Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe

A platter and two plates of sliced boneless leg of lamb next to a small bowl of salsa verde, with gold utensils, and a brown towel.

Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword: Roasted boneless leg of lamb

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1 15

Total Time: 1 35

Servings: depending on weight

Calories: 456kcal

This roasted boneless leg of lamb is seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and sage. Prep is simple and quick, and the bright, herby salsa verde sauce keeps the flavors light and fresh.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

Leg of Lamb

2 lb boneless leg of lamb
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 anchovies
6 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
zest of one lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro-Mint Salsa Verde

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Unroll the leg of lamb and trim excess fat, tendon, and connective tissue. Butterfly each end so that the meat is an even thickness throughout. To butterfly it, cut the thick part of the meat nearly in half, then open it like a book. Season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper.
Finely chop the rosemary, sage and anchovies. Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic and zest the lemon. Combine with olive oil, salt and crushed red pepper to form a paste. Rub the herb paste all over both sides of the meat.
Roll the leg back up, and secure with kitchen twine.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the leg of lamb, turning every two minutes or so, until all sides are golden brown. See note.
Transfer to a sheet pan lined with a wire rack, place in the oven, and immediately turn the temperature down to 350 degrees. Roast until an instant read reads 130-135 degrees F (or your desired temperature.) Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
While the lamb roasts, make the salsa verde. Finely chop the mint and cilantro, then stir together with olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
After resting, cut the boneless lamb roast into slices about ½-inch thick and transfer to a platter. Drizzle the salsa verde sauce over the slices and serve more on the side.

Notes

I recommend the searing process if you have a small boneless leg of lamb that's about 2-3 pounds. But this proves pretty difficult if you have a large one, so if it exceeds 3 pounds, or if you just don't want to sear it at all, roast it at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes before you turn the heat down to 350 F.
When trimming the meat, pay special attention to any connective tissue and tendons that may remain near the joint, as this won't break down when cooking. You could also ask your butcher to do the trimming for you.
Adapted from The Barbuto Cookbook

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