Tender Garlic Roasted Lamb and Potatoes (Video)
Few recipes bring on as much nostalgia for me as roasted lamb and potatoes. To this day, whenever it’s time for a family lunch or special occasion this dish is my dad’s go-to (my vegetarian mother won’t touch the stuff). There are always other options on the table like spinach and feta, butternut squash or sweet carrots, but the lamb and potatoes remain the centerpiece.
It seems like in the U.S. many people have a similar tradition, but use beef instead of lamb. In this way, we have stuck with our South African roots. SA dwellers do tend to eat more lamb than here in the USA.
To me it doesn’t make an enormous difference, but I love the tiny hint of gaminess from lamb. Plus, where I live, it’s easier to find lamb sourced from sustainable farms than beef.
Ingredients for Roasted Lamb and Potatoes
Obviously, the mainstays here are lamb and potatoes. I usually use a leg of lamb with the bone still in. Some say this preserves moisture, while others say it improves the meat’s flavor. Either way, it’s what my local store sells and it’s what the original recipe (my dad’s) calls for, too.
Two flavors you really want with lamb are rosemary and garlic. Don’t ask me why–I’m not a flavor scientist. All I know is that it works.
You’ll need olive oil to coat everything before throwing it in the oven.
And it doesn’t hurt to toss on some sliced onion and lemon. But these guys are negotiable. If you don’t have them, don’t fret. You can still make your roasted lamb and potatoes and it will still be delicious.
Health Benefits of Roasted Lamb and Potatoes
Lamb: Lamb is a delicious red meat with more healthy conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) fat than beef, promoting health for your body and brain. It also packs an unbeatable punch when it comes to iron and iron absorption. Lamb has a pretty high carbon footprint though, so be a detective when it comes to brands and search for meat from sustainable regenerative farms.
Potatoes: The darker your potato, the more nutrients they have. Still, plain old Yukons and Russets have plenty of health benefits, from fiber that keeps you full to a solid dose of vitamin C. These starchy vegetables are an excellent carb choice to round out your meal.
Garlic: You can smell the benefits on this one! Societies around the globe have been using garlic medicinally for ages, and for good reason. Much like the onion, it lowers blood pressure, is packed with nutrients, and some studies show it can even prevent and lessen symptoms of the common cold!
Rosemary: This superfood herb has been shown to be antimicrobial, killing bad bacteria and fungi. In fact, it’s been used medicinally for centuries to heal wounds and prevent all kinds of conditions and illnesses, from memory and hair loss to muscle pain, depression and headaches.
Optional Add-Ons:
Lemon: Though it tastes acidic on your tongue, lemon actually helps your body be more alkaline. Lemons are packed with vitamin C, and a particular citrus fiber that has been shown to lower cholesterol (though you might need your lemon juice pulpy to get that last benefit).
Onion: Not to be outshined by more exotic ingredients, the common yellow onion is a wonderful source of prebiotic fiber to feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. It’s also been shown to reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
How To Make Roasted Lamb and Potatoes
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 400º and place the rack in the center.
First, peel the potatoes so you have them ready to go. If they’re big potatoes, cut them in quarters, but for most Yukon golds cut in half is fine. You want them to all be similar in size.
Next, prep the garlic and rosemary for the lamb. Instead of smashing the garlic, try keep each clove intact as you cut them into small slivers. Trim your rosemary into small pieces, as well.
With a sharp knife, make tiny slits in the lamb and stuff them with garlic and then rosemary. You don’t need the whole lamb to be decorated this way–the fatty top layer should be good enough. If there are any obvious entry holes in the meaty sides of the lamb, feel free to push a couple of garlic slivers in there, too.
Slice a few onion rings and place them in the bottom of a cast iron pot. Put your lamb on top, and coat with olive oil, making sure to cover all sides.
Put the potatoes in next, and coat them with olive oil, too. Finish by placing a few raw onion rings on top.
Optional: To add even more flavor, cut a few slices of lemon and place on top of the lamb.
Baking:
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and bake for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, simply turn the oven down to 350º–no need to even open it. Let the roast cook for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Then place it back in the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 20 minutes. This last bit will give the top of the lamb and potatoes a little crispiness. (Don’t worry, not too much.)
When the cooking time is up, remove the roast and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before digging in.
Serve with gravy, mint sauce or cranberry sauce with orange juice.
Looking for more comfort food entrees? If you love roast leg of lamb with potatoes, you’ll love…
- South African Sweet and Sour Lamb – Denningvleis
- South African Chicken and Potato Stew
- Easy Bean Chili
- White Bean Soup
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Tender Garlic Roasted Lamb and Potatoes (Video)
Ingredients
- 3.5lb leg of lamb (bone in) slightly more or less is fine
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2-4 sprigs of rosemary depends on size, just need a few small pieces to stick in the lamb
- olive oil to coat
- 4-6 Yukon gold potatoes
- 1/4 onion about 8-10 thin rings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º and place the rack in the center.
- First, peel the potatoes so you have them ready to go. If they’re big potatoes, cut them in quarters, but for most Yukon golds cut in half is fine. You want them to all be similar in size.
- Next, prep the garlic and rosemary for the lamb. Instead of smashing the garlic, try keep each clove intact as you cut them into small slivers. Trim your rosemary into small pieces, as well.
- With a sharp knife, make tiny slits in the lamb and stuff them with garlic and then rosemary. You don’t need the whole lamb to be decorated this way–the fatty top layer should be good enough. If there are any obvious entry holes in the meaty sides of the lamb, feel free to push a couple of garlic slivers in there, too.
- Slice a few onion rings and place them in the bottom of a cast iron pot. Put your lamb on top, and coat with olive oil, making sure to cover all sides.
- Put the potatoes in next, and coat them with olive oil, too. Finish by placing a few raw onion rings on top.
- Optional: To add even more flavor, cut a few slices of lemon and place on top of the lamb.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, simply turn the oven down to 350º–no need to even open it. Let the roast cook for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Then place it back in the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 20 minutes. This last bit will give the top of the lamb and potatoes a little crispiness. (Don’t worry, not too much.)
- When the cooking time is up, remove the roast and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before digging in.
- Serve with gravy or mint sauce.