This lamb breast recipe is elegant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. It's made with marinated lamb that is fall-off-the-bone tender and is finished off with a tasty sauce for maximum deliciousness. Honestly, it comes out tasting like it's from a five-star restaurant!
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THE BEST LAMB BREAST
This lamb breast recipe is a guaranteed way to impress your dinner guests, family, or date!
The lamb is as flavorful as it gets - I mean, you've got succulent meat and a crunchy outer crust that you just can't beat. Seriously, what more could you want from a dish like this?
And the best part about this lamb recipe is that it looks and tastes like a fancy five-star meal, but doesn't require that much effort to make - just like my Lamb Vindaloo Recipe!
All you need to do is prepare the sauces, marinate the lamb, and then let the oven do the rest.
Yup, it's really that simple and takes just 15 minutes to prepare!
Plus, everything cooks on one pan, which means you don't have to conquer a mountain of dishes after dinner!
By the way, if one pan recipes are your thing, definitely checkout this sheet pan chicken fajita recipe next.
And because the cooking process for the lamb roast is mostly hands-off, you can use the waiting time to whip up some equally elegant side dishes like this asparagus casserole or cauliflower steaks.
INGREDIENTS
Lamb breast is one of the most fairly priced – not to mention the most underrated – cuts of lamb.
It's usually skipped over because it's a fattier and tougher cut. But when cooked just right, you get incredibly tasty and tender meat that's just as good as an expensive rack of lamb.
And you'll only need a few basic pantry staples and a handful of herbs and spices for this lamb breast recipe. What we're aiming to do is balance the rich and gamey flavor of the lamb while still letting its natural meaty goodness shine.
So, here's what you'll need to make the lamb breast:
- 3.7 lbs lamb breast with rib
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sumac
- A few juniper berries, crushed
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
And for the finishing sauce:
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Mint leaves, finely chopped
As you can see, most of these are common ingredients besides the sumac and juniper berries.
With that being said, you should be able to find them in your grocery store's spice aisle or online!
Oh, and when you buy your lamb breast, be sure to get it with the bones of the lamb ribs still attached.
SUBSTITUTIONS
If you still can't find some of the spices on this list, you can do a few swaps to achieve similar flavors. Of course, it won't taste exactly the same, but it'll be very close and will still come out fantastic.
The first substitution is to swap the sumac with a half amount of lemon zest or lemon juice. You can also add a little smoked paprika to get the same red color.
And to substitute the juniper berries, use a sprig of rosemary or an equal amount of caraway seeds.
HOW TO COOK LAMB
Again, this lamb breast recipe yields stunning results, and it is crazy simple to make.
In fact, it can be broken down into just three steps - marinate, bake, and finish.
How easy is that?!
All told, it only takes about 15 minutes of work, and the rest is just waiting for the lamb to marinate and roast. That gives you plenty of time to prepare your sides or kick back and mingle with your dinner guests.
STEP 1: MARINATE
First things first, let's prepare the marinade for our lamb.
Start by adding the dry marinade ingredients - the chili flakes, cumin, sumac, juniper, black pepper, salt, garlic, and brown sugar - to a mortar and pestle and grind until everything's crushed and well combined.
Then, pour in your olive oil and vinegar and give it another mix.
If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can also do this with a food processor. Just toss everything in there and give it a quick pulse to combine.
Once your marinade is ready, massage it into the lamb breast.
Now, at this point, you can put the lamb in the oven immediately. But I recommend letting it marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to let those flavors really infuse with the meat.
STEP 2: ROAST
Ok, before cooking your lamb, you'll want to make sure the oven is preheated to 320 degrees Fahrenheit (160°C).
Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your marinated lamb breast on it.
Then cover the lamb with aluminum foil to keep it from drying out and let it cook for about 2 hours.
During the last 10-15 minutes, remove the foil and turn the oven temperature to 428 Fahrenheit (220°C) - this will allow the lamb to develop a crisp, golden-brown outer crust.
STEP 3: FINISHING SAUCE
Now, when your lamb is in the oven, you can start the sauce to go on top and finish it off.
First, combine your lemon juice, brown sugar, and chopped mint leaves in a small bowl.
Then, once the lamb breast is fully cooked and out of the oven, pour the finishing sauce over the top while it's still hot.
Serve with some fresh veggies and one of your favorite sides and enjoy!
HOW TO STORE LAMB BREAST
So, this lamb breast recipe will make about 8 servings - the perfect amount for a big dinner or if you want to have leftovers for the coming days.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Or, if you want to keep them for longer, store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
HOW TO REHEAT LAMB BREAST
To warm the lamb breast back up, place it on a baking sheet and cover it with foil.
Then transfer it to an oven preheated to 325°F (160°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until warm.
WRAPPING IT ALL UP
This lamb breast recipe is one of my favorite dinner recipes to make for special occasions - like big family gatherings.
It is so simple and easy to make, but it comes out looking like it's from a five-star restaurant and it will have your family and friends raving about it for days!
