Roast Lamb with Green Olive Potatoes (Print Version)

Succulent rack of lamb with golden green olive potatoes. Easy, elegant dinner for two with minimal cleanup.

# What You Need:

→ Lamb

01 - 1 small rack of lamb (about 1.1–1.3 lb), 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 - 10.6 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 Garnish

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:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil. Toss halved baby potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt, and pepper. Spread on one side of the prepared tray.
02 - 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 herb-mustard mixture evenly over all surfaces of the lamb.
03 - Position the seasoned rack of lamb fat side up on the opposite side of the baking tray, ensuring it does not touch the potatoes.
04 - Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature approximately 130°F). Turn the potatoes halfway through roasting. Adjust timing according to your preferred doneness.
05 - While the lamb roasts, combine green olives, parsley, lemon zest, and capers in a small bowl.
06 - Remove the tray from the oven. Tent the lamb loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 8–10 minutes. Scatter the olive mixture over the roasted potatoes and gently toss to combine.
07 - Slice the lamb into individual chops and serve alongside the olive-garnished potatoes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts together on one tray, which means you can actually sit down while dinner cooks instead of hovering over multiple pots.
  • The lamb stays tender and juicy without any fussy techniques, just a quick herb rub and the right timing.
  • Those potatoes soak up all the lamb drippings and get tossed with salty olives and lemon at the end, turning them into the kind of side dish you'll scrape the pan for.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step, cutting into the lamb too soon means all those precious juices end up on your cutting board instead of in each bite.
  • Use a meat thermometer if you have one, lamb can go from perfect to overdone in just a few minutes and there's no coming back from that.
  • Make sure your oven is fully preheated before the tray goes in, a cold oven means the lamb will steam instead of roast and you won't get that beautiful crust.
03 -
  • Let the lamb come to room temperature for 20 minutes before rubbing and roasting, it cooks more evenly that way and you won't end up with a cold center.
  • If your potatoes aren't browning enough, crank the oven to broil for the last 3 minutes and watch them closely, they'll crisp up fast.
  • Save any leftover herb rub and toss it with roasted vegetables or rub it on chicken thighs, it works magic on just about anything.
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