My
Shop Sugar-Free
Wholesome Yum
Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook
Get It NowThis post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (Full disclosure)
With fresh herbs flavor infused in the meat, this roast boneless leg of lamb recipe comes out juicy, tender, and flavorful every time. Leg of lamb has a delicate flavor that makes it a delicious alternative to everyday proteins like chicken and beef.
Even though its mostly served for Easter dinner and other special occasions, it’s not hard to master cooking a perfectly tender roast boneless leg of lamb any time of year. Just like a beef prime rib roast or a pork loin roast, all it takes is a handful of seasonings and following the right steps to get juicy and flavorful results.
Why You’ll Love This Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
- Meaty, herby taste
- Tender and juicy meat
- Easy to make
- Just 10 minutes of prep time
- Excellent left over in soups and sandwiches
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasted boneless leg of lamb, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Boneless Leg of Lamb – I like a boneless cut rather than bone-in, because it’s leaner than lamb shoulder and once it’s rolled and tied, the meat cooks evenly and is easier to slice. Avoid trimming any fat that might be on the leg, since this will make it more juicy and flavorful.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Helps tenderize the meat and adds flavor.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil has a mild flavor, but any available oil will work.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must here, since we’re crushing it.
- Fresh Herbs – Including rosemary and thyme. Save some full sprigs for a garnish if you like.
- Lemon Zest – Elevates the robust seasonings. I prefer the concentrated flavor of zest, but a couple teaspoons of lemon juice would also work.
How To Make A Boneless Leg of Lamb
This section shows how to cook a boneless leg of lamb roast recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep. Roll the leg up and secure it with butcher’s twine at 1″ intervals. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper all over the leg and place in a roasting pan with a rack. Let rest 1 hour.
- Make marinade. Whisk the olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
- Rub. Spread the marinad ingredients over the lamb.
- Roast. Place the boneless leg of lamb in the oven and roast until the meat reaches your desired doneness with a meat thermometer. (See recommended times below.)
- Rest. Remove the lamb roast from the oven and cover loosely with foil. Let the lamb rest before slicing.
How Long To Cook Boneless Leg Of Lamb?
For a 5-lb boneless leg of lamb, expect to cook for 80-85 minutes at 400 degrees F to reach medium rare doneness. However, times can vary depending on the size of the lamb. Use a meat thermometer and remove lamb from the oven about 10 degrees lower than your preferred level of doneness, as residual heat will continue cooking the meat during resting.
This chart shows the proper cook time and temperature for roasting leg of lamb (boneless). Cooking beyond medium is not recommended, as the meat can start to taste gamey.
| Leg Of Lamb Temperature | Internal Temperature | Roasting Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115°F | 70-75 minutes |
| Medium Rare | 125°F | 80-85 minutes |
| Medium | 135°F | 90-95 minutes |
Note: The times and temperatures above are before resting. The internal temperature will rise another 10 degrees while the meat rests.
Tips For The Best Boneless Leg of Lamb
Here’s how to cook boneless leg of lamb for perfect results every time! Keep these tips in mind.
- Bring to room temperature. Allow lamb to come to room temperature after seasoning with salt and pepper, for 60 minutes before cooking. This will allow it to cook more evenly, plus the salt and pepper act as a dry brine, making the meat more juicy.
- Don’t overcook. Always use a meat thermometer when cooking lamb to ensure it reaches the right temperature.
- Rest the meat. Let the lamb roast rest at least 10 before slicing, so juices can circulate back into the meat.
- Cut correctly. For the most tender slices, slice lamb roast across the grain.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: Reheat this recipe for boneless leg of lamb similarly to how you’d reheat a roasted beef tenderloin. Wrap the roast in 2 layers of foil and place directly onto the oven grates, and bake for about 10-15 minutes at 250-300 degrees F, until warm. Avoid using a baking dish, which will lead to overheating.
- Freeze: Cooked and cooled portions of leg of lamb can store in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 2 months.
What To Serve With Leg of Lamb
Lamb goes best with other robust flavored dishes like these:
- Sauces – Aside from the “standard” gluten-free gravy, horseradish sauce (in the photos), or mint sauce, homemade chimichurri sauce adds a bright and tangy flavor to roasted lamb.
- Starches – Serve roasted potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or even roasted rutabaga or mashed cauliflower.
- Vegetables – Prep this roast leg of lamb boneless recipe in the oven with balsamic mushrooms, caramelized brussels sprouts, or parmesan roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
- Salads – Choose salads with a lot of colorful contrast like Israeli salad, creamy cucumber salad, or Greek salad.
More Lamb Recipes
Once you’ve mastered making a boneless leg of lamb, here are some other methods and recipes to try:
Recommended Tools
- Kitchen Twine – This butcher’s twine is natural and food grade. Available at Amazon or Target.
- Roasting Pan – This nonstick pan fits a variety of roasts and large cuts of meat! Get it at Amazon or Target.
- Meat Thermometer – A must-have for cooking a leg of lamb recipe boneless, and many other proteins. Available at Amazon or Target.
Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
Boneless Leg Of Lamb Recipe
This roast boneless leg of lamb recipe is juicy and flavorful every time, with simple ingredients like olive oil, garlic, herbs, and lemon.
Go Ad-Free
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
Tie kitchen twine around the leg of lamb at 1-inch intervals. (This will help maintain its shape while roasting.)
-
Place the lamb in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
-
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest. Rub the spice mixture on the lamb.
-
Roast boneless leg of lamb in the oven, until it reaches 115 degrees F for rare (~70-75 minutes), 125 degrees F for medium rare (80-85 minutes), or 135 degrees F for medium (~90-95 minutes).
-
Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. (Resting is important to let the juices settle, and the internal temperature will rise an additional 10 degrees to reach the right level of doneness.) Slice the meat against the grain to serve.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram – I’d love to see it!
Related Easy Recipes
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/3 lb lamb
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Want to save this recipe?
Create a free account to save your favorite recipes!
Sign Up To Save Recipes© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
11 Comments
John MacLeod
0Question before I try!! Can I marinate this for several hours or even the night before. Old guy who doesn’t have a large amount of cooking experience but have cooked lamb with just olive oil, salt and pepper. We do love lamb so looking forward to using this recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi John, Yes, that would work.
Alexander
0Easy recipe with wonderful results. My wife was already salivating from the wonderful aroma of the herbs and spices. It came out tender and juicy. It was was my first time making boneless lamb and definitely will use this recipe for the next time around.
Erin
0Love the simplicity of the marinade! So easy and yummy!
Jessica
0Absolutely delicious! I wanted to make something special for my dad’s birthday and this was a hit! So good and now it’s a recipe I’ll make again and again!
Faye R
0I surprised my husband with this, it’s his favorite and I never made it before. I can’t believe something so fancy is so easy to make. Thank you!
Jennifer
0My husband loved lamb and I made this for him. He said it was the BEST LAMB he ever had!!
Journa Liz Ramirez
0Wow! I tried this at home and it turned out so good! My family love and enjoyed it so much. Thanks, Maya, for this great recipe. We’ll surely make this on repeat.
Jenna
0This recipe comes out so tender and juicy. I rarely make lamb at home but I’m glad I gave this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing!
Raquel
0This came out so tender and flavorful! We enjoyed ours at medium rare and it was perfect!
Dana
0This recipe breaks down how to cook a delicious leg of lamb beautifully! I had never tried it at home before, but with these instructions, we had a delicious, fancy dinner. Definitely, a recipe to impress!