for acidity and brightness
- Rosemary pairs beautifully with garlic.
- Dijon Mustard for tanginess
- Olive Oil helps the rub coat the lamb and prevent it from drying out.
- Salt and Pepper season the meat.
- Lamb: Buy a trimmed, boneless lamb leg. See below for more tips on how to purchase and prepare lamb.
How to Make Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb
This lamb recipe is easier to cook than you might think! Make the rub, put it on the meat, and bake–that’s it! The recipe card contains the printable instructions.
- Make the Lamb Rub: Combine the crushed garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, mustard, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and rub it on both sides of the lamb.
- Prep the Lamb: Roll up the lamb and tie it together with butcher’s twine. Place it on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan.
- How Long to Cook a Leg of Lamb: Roast the lamb at 375°F until it’s medium-rare. It’s ready when a meat thermometer reads 135°F to 140°F. Depending on its size, it will take at least 70 minutes but possibly longer.
- Let It Rest: Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. The roast’s temperature will increase a few degrees as it sits. Slice the lamb into quarter-inch slices.
Variations
- Herbs: If rosemary is not your thing, you could use other fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, or a combination of all three.
- Mustard: Substitute grainy Dijon.
Leg of Lamb Tips
- Your Butcher Is Your Friend: To make it easier, ask your butcher to trim off all the fat.
- Rolling Tip: I like to roll and tie the lamb myself so I can season the inside as well as the outside. If you are nervous about doing it, ask the butcher to roll it and only season the outside.
- Bone-in Lamb: If you can’t find a boneless leg of lamb, you can use a bone-in one. Rub the garlic mixture all over the lamb and cook it a little longer. To determine when it’s ready, check it periodically with a meat thermometer. Once it reads 135°F to 140°F, remove it from the oven.
- For even more flavor, put the rub on the lamb the night before. However, it’ll still taste amazing even if you do it just a few minutes before cooking it.
- No twine? That’s OK! Although the lamb may not look as pretty, it will still work.
- Should a leg of lamb be covered when roasting? No, you don’t need to. Leaving it uncovered will help it develop a great crust.
What to Serve with Roasted Lamb
Below are some side dish ideas that would be great for Easter or any special occasion.
- Scalloped Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Rice Pilaf
- Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette, Wilted Spinach, Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Storage
- Refrigerate lamb for 4 days.
- Freeze it for 3 months.
- Reheat it in the microwave or oven until warm.
More Easter Main Dish Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Spiral Ham with Apricot-Dijon Glaze
- Oven Baked Apricot Rum Glazed Spiral Ham
- Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots
- Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
- Crustless Quiche
Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt, more or less to taste
- fresh ground black pepper
- 3 ½ – 4 lb uncooked trimmed lamb leg, boneless, rolled and tied
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place a rack in the pan.
- Combine crushed garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper; mix well and rub mixture all over lamb.
- Roll the lamb and use butcher’s twine to tie it together and place it on the prepared roasting pan.
- Roast in the oven until medium-rare and a meat thermometer inserted in center reads 135-140ºF, anywhere from 70 minutes and up depending on the size of your roast.
- Remove the lamb and let it rest about 15 minutes on a cutting board. Keep in mind the temperature will increase a few degrees once it rests.
- Slice lamb into ¼-inch thick slices and place on a serving platter.
