Roast Lamb with Green Olive Potatoes (Printer-Friendly)

Succulent rack of lamb with golden green olive-studded potatoes, perfect for an elegant dinner for two.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 1 small rack of lamb (about 1.1 to 1.3 lbs), Frenched
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
05 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Potatoes

08 - 10.5 oz baby potatoes, halved
09 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Green Olive Mix

14 - 2.1 oz green olives, pitted and halved
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
17 - 1 teaspoon capers, drained (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
02 - In a bowl, toss halved baby potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt, and pepper. Spread them on one side of the baking tray.
03 - Pat the rack of lamb dry. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, Dijon mustard, rosemary, thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture thoroughly over the entire lamb rack.
04 - Place the rack of lamb fat side up on the opposite side of the baking tray, ensuring it does not contact the potatoes.
05 - Roast in the oven for 25 minutes for medium-rare doneness (internal temperature approximately 130°F), adjusting time according to preferred doneness level. Turn the potatoes halfway through roasting.
06 - While lamb roasts, combine green olives, parsley, lemon zest, and capers in a small bowl.
07 - Remove tray from oven. Tent the lamb with foil and allow to rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
08 - Scatter the olive mixture over the roasted potatoes and gently toss to combine.
09 - Slice the lamb into individual chops and serve alongside the olive potatoes.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours but really you just rubbed some herbs on meat and tossed potatoes on a tray
  • The green olives cut through the richness in a way that makes every bite feel lighter than it is
  • Cleanup is laughably easy because everything happens on one sheet pan
  • It turns a regular weeknight into something that feels like an occasion without the pressure
02 -
  • Drying the lamb before seasoning is non-negotiable, wet meat steams instead of browning and you lose that delicious crust
  • Don't skip the resting time, cutting into the lamb too early means all those precious juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat
  • If your potatoes aren't browning, they're too crowded or the oven isn't hot enough, spread them out and crank the heat
03 -
  • Score the fat cap on the lamb in a crosshatch pattern before rubbing it with the herb mixture, it helps the seasonings penetrate and the fat render more evenly
  • If your potatoes are different sizes, cut the bigger ones smaller so everything finishes cooking at the same time
  • Let the lamb come to room temperature for 20 minutes before roasting, cold meat straight from the fridge cooks unevenly
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