Greek Roasted Lamb With Potatoes

Lamb is the protagonist in all Greek holiday family gatherings, like Easter Sunday and Christmas day. It is considered a staple of the Greek cuisine and we have it roasted, in ribs, souvlaki kabobs and many more.

Here I’m sharing with you how we make a slow-roasted lamb with potatoes. Whether you’re hosting a festive gathering or simply craving a taste of Greece at home, this recipe promises to elevate your dining experience to new heights. Succulent, tender lamb infused with Mediterranean flavors, paired perfectly with golden, lemony potatoes, this dish is a celebration of Greek culinary tradition.

This Greek roasted lamb dish is so simple and tasty, and doesn’t require much effort to prepare. If you are looking for similar recipes that the whole family can enjoy, I recommend trying my baked meatballs with potatoes or roasted chicken with potatoes.

Why you should try my recipe

• Easy to prepare and then you just let the oven do all the work.
• Great for gatherings with friends or family.
• You can store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Ingredients & How-to

I’m using a bone-in leg of lamb that weighs about 5lbs (2.5kg) and 3lbs (1.5kg) of potatoes. If it’s difficult to find bone-in lamb then you could also use a boneless cut or lamb shanks. For this Greek roasted lamb with potatoes, we are also going to use garlic (a lot of garlic..), some thyme and rosemary.

For the marinade, I’m using olive oil, mustard, oregano, honey, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper. I’m using the same marinade for the lamb and the potatoes and just add 1/3 cup of water with the potatoes to help with the cooking.

For full quantities check the recipe down below. So let’s get started!

01. I peel and cut the potatoes into quarters and put them in the baking tray. Now it’s time for the garlic cloves. I’m using about 10 garlic cloves or a whole head. I add half of them to the tray between the potatoes and keep the other half for the lamb.

02. For the marinade, I’m mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. The olive oil, mustard, honey, lemon juice and oregano. I’m using the juice from two lemons, that’s about 1/3 cup but you could use more or less depending on how citrusy you like your food. You could always add some more later on your plate.

03. I add half of the marinade to the tray with the potatoes along with 1/2 cup of water, and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Then I make some space in the middle of the tray and place the thyme and rosemary with the stalks. I will be placing the leg of lamb on top of the herbs. If you don’t like rosemary then you can just stick to thyme.

04. Before marinating the lamb, I make some slits with a pointy knife and place the garlic cloves inside. If the garlic cloves are too big, simply cut them in half or thirds to be able to push them inside the slits.

05. Then I spread the remaining marinade over the lamb and give it a little bit of a massage. I cover the tray with some parchment paper and some foil to keep all the moisture inside. That’s what is going to help get a nice and succulent roasted lamb.

06. I leave it in the oven to slowly cook for 2 hours. Then, I remove the foil and parchment paper and put it back in the oven for an hour. At the end, we want the lamb and the potatoes to have a nice roasted, brown color, the water to be absorbed and just have mainly oil in the tray.

Substitutions

• You could use italian seasoning or mixed herbs instead of oregano.
• For a stronger lemony flavor, you could add the lemon zest.
• You could use a leg of lamb or lamb shanks for the Greek roast.

Tips

• Do not cut the potatoes too small as they might melt after so many hours in the oven.
• Make sure you wrap the foil around the tray to keep all the moisture inside.

Serving suggestions

Next to this traditional slow roasted Greek lamb with potatoes, we usually like to serve some tzatziki that goes amazing with the lamb and it’s quite refreshing. As for some salads, I recommend a simple and delicious classic Greek salad or a cabbage salad and if you are looking for something more fancy, you could try my green salad with pomegranate and goats cheese or a couscous and beets salad.

Storage

If you have any leftovers of the Greek roasted lamb with potatoes, store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. When you are ready to have it, warm it up thoroughly in the microwave or the oven for a few minutes. You could freeze the lamb for up to 2 months but I don’t recommend freezing any of the potatoes as they don’t taste that good when thawed.

FAQ

• What to serve with Greek roasted lamb and potatoes? Some appetizers and side dishes that go well with roast lamb and potatoes are light and refreshing salads like a Greek salad or marousolata. Greeks also like to pair lamb with dips like tzatziki or tirokafteri that are refreshing and compliment the flavor.

• How many hours do I need to roast lamb to be succulent? It will take at least 2 hours for a lamb that is about 2.5kg or 4-5 lbs to be succulent. Make sure it’s covered to keep all the moisture inside so it doesn’t dry out. Then uncover and continue cooking to get a nice brown color.