Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Mint Chimichurri
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My herb-roasted rack of lamb is coated in garlic, parsley, and oregano, then roasted hot and fast to keep it tender and juicy. The mint chimichurri alongside is sharp with sherry vinegar, which is exactly what rich lamb wants next to it.
Rack of lamb has a reputation for being restaurant food, and I understand why, but it takes about five minutes of actual work. A herb paste goes on, then you slice it into chops at the table and watch everyone go quiet.
The part I care most about is what goes alongside. Lamb is rich, and a herb crust adds flavor without doing anything to cut through that richness. By my third or fourth chop it starts to feel heavy. That’s why I serve it with chimichurri. Sherry vinegar, raw garlic, and a lot of fresh mint make a sauce sharp enough to cut straight through the fat, so each bite resets instead of piling on.
Mint and lamb is an old pairing for exactly this reason, but I’ve never loved mint jelly, which is sweet and a bit cloying. Swapping the cilantro out of a standard chimichurri for mint gets me the same partnership in a fresher, more savory form.
I make the chimichurri while the lamb sits at room temperature. It’s better after twenty minutes anyway, once the garlic softens into the vinegar.
How long to roast a rack of lamb
Time is the least reliable way to cook a rack of lamb. A one-pound New Zealand rack and a two-pound American rack can differ by ten minutes or more at the same oven temperature, and every oven runs a little differently. Use an instant-read thermometer and treat the clock as a rough guide.
Pull the lamb before it reaches your target temperature. It keeps cooking while it rests, and a tented rack will climb roughly 10 degrees in the ten minutes it sits. This is the single most common way rack of lamb gets overcooked.
At 450°F, with two racks weighing about two and a half pounds together:
| Doneness | Pull from oven at | Finishes at | Roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115°F | 125°F | 18 to 20 min |
| Medium rare | 125°F | 135°F | 22 to 25 min |
| Medium | 135°F | 145°F | 27 to 30 min |
Medium rare is where rack of lamb is at its best, tender and pink through the middle. Push much past medium, and the meat tightens and loses the thing you paid for.
Check the temperature at the thickest part of the meat without touching bone, since bone reads hotter than the meat around it.
Tips for roasting a rack of lamb
A rack of lamb is the rib section, the same cut that lamb chops come from, left whole. It’s expensive and it cooks fast, which is a combination worth respecting. Here’s what matters.
- Buy it frenched. Most racks at the supermarket or butcher come this way, with the excess fat trimmed back from the bones. It looks better on the platter, and it means less chewy fat on the plate.
- Know the weight. A full rack is usually eight ribs. Racks run anywhere from one to two pounds, and that swing changes the roasting time significantly, so weigh yours or check the label before you rely on any timing.
- Take the chill off. Let the coated lamb sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before it goes in the oven. Cold meat straight from the fridge cooks unevenly, and you’ll end up with an overdone outside before the middle catches up. If you’re prepping ahead, cover the sheet pan and refrigerate, then pull it out an hour before roasting.
- Use a thermometer. This is the one I’d insist on. Rack of lamb goes from pink to grey in about four minutes, and there’s no visual cue from outside the oven that tells you where you are.
- Rest it for ten minutes. Tent it loosely with foil and leave it alone. The juices redistribute so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board, and the temperature climbs about ten degrees, which is why you pull it early.
What to serve with roasted rack of lamb
Rack of lamb wants potatoes. I go with extra crispy roast potatoes most of the time, partly because the craggy edges are good at catching leftover chimichurri.
For something green, sautéed asparagus is my usual in spring, or whole roasted brussels sprouts the rest of the year. Both go in a hot oven, so they can share the space then finish cooking while the lamb rests.
Can I prep this ahead of time? You can! Instead of letting the prepared lamb sit on your counter for an hour before you cook it, cover the baking sheet with wrap and pop it in the fridge. That way, when your company arrives, all you have to do is pull the lamb out of the fridge. Easy!
Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Mint Chimichurri
Ingredients
- Olive oil (for the pan)
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: cayenne and black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 racks lamb (2 ½ lb total)
Instructions
- Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and drizzle it with olive oil. Place the parsley, oregano, sea salt, cayenne, black pepper, garlic, and olive oil in your food processor and blend until combined. It will still be a bit chunky. If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop everything by hand.½ cup fresh parsley, ¼ cup fresh oregano, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon EACH: cayenne and black pepper, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil
- Spread the dijon mustard evenly over the meat on both sides of the racks of lamb. Rub a little of the herb mix over the backside (the concave side) of the lamb then place the racks, backside down, on the prepared baking sheet. Press the remaining herb mix onto the meaty part of the lamb. Set aside at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 2 racks lamb
- While the lamb is marinating, prepare the mint chimichurri. Stir all the chimichurri ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. If you prefer, you can use your food processor, but we like the results of hand-mincing the herbs better. Set aside.½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh mint, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, ½ tablespoon oregano, 2 cloves garlic, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar, Optional: 1 red chili
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When your oven is hot, put the lamb inside. Cook the lamb for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the racks and your personal preference. For the best results, use an instant-read thermometer. °Rare: 20 minutes. 125 degrees Fahrenheit °Medium-rare: 25 minutes. 135 degrees Fahrenheit °Medium: 30 minutes. 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- Remove the lamb, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it stand for 10 minutes before carving. Serve the rack of lamb with the mint chimichurri on the side.
Video
Nutrition
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This looks so good! Quick question about the nutrition info: is 955 calories and 92 grams of fat per serving correct? Or is that a mistake?
Thanks, Julie! Lamb is very high in fat, and therefore calories. Each serving is a generous half rack, which is 3-4 ribs per person. If you’re a lighter eater, or serving this as an appetizer, you can count on 2 ribs being enough.
What a delicious Lamb. I can’t wait to make this weekend since I have all the ingredients needed.
Wow I love this recipe, thanks for sharing
This was such a treat. I made it when I had a few friends over the other day and it looked and tasted spectacular. Thank you!