These Lamb Chops are the perfect springy meal to serve for Easter! The lamb chops are marinated in a simple mixture of rosemary, lemon, olive oil, and spices to keep it incredibly flavorful, and it pairs beautifully with the quick oven-roasted lemony asparagus.
Thanks to our friends at the American Lamb Board for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.
Why You’ll Love This Lamb Chop Recipe:
- Easy Stovetop Recipe – These Lamb Chops with rosemary and asparagus are surprisingly easy to prepare at home. The best part is that you can cook them on the stovetop while your asparagus roasts in the oven.
- Simple and Flavorful Marinade – For this delicious lamb recipe we’re marinating lamb in a classic marinade made with olive oil, herbs, and lemon. Oh – and don’t forget a bit of salt and pepper!
- Prep Ahead – The lamb loin chops can can marinate for at least an hour or up to overnight – meaning it’s one more thing you can prep the night ahead of your meal to save a bit of time.
- Roasted Asparagus – This is one of my favorite spring veggies! Here we roast the spears for just a few minutes, so they are tender with a great bite.
- Perfect Holiday Meal – Easter is just around the corner, and lamb is the perfect main dish to serve for your celebration. Serve it all up on a simple platter for a gorgeous centerpiece on your Easter or spring table.
Ingredient Overview:
- Asparagus – The fresh spears should be firm with fluffy and tender tops.
- Lemon – Juice, zest, and slices of whole lemon… We include them all in this bright and delicious dish! You want unblemished ripe fruits that give slightly when gently squeezed.
- Lamb Loin Chops – Choose lamb chops that are light red, with smooth, white fat. Aim for chops that are a little over an inch thick. Marbling isn’t as important here as with beef, but look for chops that have fat evenly distributed. Also, the chops should be a little bit more than an inch thick. (Source – Selecting Lamb Chops). Try getting them from your local butcher for the best quality. Cooking lamb at home doesn’t have to be intimidating either! I’ll walk you through every step below.
- Kosher Salt – The coarse grains have a mild taste, and bring out the natural juiciness of the meat.
- Herbs – We include fresh rosemary, plus dried oregano and thyme in the lamb chops marinade. The combination is earthy and floral, and delicious with the savory meat!
- Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Alternate Meat – Try this with steak instead of lamb if you prefer! It would pair well with these flavors. Cook to 130 for medium rare, 140 for medium doneness, and 150 for well done.
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free butter to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-free – This recipe is naturally gluten-free!
How to Make This Lamb Chops Recipe Step-By-Step:
Step 1: Prep the Lamb. Mix together all the lamb ingredients in a large tupperware container. Secure the lid and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Step 2: Roast the Asparagus. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and a little lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss the asparagus in the mixture. Spread the spears across one or two baking sheets, and add a few lemon slices. Roast at 400 degrees F for about 8 minutes.
So simple, and so delicious!
Step 3: Cook the Lamb Chops. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, & add the seasoned lamb chops. Cook about 4-6 minutes, until they have a nice brown crust on the bottom.
Use a meat thermometer to monitor them while they cook on the second side. We’re looking for 145 degrees F for a medium rare chop, 160 degrees F for medium doneness, and 170 for one that’s well done. Once they’re done, set aside on a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Expert Success Tips:
- Choosing Lamb – Make sure to buy locally produced lamb – it’s the best way to ensure that you’re getting the freshest cut possible. And, it helps support our local producers & farmers. Win win! For help sourcing locally-produced lamb, use American Lamb’s “where to buy lamb” page.
- Prep Ahead – The chops need to marinate for at least an hour, or up to 12 hours. So you can throw everything together at your convenience the night before or morning of cooking.
- Room Temperature – When ready to cook, remove the marinated meat from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Taking the chill off a bit will help the lamb cook more evenly.
- Order of Cooking – This rack of lamb recipe is easy to make, and both the meat and asparagus cook in only a few minutes. But the timing should be just right to ensure everything is ready to serve warm together. Pop the veggies in the oven and get the marinated lamb cooking on the stovetop at around the same time, as they each need only about 10 minutes or so to cook.
