RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
April Pick: Dinner

Roasted Lamb with Carrots and Yogurt Sauce

A boneless leg of lamb rubbed with garlic, rosemary, and lemon, roasted over carrots that cook in its juices, with a cool cumin and mint yogurt sauce.

Why you'll love Roasted Lamb with Carrots and Yogurt Sauce

Roast lamb is the centerpiece of spring holidays from Greece to Britain, and in April it is at its best. This one is a boneless leg rubbed all over with garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, and olive oil, roasted on a single sheet pan, and sliced over a platter of cool yogurt sauce with the carrots that cooked beside it.

The carrots go in partway through the roast, onto the hot pan around the lamb, and that timing is the trick. By then the lamb has started to render, so the carrots roast in its fat and juices and come out glazed and savory with browned edges, finishing in the same time the lamb takes to reach medium-rare. While the lamb rests, its juices settle back into the meat, so each slice stays rosy and moist.

The sauce is thick whole-milk Greek yogurt with grated garlic, lemon, fresh mint, and toasted cumin, which brings a warm, earthy note that suits lamb. Cold sauce under hot meat is half the pleasure, and leftovers make the best lunch of the week.

Quick overview: This Roasted Lamb with Carrots and Yogurt Sauce takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 1 hr 45 min in all and makes 6 servings, each about 4 oz sliced lamb with carrots and sauce. You'll need a skillet and a sheet pan.

Jump to recipe

Sliced roast lamb and carrots over mint yogurt sauce
Prep 20 minCook 1 hr 25 minTotal 1 hr 45 minServes 6Serving about 4 oz sliced lamb with carrots and sauceYou'll need Skillet, Sheet pan

Ingredients

  • one 2 1/2-lb boneless leg of lamb, rolled and tied
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely grated, divided
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • finely grated zest of 2 lemons, divided
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lb slender carrots, scrubbed, thicker ones halved lengthwise
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper, to finish Label: Aleppo pepper, and salt if any, with no oil

Instructions

  1. Season the lamb: Pat the lamb dry. Stir 5 of the grated garlic cloves with the rosemary, half the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper into a paste and rub it all over the roast, pushing it into the folds. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats. Salt has time to start seasoning the meat, and a roast that has lost its refrigerator chill cooks more evenly from edge to center.
  2. Start the roast: Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set the lamb in the middle of a large rimmed sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, until the outside is browning and fat has started to collect on the pan.
  3. Add the carrots: Toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the coriander. Take the pan out, spread the carrots around the lamb, and roll them in the fat on the pan. Roast 25 to 40 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the lamb reads 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium and the carrots are tender and browned at the edges. Start checking the lamb at 20 minutes, since the shape of a rolled roast changes how fast it cooks.
  4. Rest the lamb: Move the lamb to a cutting board, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Toss the carrots in the pan juices and return them to the turned-off oven to stay warm. Resting lets the juices that were pushed to the center settle back through the meat, so they stay in the slices instead of running onto the board.
  5. Make the yogurt sauce: Toast the cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant and a shade darker, then crush them coarsely. Stir the yogurt with the remaining grated garlic, the remaining lemon zest, the lemon juice, the mint, half the cumin, and a pinch of salt. Toasting brings out the cumin's warm, nutty oils, which taste raw and dusty without it.
  6. Carve and serve: Snip off the strings and slice the lamb across the grain about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the yogurt sauce over a platter, lay the lamb and carrots on top, and spoon over any juices from the board and pan. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and scatter with the parsley, the Aleppo pepper, and the rest of the cumin.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate the lamb and carrots in one container and the yogurt sauce in another for up to 4 days. Sliced lamb freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

Eat leftover lamb cold over greens with the sauce, or warm it in a covered skillet with a splash of broth over low heat until hot all the way through, 165°F (74°C). Gentle heat keeps the slices tender.

Variations

  • Bone-in leg: Roast a 5-lb bone-in leg the same way, starting the carrots after 1 hour, and check for 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare next to the bone, not touching it.
  • Spring turnips: Add a few small turnips, halved, with the carrots.
  • Tahini sauce: Stir 2 tablespoons of tahini into the yogurt for a nuttier, richer sauce.
  • Paprika and oregano: Use 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano in the rub in place of the rosemary.

Notes and tips

  • Use a thermometer: A rolled roast varies in thickness, so a thermometer is the only sure way to know when it reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare.
  • Ask the butcher: Most butchers will bone, roll, and tie a leg of lamb for you, and many sell it already netted.
  • Keep the carrot tops: If your carrots come with fresh green tops, chop a handful finely and scatter them over the platter with the parsley.
  • Slice across the grain: Look for the lines running through the meat and cut across them, which shortens the fibers and makes every slice tender.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Lamb brings protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, and a slow rest after roasting keeps it juicy.
  • Carrots are full of beta-carotene, which dissolves in fat, so roasting them in the lamb's juices and olive oil helps your body take in more of it.
  • Whole-milk Greek yogurt adds more protein and live cultures, and its cool tang balances the richness of the lamb.
  • Garlic, rosemary, mint, and toasted cumin bring big flavor, so the plate needs little salt beyond the rub.
  • As you eat, notice the warm, rich lamb against the cold yogurt, and check in later in the evening: a dinner of protein, fat, and roasted vegetables like this should leave you comfortably full for 4 hours or more, settled through to bedtime.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Roasted Lamb with Carrots and Yogurt Sauce? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Why does lamb need to rest?

As it roasts, the juices are pushed toward the center. A 15-minute rest lets them settle back through the meat, so they stay in the slices. The temperature also climbs about 5 degrees as it rests, so lamb taken out at 125°F (52°C) finishes at a rosy 130°F (54°C).

What if my carrots are thick?

Halve or quarter them lengthwise so each piece is about the thickness of a finger, and they will finish in the same time as the lamb.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes. Make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The garlic gets stronger as it sits, so stir in the mint just before serving.

How should I use leftovers?

Slice the lamb thin and pile it into lettuce leaves with the yogurt sauce and cucumber, or warm it with the carrots and a fried egg for breakfast.

You might also like

Tags: April Pick, Dinner, Mediterranean