recipes

31 Lamb Recipes That Aren’t Just for Special Occasions

Lamb wants to weeknight too. Try these smoky kebabs, tender meatballs, and juicy burgers.
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Photo by Emma Fishman, Food styling by D'mytrek Brown

Sure, lamb is a great centerpiece for your Passover or Easter dinner, but why save it for special occasions? Lamb deserves a spot on your table any night—in the form of smoky kebabs, tender meatballs, and juicy burgers.

Our best lamb recipes range from holiday roasts to weeknight-friendly stir-fries. There are endless ways to show off this versatile protein; just be sure to know which cut of lamb is best for your recipe. Lamb shanks, shoulder, and leg (bone-in or boneless) are best for braising or slow-cooking, whereas quick-cooking lamb chops can be seared, roasted, or grilled. Ground lamb is infinitely versatile: Use it to take lamb curry meatballs, quick pita lahmacun, or a saucy, Moroccan-inspired skillet dinner.

If you really want to impress, a whole rack of lamb makes an excellent holiday main. It’s surprisingly easy to prepare at home: Rub with herbs or spices, sear to render some of the fat, then roast until the thickest part of the lamb registers 125° (for medium-rare) on an instant-read thermometer. When shopping, look for a Frenched rack, which has a few inches of meat removed from the ends of the bones.

Scroll on to find your new favorite lamb recipe.

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  • Roast Rack of Lamb With Strawberry Pan Sauce with fork and knife with salt and pepper on the side on top of white dish
    1/31

    Roast Rack of Lamb With Strawberry Pan Sauce

    Strawberries and lamb may seem an odd couple, but the bright, acidic berries pair incredibly well with the rich, grassy meat in this rack of lamb recipe. No need to pick the prettiest berries here: the buttery pan sauce helps even past-its-prime fruit shine.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen
    2/31

    Spiced Lamb and Shaved Carrots

    This one-skillet dinner is flavored with ras-el-hanout, a Moroccan spice blend made with cumin, cardamom, and cloves. Thanks to quick-cooking ground lamb, it’s ready in just 25 minutes; serve with warm pita or couscous.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Alex Massillon
    3/31

    Herb-Roasted Lamb Chops

    Herb-crusted lamb chops are a classic for a reason. Look for lamb loin chops for this recipe—they’re meatier than a Frenched rack and usually more gently priced.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley
    4/31

    Creamy Coconut Curry Meatballs

    Plump meatballs swim in a vibrant yellow coconut curry sauce in this simple, weeknight-friendly lamb recipe.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Christina Allen
    5/31

    Quick Pita Lahmacun

    Store-bought pita stands in for the more traditional lavash base in this version of lahmacun, a popular street food in Syria, Turkey, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Tim Ferro
    6/31

    No-Skewer-Needed Kebabs With Onion Salad

    The key to the juiciest kebabs? Massaging the meat. Yes, really, and there’s a scientific explanation: Really working the meat alters its myosin, a muscle protein, helping it hold on to liquid. The kofte mixture holds together so well, there’s no need for skewers—simply shape the seasoned meat into long, flat sausages and throw them on the grill.

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  • Photograph by Cody Guilfoyle, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie, Food Styling Thu Buser
    7/31

    Spiced Lamb Ramen With Cucumbers and Yogurt

    Cinnamon, paprika, and cumin-spiced ground lamb meet crunchy cucumbers and cooling mint in this riff on Japanese mazemen. Pro tip: Spoon the vibrant red oil left over from cooking the lamb on top of the finished dish for more flavor.

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  • Alex Lau
    8/31

    Moussaka

    Our best recipe for the classic Greek lamb dish features layers of eggplant, rich tomato meat sauce, and a pillowy, bronzed béchamel top. Make it ahead for maximal ease, then serve with a green salad and a glass of red wine.

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  • Photograph by Maria Be, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    9/31

    Yogurt-Marinated Lamb Chops With Mango Chutney

    These flavor-packed lamb chops sing with flavor, thanks to a two-part marinade: first in malt vinegar and grated green papaya for tenderness, then in spiced yogurt for lip-puckering tang.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley
    10/31

    Sheet-Pan Merguez Hash With Fried Eggs

    If you can’t find merguez, a North African lamb sausage, you can substitute ground lamb seasoned generously with turmeric, cumin, tomato paste, harissa, ground fennel seed, coriander, and kosher salt.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers
    11/31

    Slicked and Spicy Lamb Noodles

    Inspired by Xi’an Famous Foods’ popular cumin lamb noodles, this weeknight pasta is all about creating deep flavor in as little time as possible. It is certainly saucy, so keep a pile of napkins nearby.

