Classic Lamb Dinners

Orange-Balsamic Lamb Chops Recipe

A simple citrus marinade plus a quick sear yields significantly more flavor than you might think. Of course, a finishing balsamic drizzle is always welcome.

Dad's Grilled Leg of Lamb Recipe

Barton Seaver likes to serve this to his own family with turnips glazed with brown sugar, vinegar, and butter. Haricots verts also make a good companion. Look for a boneless, butterflied leg of lamb, preferably Colorado or Icelandic, and trim any excess fat.

Braised Lamb and Potato Hash Recipe

Lamb Chops with Fresh Fig Pan Sauce Recipe

Fresh figs cooked with red wine provide the perfect foil for rich lamb rib chops.

Lamb Shoulder Chops with Green Olives and Lemon Recipe

Meaty and less expensive than lamb loin chops, shoulder chops need to cook a little longer to soften. They're slightly gamy (in a good way!), which makes them a great match for the bold, Moroccan-style flavors here. Serve with fluffy couscous to soak up the sauce.

Lamb Chops with Farro, Arugula, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette Recipe

The ever-expanding variety of quick grains on the market, like the farro used here, makes incorporating whole grains into daily meals easier. Feel free to substitute brown rice if you can't find farro.

Lamb Chops with Mint-Fig Sauce Recipe

Six ingredients, plus salt, pepper, and cooking spray, are all you need for this elegant lamb chop dish. Plus, you can make the sauce in the microwave!

Spiced Lamb Chops with Rosemary Crumbs Recipe

These spiced lamb chops are great for cocktail parties, since you can eat them one-handed.

Lamb and Turkey Vidalia Salad Recipe

A hit of floral fresh oregano provides the perfect top note for this salad's Mediterranean flavors.

Lamb Tagine with Lemon and Olives Recipe

The spices in this dish offer a great flavor combination that is out-of-this-world delicious.

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Saffron Rice Recipe

Grilled rack of lamb is the perfect choice for easy entertaining, and saffron rice pleases both the eye and the palate. Serve with a Australian shiraz to complement the spice rub.

Spicy Lamb Tacos Recipe

Lamb makes for an interesting flavor break from beef. If you prefer less spice, just reduce the amount of chipotle powder.

Lamb Meatball Gyros with Yogurt and Mint Recipe

Top flat bread with lamb meatballs and a homemade yogurt sauce for an easy, Greek-inspired meal.

There's more to lamb than just the chops! Ground lamb flavored with onion, tomato purée, honey, garlic, and rosemary tops fresh bread for a great alternative to beef-based sloppy joes.

Sesame Lamb Chops with Honey-Raisin Sauce Recipe

Showcase lamb's unique flavor with a simple sauce featuring chicken broth, raisins, honey, cumin, and cinnamon. Serve with couscous or rice for a complete meal.

Moroccan Lamb Chops Recipe

This one-dish entrée takes just 30 minutes to prepare and requires minimal clean-up. Apricots add a hint of sweetness, while the garbanzos lend a hearty, nutty flavor.

Roasted Spring Lamb With Fennel, Rhubarb, and Strawberries Recipe

Lamb’s pleasantly gamey flavor pairs beautifully with tart rhubarb, sweet strawberries, and anise-scented fennel. “Frenched” racks of lamb are trimmed so that the bones are cleaned of fat and meat; if you can’t find pre-frenched lamb racks, ask your butcher to french them for you. Look for big stalks of rhubarb at the market; they’ll hold their shape better than smaller ones, which can easily get too soft when cooked.

Zucchini Stuffed with Lamb and Lentils Recipe

If you think lamb’s too gamey, these retro-inspired zucchini boats will win you over. The addition of ground beef and creamy lentils combined with fragrant cinnamon and allspice make this taste exotic and comforting at the same time. If you’re still on the fence, ground sirloin is an equally tasty substitute. Though you might be tempted to drain the pan before stirring in the lentils, don’t—the juices add rich flavor to the finished dish. A drizzle of the yogurt sauce ties it all together; serve with whole wheat couscous for a little extra fiber.

Herb and Citrus Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe

It may be an intimidating protein, but if you need to feed a crowd, lamb's the way to go. Orange and lemon in the marinade make for a bright counterpoint to the earthy cumin. Stuff leftovers into pitas, and drizzle with yogurt.

Lamb and Beet Meatballs Recipe

These lamb, beet, and bulgur meatballs are a great example of using meat as a supporting player rather than the star and getting more veggies and whole grains into your diet. If you can't find precooked beets, wrap 2 medium trimmed beets in parchment paper and microwave at HIGH for 2 minutes or until tender, then peel and finely chop.

Roast Rack of Lamb with Lavender Recipe

Turmeric Lamb Chops with Crispy Potatoes and Broccoli Recipe

Lamb loin chops (shaped like mini T-bones) save about 11g sat fat per serving over rib or shoulder chops. You can also ask your butcher to cut "steaks" from a leg of lamb, also lean, or sub 2 (8-ounce) beef sirloin steaks.

Garlicky Roasted Lamb with Parsley-Pistacho Gremolata Recipe

Zinfandel-Braised Leg of Lamb Recipe

Reducing the wine before placing it in the slow cooker gives the dish a more rounded flavor.

Pecan-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mint Dipping Sauce Recipe