Garlic Rosemary Rack of Lamb

This classic rack of lamb is one of those dinners that feels instantly special, even though it’s surprisingly simple to make. A quick garlic and rosemary rub, a hot oven, and about twenty minutes later you’ve got something that looks like it came from a restaurant.

This recipe keeps things simple and the herb crust does all the talking, giving you a beautifully browned crust.

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If you want a main dish that delivers big on flavor without a lot of fuss, this is the one to keep in your back pocket.

If you like this recipe we know you will love our roasted rack of lamb with red wine cherry sauce.

Here’s Why This Rack of Lamb Recipe Works

Scoring = built-in flavor: Those shallow slits let the garlic and rosemary sink in and season the meat all the way through.

No fussy prep: A quick rub is all it needs, no extra steps, no special tricks.

Quick roast, zero stress: High heat and a short cook time give you a crisp crust and a perfectly cooked center.

Minimal ingredients, maximum payoff: Garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, pepper. That’s it. No overthinking required.

Serve dinner with my  make ahead mashed potatoes and a butternut squash mixed green salad.

If you are looking for more lamb recipes, try my Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce or my sous vide rack of lamb.

For the best results, use an instant-read meat thermometer  and check the meat intermittently or use a leave-in meat thermometer  so you don’t have to open the oven frequently. The above links are affiliate links from ThermoWorks  . They make the best thermometers we have ever used and we highly recommend them.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Rack of lamb doesn’t have to be a restaurant-only dinner. With a simple garlic-rosemary rub and a quick roast, you get a dish that looks impressive but stays completely doable.

It’s the kind of main dish that makes a night feel a little more special without asking you to jump through hoops. If you’ve been saving rack of lamb for “someday,” consider this your nudge.

Try my crown rack of lamb next.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Additional Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

4.87 from 30 votes

Garlic Rosemary Roasted Rack of Lamb

By Pat Nyswonger

This easy rack of lamb gets a bold garlic-rosemary crust and roasts hot and fast for tender, juicy chops. It’s a five-ingredient, low-fuss way to put a classic, special-occasion dinner on the table without making it a whole thing.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 rack of lamb, (1 ½ pounds)
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F and cover a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.

Prepare the rack of lamb:

• With a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cap on the meaty top side of the rack, diagonally, in slits about 1-inch apart. Do not cut deep into the meat.

For the Garlic Rosemary Mixture:

• In a small dish add the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper and combine by mashing together with the back of a tablespoon.
• Spoon the garlic rosemary mixture onto the scored lamb and using your (clean) hands, spread the mixture evenly over the lamb, working into the slits. 

To Roast the Rack of Lamb:

• Place the lamb rack, meaty side up with rib bones on the baking sheet.
• Transfer the lamb rack to the oven on a rack position in the upper third. Roast for 20 minutes to an internal temperature of 135°F for medium rare. A meat thermometer should be inserted in the thickest part of the meat for an accurate reading.
• Transfer the rack of lamb to a carving board and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. 

To Carve and Serve the Rack of Lamb:

• Grasp the ends of the bones and stand the meat up on end. Slice between the rib bones and transfer to a platter or on warm serving plates. 
• Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Notes

Leave the fat: A rack of lamb has a fat cap on the meaty side. Keep it in place while roasting. It adds a lot of flavor and helps the top brown nicely.

Score lightly: Scoring the surface helps the seasoning sink in and lets the fat render as it cooks. Keep the cuts shallow so you don’t slice into the meat.

Trim after roasting: If you’d rather remove the fat, do it after roasting and just before carving.

Cook to your liking: Use a meat thermometer and pull the lamb at your preferred temperature (about 125°F rare, 135°F medium-rare, 145°F medium, 155°F medium-well). Temps will rise a few degrees as it rests.

Rest before slicing: Let the rack sit 5–10 minutes so the juices stay in the meat instead of running out on the cutting board.

Use fresh rosemary: Dried rosemary won’t give you the same punchy, woodsy flavor.

Go fine on the garlic: Grated or finely minced garlic coats evenly and is less likely to burn than big pieces.

Nutrition

Serving: 2ribs, Calories: 414kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 695mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This recipe was first published on December 24, 2017.