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  • Photograph by Shawn Michael Jones, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by JoJo Li
    12/31

    Breakfast Smash Burgers

    These spiced lamb burgers prove anything can be breakfast when you put an egg on it.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
    13/31

    10-Minute Lamb and Asparagus Stir-Fry

    Dinner in 10? Yes, it is possible. This lightning-fast stir-fry balances lamb’s earthy grassiness with spring’s brightest stars: asparagus, scallions, dill, and lemon.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    14/31

    Lamb Meatballs With Pecan Romesco

    Plate crispy lamb meatballs atop a generous swoosh of creamy, nutty pecan romesco sauce for an impressive meal. Slice into a meatball and you’ll be delighted to find a core of melty smoked Gouda.

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  • Photograph by Jenny Huang, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Linden Elstran
    15/31

    Mbahal

    This creamy Senegalese rice and lamb dish features peanuts, okra, black-eyed peas, and lamb shoulder. It can be made up to 3 days ahead, which means you’ve got dinner sorted for the next few days.

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  • Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop styling by Rebekah Peppler
    16/31

    Seven-Hour Braised Leg of Lamb

    Nothing says “special occasion” quite like a slow-roast leg of lamb. The meat is so tender, you could eat it with a spoon—in fact, this dish is commonly known as gigot à la cuillère (or “spoon lamb”) in France.

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  • Photograph by Graydon Herriott, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk.
    17/31

    Big Shells With Spicy Lamb Sausage and Pistachios

    Spiced lamb sausage and bracing broccoli rabe tuck into every nook and cranny of these XL pasta shells.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    18/31

    Lamb Keema Tacos

    With a keema-inspired ground-lamb filling and plenty of fixings, this recipe takes taco night in a new direction. Spoon any leftover filling between buns for a sloppy Joe–style sandwich or serve with rice for another quick weeknight meal.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    19/31

    Grilled Lemongrass Lamb Chops

    Want to upgrade grilled lamb chops? Marinate them in a fragrant mixture of lemongrass, shallots, Thai chiles, and fish sauce.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    20/31

    Lamb Burgers With Yogurt Sauce and Arugula

    Gently spiced lamb patties meet peppery arugula and a bright, citrusy yogurt sauce in these summer-ready burgers. Sear them on the stovetop for a quick, easy meal.

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  • Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    21/31

    Slow-Roast Lamb With Harissa and Apricots

    This slow-roasted lamb recipe is a Passover mainstay of Ron and Leetal Arazi, owners of New York Shuk. It requires a good bit of cooking time—at least 5½ to 6 hours—so Leetal braises it slowly overnight. You’ll wake up to its bright, savory aroma.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food styling by D'mytrek Brown
    22/31

    Hoisin-and-Balsamic-Glazed Lamb Chops

    The sticky-sweet hoisin and balsamic glaze from this lamb chops recipe would taste great with just about any protein—BBQ ribs, steak, chicken, you name it.

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  • Photo by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    23/31

    Ghormeh Sabzi

    Ghormeh sabzi is a popular Iranian lamb stew, gaining its distinct aroma from Omani limes and fenugreek leaves (we like this brand). Simmering coaxes out the celery-like flavor of the fenugreek and the astringent pop of the dried limes.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    24/31

    Spiced Lamb and Dill Yogurt Pasta

    Recipe developer Sohla El-Waylly channels the flavors of Middle Eastern shish barak (tiny dumplings filled with lamb and pine nuts in a tangy yogurt sauce) into this pasta dish.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Heather Greene
    25/31

    Sumac-Rubbed Lamb with Minty Artichokes

    For this opulent roast, rub a boneless leg of lamb with sumac, salt, and black pepper, then bathe it in white wine and olive oil.

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  • Marcus Nilsson
    26/31

    Lamb Shoulder with Citrus-Fennel Salad

    Don’t have time to season the lamb a day ahead? No problem. Lightly scoring the fat cap across the top of the roast allows salt and flavors to penetrate the lamb shoulder.

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  • Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    27/31

    Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto

    Raisins in your pesto? Give them a chance—they deliver just the right amount of sweetness to complement the lamb.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Anna Stockwell, prop styling by Emily Eisen
    28/31

    Sweet Potato Bowls With Spiced Lamb and Mushrooms

    These sweet potato bowls are an easy go-to weeknight dinner: Steam the sweet potatoes while you sauté the mushrooms with spiced ground lamb, quick-pickle fennel and onions, and make a simple yogurt sauce. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    29/31

    Spiced Lamb Tagine

    You don’t need a tagine (a conical earthenware pot typically from Morocco) to make this warming, fragrant lamb stew—a Dutch oven works great.

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  • Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    30/31

    Spicy Larb with Cabbage Cups

    Hailing from Laos, larb brings together ground meat, aromatic scallions, chiles, lemongrass, and crunchy peanuts. It’s bursting with sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and funky flavors.

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Before joining the SEO team at Bon Appétit and Epicurious, Zoe spent 3 years working full-time in pastry. She churned ice cream at an artisanal creamery in Alabama, baked banana bread at an organic farm-bakery in Maui, and worked the line at a Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC. As someone who learned how to cook... Read more
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