18 Impressive Easter Lamb Dishes to Dress Up Your Holiday Table

Choose a centerpiece-worthy Easter lamb recipe, from chops and shanks to a leg, rack, or roast.

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on February 12, 2024

Crown Roast of Lamb — Photo:
Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser

If you're planning on making a gorgeous Easter lamb recipe this year, look no further. Whether you're keeping it cozy or gathering the whole family, we've rounded up delicious ways you can prepare show-stopping lamb dishes this Easter for everyone at your table. From make-ahead options like Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad to quick-cooking lamb chops and stunning roasts, check out our very best Easter lamb recipes below.

01 of 18

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herb Salad — Dylan + Jeni / Food Styling by Brett Long / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

These lamb shanks, crispy on the outside yet fall-off-the-bone tender, make an impressive holiday dinner party dish. 2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong recommends braising the shanks one day before your party, then brushing with hot mustard sauce and crisping them up right before serving.

02 of 18

Rosé-Marinated Grilled Leg of Lamb with Walnut Salsa Fresca

RosÃ©-Marinated Grilled Leg of Lamb with Walnut Salsa Fresca — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Studding a leg of lamb with anchovies adds savory depth to this beautiful cut of meat flavored with a garlicky, herbal rosé-based marinade. The flavors in the walnut salsa fresca served alongside mirror those of the marinade, bringing a final dose of richness and flavor to this standout dish.

03 of 18

Leg of Lamb Cooked Over New Potatoes with Spicy Mint-Rum Sauce

Leg of Lamb Cooked Over New Potatoes with Spicy Mint-Rum Sauce — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Dried lavender and fresh thyme lend floral, woodsy flavor to garlic cloves in a simple paste that seasons the lamb and helps the dried spice crust stick to the meat. The mint sauce — made by cooking mint jelly in a skillet with a splash of rum and jalapeño — will appear very thin when hot but thickens to a glaze as it cools.

04 of 18

Crown Roast of Lamb with Jeweled Rice Stuffing

Crown Roast of Lamb — Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser

This lamb roast was featured in the show Lessons in Chemistry and is perfect for a dinner party or holiday feast. The lamb gets a nice sear along the edges and is perfectly tender and juicy on the inside. The rice is jeweled with almonds for a lovely crunch while raisins and currants provide random sweet bites.

05 of 18

Lamb Biryani

Lamb Biryani — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

If there is an Indian dish that signifies celebration, it’s dum-style biryani. “It’s like shepherd’s pie but way sexier,” says chef Cheetie Kumar. After it's baked, give the biryani pride of place on the table before you break through the flaky browned paratha crust to reveal the rice and lamb inside. The rising steam carries with it the aromas of toasted cardamom, cumin, saffron, and Kashmiri chile powder.

06 of 18

Garlic-Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb

Garlic-Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb — Cara Cormack

When lamb is at the center of the dinner table — especially something as eye-catching as this roast rack of lamb — it makes the meal feel special. This lamb roast recipe is one of our favorite ways to prepare a rack of lamb because it's simple but has wonderfully complex flavors from the marinade. Just rub it with plenty of garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and salt before roasting.

07 of 18

Moroccan-Style Lamb Shanks

Moroccan Lamb Shanks — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Red wine, tomatoes, harissa, almonds, mint, and cilantro give these slow-braised lamb shanks lots of bright flavor. This dish is dinner party-worthy, especially since most of the cooking is hands-off. Serve the lamb over couscous for an easy but impressive meal.

08 of 18

Double-Cut Lamb Chops with Garlic-Caper Rub

Double Cut Lamp Chops with Garlic Caper Rub — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer/ Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Punchy anchovies and garlic mellow during their short cook time, adding umami to double-cut lamb chops. Reverse-searing using the broiler results in perfectly cooked lamb with a crispy exterior; use a probe thermometer to monitor the internal temperature for best results. Serve the carved chops over cooked orzo to balance out the meal.

09 of 18

Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Shallots and White Wine

Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Shallots and White Wine Recipe — Eva Kolenko

Braised atop shallots and thyme in a honey-tinged bath of white wine and orange juice, cookbook author Aria Adjani's lamb shoulder roast is served with a bright lemon-oregano gremolata.

10 of 18

Campfire Lamb Peka

Campfire Lamb Peka Recipe — Caitlin Bensel

Prepare Croatia’s most prized dish, peka, over an open fire, in an oven, or with a charcoal grill — all in one pot.

11 of 18

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Grilled Leg of Lamb and Rosemary — William F. Dickey II

Chef Cal Peternell's easy method for cooking grilled leg of lamb results in tender, flavorful meat in only 20 minutes after it's finished marinating.

12 of 18

Khorak Ghosht-e Bareh (Slow-Braised Lamb)

Khorak Ghosht-e Bareh (Slow Braised Lamb Shoulder) — Ellen Silverman

Braise lamb with cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, and cumin for this Persian dish worthy of any celebration meal.

13 of 18

Banana Leaf-Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa

Banana Leaf Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa — DYLAN + JENI

The rich, slow-cooked flavor of lamb shanks is the perfect partner for the intense smokiness of morita chiles, and banana leaf wrappers yield tamales with a dense, custard-like texture.

14 of 18

Garlicky Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet Peppers

Garlicky Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet Peppers — Greg DuPree

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe from legendary chef Jeremiah Tower one of our 40 best. The lamb can be braised a day ahead, making the meat extra tender and flavorful. The last-minute addition of fresh bell peppers injects a bright finish to the rich dish.

15 of 18

Roast Lamb with Orange and Lemon

Roast Lamb with Orange and Lemon — © Roland Persson

Lamb is a popular ingredient in Roman cooking; grazing sheep are a common sight in the hills around the city. Chef Antonio Ciminelli infuses roast lamb with orange and lemon zest; the citrusy pan juices make a silky, lightly tart sauce.

16 of 18

Lamb Barbacoa with Masala Adobo

Lamb Barbacoa with Masala Adobo — Greg DuPree

For this dish, chefs Saqib Keval and Norma Listman of Masala y Maíz in Mexico City draw from Indian and Mexican cooking techniques for a one-of-a-kind flavor profile. The restaurant version uses bone-in lamb wrapped in maguey leaves, but we found that the results are just as spectacular with boneless lamb in a smaller Dutch oven.

17 of 18

Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Pancetta

Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Pancetta — © Quentin Bacon

In his book Cocinar en Casa, chef Ferran Adrià converts lamb into an unexpected, wonderful dish that anyone can make. Who else would think to coat a rack of lamb with a pistachio pesto, then wrap it in pancetta to keep it nicely moist and make it even richer as it roasts?

18 of 18

Petite Leg of Lamb with Pickled Rhubarb Salsa

Petite Leg of Lamb with Pickled Rhubarb Salsa — © Con Poulos

Former F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple loves leg of lamb, but it’s sometimes such a commitment to make a whole one. Here, he opts to roast a petite leg, which is the shank end with the hip bone removed. It’s ideal for a small group.

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