Seared Lamb Chops with Raspberry Marsala Sauce
Seared Lamb Chops are absolutely delicious with this tangy raspberry marsala sauce. You can try the sauce over chicken or salmon for a delicious summer meal too!

I have a story to tell you about this raspberry marsala sauce. I'm cringing and want to hide under a rock and pretend it didn't happen. For the sake of letting you laugh at me, I'm going to tell you the bright and brilliant thing I did the other day when I made this. Oh god, here it goes …
My mom sent me home with a big bag of frozen raspberries she picked from her backyard. They had unthawed some on the drive home and (not thinking) I popped them back in the freezer where they turned into a big solid lump. I needed 1 cup of raspberries for the marsala sauce, so I took the bag from the freezer and gave it a solid smack on my countertop to try and break the lump of raspberries apart. As soon as the raspberries smashed down on the counter I covered my face with my hands and started swearing oh f**k, oh f**k, oh f**k. It wasn't my counter I smacked; it was my glass stovetop. I peered between my fingers like a kid at a scary movie to find a giant hole in the middle of my stove. Can you even believe how brilliant I am?!
Even more super awesome is that I am entertaining quite a bit this weekend and the replacement glass is on backorder and won't be here for 3 more weeks. Wish me luck cooking an 8-course meal on a camp stove!
As they say, “What doesn't kill you, gives you a good story to tell” or something like that.
So back to the recipe. This raspberry marsala sauce is where it's at. It's tangy and fresh and perfect for summertime. It has a strong raspberry flavor, and the marsala adds just the right amount of booziness and sweetness. If you like raspberries, you will love this sauce.

If it's too hot in your house to turn on the stove – or you've smashed yours with a bag of frozen raspberries – the lamb would also be delicious cooked on the grill. The best way to cook tender lamb chops is to sear or grill them.
Tips for perfectly seared lamb chops
- Start with a super hot pan. To get a dark sear without overcooking the lamb, you need a very hot pan. Cast iron works best.
- Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper just before they go in the pan. If you season them and then let them sit the salt will draw moisture to the surface, and you won't get as nice of a sear.
- Sear the lamb for 3-5 minutes per side, turning once. 3 minutes per side for medium-rare and 5 for medium.
- Don't serve lamb chops rare; it doesn't do them justice. Rare lamb chops will be slippery and rubbery. If you cook them to medium-rare, they will be tender and have much better texture.
- Let the lamb chops rest for 10 minutes before you serve them.
Disclaimer: the lamb in these pictures is not seared to perfection. After my kitchen disaster, I tried to sear them in a cast-iron pan on my grill but it wasn't hot enough. You want a dark sear like you can see in a few of the corners of the lamb chops.
Also, try these garlic butter lamb chops. They're delicious!

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Delicious Recipes for the Grill
- Grilled Rack of Lamb with Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto
- Juicy Grilled Pork Chops
- The Best Grilled Chicken
- Summer Veggie Grilled Steak Tacos
- Grilled Gochujang Pork Chops with Watermelon Mint Salad

Seared Lamb Chops Recipe
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
- ½ cup marsala
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 8 lamb chops, about 1 ½ inches thick
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely minced
- Raspberries and chopped mint, to serve
Instructions
- Place the raspberries, marsala, honey, and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth.1 cup raspberries, ½ cup marsala, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 clove garlic
- Heat a cast iron pan over high heat. Season the lamb chops with sea salt and pepper on both sides. When the pan is hot, add the oil then immediately add the lamb chops. Sear the lamb for 3-5 minutes then turn it over and sear it for another 3-5 minutes on the other side. (3 minutes per side for medium-rare, 5 minutes per side for medium.) Remove the lamb from the pan and reduce the heat to medium-high.8 lamb chops, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Add the shallot to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the raspberry marsala sauce to the pan and let it boil rapidly until it begins to thicken, 3-5 minutes.1 medium shallot
- Serve the lamb with the sauce overtop, some chopped mint and extra raspberries.Raspberries and chopped mint
This recipe is part of our Valentine's Day Dinner Ideas series.
What kind of marsala do I buy?
I like to use a sweet marsala in this recipe. 🙂
Oh my gosh, Kristen. That is some story! Yikes! Perfect sear or not, these chops look incredible and the sauce sounds divine.
Thanks, Liz!!
Yikes, sorry about your stovetop. It would be a great story to tell your guests though 🙂
This dish is gorgeous though! Love the flavors and the raspberry sauce is so creative!
Thanks, Kelly! We finally got it all sorted out today. It was such a nightmare, but totally a good story. 🙂
Wow, love the flavours you have going on here Kristen! 🙂
Thank you so much!
These look awesome! Love the sauce! Pinning!
Thank you so much!
Lol! That is hilarious! This sounds like something that I would do – so don’t feel too embarrassed 😉
This is such a gorgeous dish! And the raspberry marsala sounds like it was totally worth it… and you’re right, it makes a great story at dinner!
Ha ha I’m happy to hear I’m not the only one who acts before she speaks! Thanks goodness for the good story. 🙂
LOVE the flavors in this Kristen and the photos are beautiful (I want that little black, wooden spoon!) Sorry to read about your stovetop, what a horrible mishap, especially with all that company coming.
Thank you so much! I don’t remember where I bought that spoon. I’m always picking up props wherever I go. One day I’ll have to buy a bigger house just to store them all lol. #foodphotographyprophoarder
I could totally dig into this for breakfast!! Looks fantastic!
Ha ha I love it! I so often eat leftovers for breakfast and I would have totally dug into these if there had been any left. 🙂