This roast leg of lamb with potatoes is a festive dinner with the main dish and vegetables cooked in the same roasting pan. The lamb is rubbed with paprika, garlic, rosemary and thyme, wrapped in parchment and foil, then uncovered to finish roasting with the vegetables.
I use a bone-in leg of young lamb and surround it with Hasselback potatoes, chunky carrots and halved heads of garlic. The vegetables roast in the flavorful pan juices, while the exposed surface of the lamb browns.
Fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds add a colorful finishing touch. Serve everything on a large platter for Christmas dinner, Easter lunch or a special family gathering.
Why Roast the Lamb and Vegetables Together?
The vegetables become part of the dish rather than a separate side to prepare. Adding them after the lamb’s initial covered cooking time lets them roast in the pan juices without spending the entire cooking time in the oven.
Garlic is used in three ways: tucked into small slits in the lamb, mixed into the oil for the vegetables, and roasted in halved heads. The roasted cloves soften and can be squeezed from their skins onto the meat or potatoes.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Bone-in leg of lamb: This recipe uses young lamb. Size and thickness affect the cooking time, so use the timing as a guide and check the meat with a thermometer.
Potatoes: Choose medium potatoes of a similar size. Yukon Gold potatoes are a good option for this style of roasting. Leave thin skins on after scrubbing, if you like.
Carrots: Cut them into thick rounds or substantial chunks rather than thin slices.
Garlic: You will need six heads in total, divided between the lamb, the garlic oil and the halved heads for roasting.
Olive oil: The original recipe uses one cup in total, divided equally between the lamb rub and the vegetables. Some oil remains in the roasting pan; spoon the pan juices over the finished dish as desired.
Herbs and spices: Fresh rosemary and thyme are combined with paprika, dried garlic and a lamb or meat seasoning blend. Check the blend before adding salt, since some mixtures already contain it.
Pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs: Add these after roasting for color and freshness.
The complete ingredient list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Roast a Leg of Lamb with Potatoes
Make the Herb and Spice Rub
Strip the rosemary and thyme leaves from their woody stems and finely chop them. Combine with the paprika, dried garlic, meat seasoning and half of the olive oil.
Prepare the Lamb
Pat the lamb dry with paper towels. Trim away tough outer membranes and excess thick fat, leaving a thin layer of fat where appropriate.
Peel a few cloves from the total amount of garlic and cut them into slivers. Make small slits in the lamb and tuck the garlic into them. Season both sides with salt, let stand for 15 minutes, then coat with the herb and spice mixture.
Wrap and Roast
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C), using a conventional oven setting.
Place the lamb in a roasting pan. Cover with parchment paper, then wrap tightly with aluminum foil to enclose the meat and retain the juices.
Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Prepare the Vegetables
Scrub the potatoes and make thin, closely spaced cuts across each one without slicing all the way through. Place a potato between two wooden chopsticks or wooden spoon handles to help stop the knife before it reaches the bottom.
Cut the carrots into thick rounds or large chunks. Set aside four or five garlic cloves for the garlic oil, then halve the remaining intact heads crosswise.
Mince the reserved garlic cloves and combine them with the remaining olive oil, chopped thyme and salt to taste.
Add the Vegetables and Finish Roasting
Carefully remove the foil and parchment, keeping the accumulated juices in the roasting pan.
Arrange the potatoes, carrots and halved garlic heads around the lamb, with the garlic cut sides facing up. Brush the vegetables with the garlic oil, working some between the potato slices.
Return to the oven, uncovered, for approximately 1 more hour. Spoon the oil and juices from the pan over the lamb and vegetables two or three times during cooking. Loosely cover the lamb with foil if it is browning too quickly.
Rest and Serve
Check the lamb with a meat thermometer and test the vegetables with a knife. The potatoes and carrots should be tender.
Let the cooked lamb rest for 15–20 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Transfer to a serving platter with the vegetables and roasted garlic. Scatter with chopped parsley or cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
How Long Does a Leg of Lamb Take to Roast?
The author’s method uses approximately 2½ hours at 355°F (180°C): 1½ hours wrapped in parchment and foil, followed by approximately 1 hour uncovered with the vegetables.
This is a timing guide, not a universal cooking time. The weight and thickness of the leg, its starting temperature and the oven all affect how long it takes. Start checking a smaller leg earlier; a larger one may need longer.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part without touching the bone. USDA guidance for a whole lamb roast is a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), followed by at least a 3-minute rest. That is a food safety minimum, not a guarantee of fall-apart tenderness.
This recipe is intended for young lamb. An older animal may require a different cooking time to become tender.
Tips for Keeping Roast Lamb Juicy
Wrap the lamb tightly during the first stage so the juices remain in the parcel. Keep those juices when unwrapping, then spoon them over the meat during the uncovered cooking stage.
Check the lamb separately from the vegetables. If the lamb is ready while the potatoes are still firm, transfer the meat to a platter, loosely cover with foil and finish cooking the vegetables.
Rest the meat before slicing. For this recipe, allow 15–20 minutes.
Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat a conventional oven to 355°F (180°C). Combine the paprika, dried garlic, meat seasoning, chopped rosemary and thyme with ½ cup olive oil.
- Pat the lamb dry. Trim tough outer membranes and excess thick fat. Peel a few cloves from the total amount of garlic, cut into slivers and insert into small slits in the meat. Season both sides with salt and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Rub the lamb with the herb and spice mixture. Place in a roasting pan, cover with parchment paper and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Scrub the potatoes and make thin crosswise cuts without slicing through the bottoms. Cut the carrots into thick rounds or large chunks. Set aside 4–5 garlic cloves for the oil and halve the remaining intact heads crosswise.
- Mince the reserved garlic cloves. Mix with the remaining ½ cup olive oil, chopped thyme and salt to taste.
- Carefully unwrap the lamb, keeping the juices in the roasting pan. Arrange the potatoes, carrots and halved garlic heads around the meat, with the garlic cut sides up. Brush the vegetables with garlic oil, including between the potato slices.
- Roast uncovered at the same temperature for approximately 1 more hour, spooning pan juices over the meat and vegetables two or three times. Loosely cover the meat with foil if it browns too quickly. Check the lamb with a thermometer and cook the vegetables until tender.
- Let the cooked lamb rest for 15–20 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Serve on a platter with the vegetables and garlic. Garnish with chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need to Marinate the Lamb Overnight?
No. This method includes a 15-minute rest after salting, followed by the herb and spice rub. If you want to prepare the lamb ahead, apply the rub, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Should I Remove All the Fat?
Trim tough outer membranes and excess thick fat. You can leave a thin layer of fat, which will gradually render during roasting.
When Should I Add the Potatoes?
Add them after the first 1½ hours, when you unwrap the lamb. Medium Hasselback potatoes then roast for approximately 1 hour, depending on their size and how closely they are arranged.
Can I Use Potato Wedges Instead?
Yes. Hasselback potatoes make an attractive presentation, but substantial wedges also work. Check for tenderness, since the cooking time will vary with their size.
What If the Lamb Is Ready Before the Potatoes?
Remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest loosely covered with foil. Leave the vegetables in the oven until tender.
What Should I Serve with Roast Leg of Lamb?
The potatoes, carrots and garlic provide the main side dish. Add a green salad, fresh vegetables or a yogurt sauce with herbs and lemon. For a spring or Easter table, a warm asparagus salad with fresh mozzarella or a grilled zucchini and cherry tomato salad also goes well with the lamb.