- Check Doneness – You really want to use a meat thermometer for this recipe, so you can check for proper doneness, and so you can control whether your meat is medium rare, medium, or well done. (This is elaborated on in the recipe below!)
FAQs:
Loin chops are small cuts of lamb that have a bone running through them, like a small t-bone steak. Lamb rib chops, on the other hands, are pieces that have a bone “handle” at the end. These are also called lollipop lamb chops.
Both are red meats, but steak and lamb do taste pretty different. Lamb is savory and also has a nice grassy, gamey, and lightly sweet flavor.
Absolutely, yes! The woodsy flavor of rosemary is delicious with rich and meaty lamb chops.
Recipe Variations:
- Shallot and Thyme Sauce – You can make the shallot + thyme sauce from my other lamb chop recipe to top these with, if desired. (We found that these have plenty of flavor from the marinade, but if you really want a sauce, try this one!).
- Herbs – Feel free to use your favorite fresh herbs here – thyme and/or oregano would work well.
- Veggies – If you’re not a fan of asparagus you can pair lamb loin chops with other fresh green vegetables. Roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans, and broccoli are all tasty alternatives.
Serving + Storing This Recipe:
Serve the lamb and asparagus together on a platter for something that will look gorgeous on your table, without too much fuss! You can even use a few extra sprigs of fresh rosemary to decorate the platter with. If you remember the lamb chops I shared in December, we made a pan sauce – I didn’t add that this time because I felt that marinating the lamb provided plenty of flavor, and I wanted to keep things as simple as possible so you can save some energy for the other parts of your meal.
But, the pan sauce from those lamb chops (linked here) would go well with these, if you do want to add it on! Either way, this is a meal that’s sure to be a hit with your family.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Special Tools:
- Cast Iron Skillet – I love my Staub skillet, and it has held up amazingly for years, but it is a splurge. If you’d like a more budget friendly option, try this Lodge skillet.
- Meat Thermometer – This handy kitchen tool is essential for recipes like this so you don’t overcook your meat, especially with a pricier cut of meat like lamb or steak. We want nice and tender meat!
- Aluminum Foil – It’s a good idea to “rest” meat right after cooking. This lets the tender lamb lock in the juices. Loosely cover the chops with foil to keep them warm while resting.
However you celebrate, Happy Easter and happy spring!
More Holiday Dinner Recipes:
- Beer Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Lamb Chops with Shallot & Thyme Pan Sauce
- Lamb Roast with Herbed Garlic Butter Potatoes
- White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
- Guinness Irish Lamb Stew
- Moms Easy Homemade Lasagna
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Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Pan-Roasted Lemony Asparagus
Ingredients
For the Lemon Roasted Asparagus
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- generous sprinkle black pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large lemons
For the Lamb Chops
- 8 medium lamb loin chops Mine were about 2.7 lbs total
- 6 large cloves garlic
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced + zested
- 1/2 tsp salt
- generous pinch black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp salted butter
Instructions
- Prep: Mix together all the lamb ingredients in a large tupperware container. Add the lamb chops and rub with the marinade mixture. Secure the lid and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to overnight before cooking. Let the lamb sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cooking.
- Roast the Asparagus: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse, dry, and trim the ends of your asparagus. Slice one of the lemons into thin slices. Toss the asparagus all the asparagus ingredients, and a squeeze of lemon juice from the second lemon. Divide between two parchment-paper lined baking sheets. Roast for 8-13 minutes, depending on how tender you want the asparagus to be.
- Cook the Lamb Chops: While the asparagus roasts, cook your lamb. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 of the lamb chops at a time, and cook 4-6 minutes, until there's a nice dark crust on the bottom. Flip, and repeat, using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. We're looking for 145 degrees F for medium rare chops, 160 for medium, and 170 for well done. Make sure to stick the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, and stick if halfway through the meat – don't let it touch any bones or the pan, for an accurate reading. Once they're done, set aside on a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Serve + Store: Serve the lemony asparagus and lamb together. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Optional: You can make the shallot + thyme sauce from my other lamb chop recipe to top these with, if desired. (We found that these have plenty of flavor from the marinade, but if you really want a sauce, try this one!).
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