But don't take my word for it - make this recipe for your friends and family and see what they think. And when you do, be sure to let me know in the comments how it turned out.
MORE DINNER RECIPES
If you liked this recipe and want some more dinner recipes that everyone is sure to love, try making one of these next:
- Braised beef shank
- Chicken Bryan
- Chicken Tempura
- Chicken Fajita Crunchwraps
- General Tso Shrimp
- Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
Lamb Breast Recipe | Just 15 Minutes To Prepare
This lamb breast recipe is elegant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. It's made with marinated lamb that is fall-off-the-bone tender and is finished off with a tasty sauce for maximum deliciousness.Honestly, it comes out tasting like it's from a five-star restaurant!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Lamb
Ingredients
Lamb breast:
3.7lbs (1.7kg) lamb breast with rib
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sumac
A few juniper berries, crushed
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
Sauce:
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
Mint leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Place all the spices in a Mortar and Pestle, and combine them very well. Then pour in olive oil and vinegar and mix.
- Massage the mixture into lamb breast with rib.
- For the best flavor, marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours (optional).
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place the marinated lamb on it.
- Bake the lamb breast for 2 hours at 320°F covered with aluminum foil. Remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes and increase the temperature to 428°F (220°C) to let the lamb breasts get a crispy golden-brown crust.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce to finish off the lamb. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, brown sugar, and chopped mint leaves.
- When the lamb is cooked, pour the sauce over the hot meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 652
- Fat: 58
- Carbohydrates: 1
- Protein: 32
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Fam loved it!!
★★★★★
So good.
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Best lamb recipe that I have ever tried and I have made quite a few in my day.
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Really tasty! Loved how crispy and juicy this turned out.
★★★★★
Incredible flavor and was a simple cooking process.
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The marinade for the lamb is superb. Love the recipe.
★★★★★
Very good lamb recipe. It was like I ordered it at a restaurant!
★★★★★
I have been making lamb for years and this recipe is one of my favorite ones that I have ever had. I will make it again and recommend it.
★★★★★
We had this with some mashed potatoes. Delicious dinner!
★★★★★
Very best lamb recipe we've trued making at home!
★★★★★
Best lamb breast I’ve ever made!
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Ate the lamb with a side of mashed potatoes. One of my favorite meals that I've made in a long time!
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Perfect!
★★★★★
Made this for my family tonight for dinner. Everyone loved it! Even the kiddos.
★★★★★
This was spectacular. Served with roasted herb potatoes and cauliflower rice. I tweaked the finishing sauce with a tsp of olive oil, pinch of lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Thanks!
★★★★★
Easy recipe with superb result.
★★★★★
Restaurant quality lamb recipe right here.
★★★★★
Lamb turned out great!
★★★★★
Cooked to perfection.
★★★★★
Had some company over and everyone loved this.
★★★★★
Juicy, tender, just perfection!
★★★★★
Completely excellent recipe.
★★★★★
Very very good!
★★★★★
The best lamb that I have cooked at home.
★★★★★
I felt like I was at a restaurant eating this. Incredible.
★★★★★
My grandma used to make this all the time for us, and this is just as good as hers.
★★★★★
Finger lickin good.
★★★★★
Very great lamb breast recipe. I am going to try the marinade on chicken as well.
★★★★★
Just what I was looking for!
★★★★★
Excellent recipe.
★★★★★
This lamb breast turned out so succulent! My husband loved it!!!
★★★★★
That marinade is flavorful and lamb cooks excellent.
★★★★★
Very very good lamb recipe. Well done.
★★★★★
This is great guys one of the top lamb recipes I've made.
★★★★★
Tender and super juicy. And so darn flavorful too 😋
★★★★★
Delicious marinade and the lamb cooks perfectly.
★★★★★
Turned out really good.
★★★★★
Excellent lamb breast recipe. One of the best I've ever had.
★★★★★
Only have made lamb a handful of times but this was my favorite so far.
★★★★★
Had it with roasted veggies and potatoes and it was very good.
★★★★★
Flavor was on point with what I'd want it to be.
★★★★★
5 stars for this lamb recipe.
★★★★★
I love the sauce for this lamb very flavorful.
★★★★★
Will be making this again very soon it was excellent.
★★★★★
I will make again.
★★★★★
A superb lamb recipe. Thinking about using the marinade for steak this week.
★★★★★
My entire family - even kids - loved this recipe.
★★★★★
Me and my husband made this for the third Sunday in a row. We love it and will continue to make it regularly.
★★★★★
This turned out 👍🏻
★★★★★
I followed the recipe but used lamb chops and it came out excellent.
★★★★★
Close the one I get at my favorite restaurant.
★★★★★
Super lamb recipe
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Total restaurant quality recipe. Super lamb.
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DELISH
★★★★★
Great dinner.
★★★★★
The flavor was everything that I was hoping for.
★★★★★
Scrumptious.
★★★★★
One of our favorite dinner recipes that we have made.
★★★★★
It was super.
★★★★★
The reviews don't lie this was excellent!
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious.
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substitute for juniper berries can be a shot of gin.