Greek Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Feta Sauce

5 from 3 votes

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This butterflied and rolled leg of lamb has a seasoning of garlic, herbs, and lemon inside and out. Perfect for Easter and any celebration or holiday.

Greek-style leg of lamb slices on plate with salad and Brussels sprouts.

Oregano and thyme, along with lemon and garlic, are very classic companions in Greek cooking and perfect partners to lamb. Leg of lamb is one of the most traditional main dishes for Easter (and definitely Greek Orthodox Easter!). And this Greek butterflied leg of lamb recipe is not only delicious but also offers a rather dramatic presentation, with a little spiral of extra flavor inside and a fabulous creamy feta sauce that is hard to stop spooning on and swooning over. But while it looks impressive, it’s not at all hard to make.

Try pairing this lamb with Parmesan Brussels Sprouts and Radicchio Salad with Citrus Dressing. A Greek Orzo Salad would also be nice.

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Baking dish of Greek-Style Butterflied Leg of Lamb.

What Is Butterflied Leg of Lamb?

When a cut of meat is butterflied, it means it is cut almost in half horizontally and opened flat so that it cooks more quickly and evenly. In the case of larger, thicker pieces of meat, it might be sliced in more than one place so that it unfolds into a flatter cut of meat. Butterflied leg of lamb takes especially well to be cooked on the grill or being rolled, tied, and roasted, as it is here.

In this recipe, the lamb is first butterflied, then smeared with a herby paste, rolled back up, and tied. This allows the seasonings to be distributed on the inside of the roast as well as the outside. When the meat is cut, you will see streaks of the lemon-herb mixture within the slices, which means that the rich, singular flavor of the lamb is nicely punctuated with the rub. An internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast should read 125 F for medium-rare.

Can a butcher butterfly a leg of lamb for you?

Butterflying a leg of lamb at home can be challenging for beginners, so I would recommend you just ask your butcher to butterfly the meat when you buy it. And watch if you can, so you can learn! However, you may need to order a butterflied leg of lamb ahead of time, as it takes some time and skill, and if the meat counter is busy, the butcher may not be able to do it on the spot.

Ingredients

For the Lamb:

  • Leg of lamb – Ask your butcher to bone and butterfly the lamb leg and trim the fat if possible.
  • Garlic – Don’t worry about mincing the garlic, as it will get blended into a paste.
  • Oregano leaves – Buy a couple of extra sprigs to garnish your finished lamb, or use dill as a garnishing herb instead.
  • ThymeFresh thyme is preferable.
  • Olive oil – Helps provide a crusty exterior on the outside of the lamb.
  • Lemon – I use the zest and the juice in this recipe to get the most flavor out of the citrus.

For the Creamy Feta Sauce:

  • Plain Greek yogurt – Use whole milk yogurt, not the low-fat version, if possible, for the creamiest texture and richest flavor.
  • Olive oil – Smooth and rounds out the sauce.
  • Lemon juice – Brightens up the sauce with fresh brightness.
  • Fresh dill – Mince some dill up and mix it into the sauce, then add a couple of little sprigs on top for a nice presentation.
  • Garlic – Make sure your garlic is very finely minced so that you don’t get a big chunk in the sauce.
  • Feta – The feta cheese gets crumbled into the sauce and then mixed up so you get feta flavor throughout, as well as some bigger nuggets of cheese.
Bowl of feta sauce next to a plate with lamb, salad, and brussels sprouts.

How to Make Greek-Style Butterflied Leg of Lamb

  1. Make the seasoning: Blend together the garlic, oregano, thyme, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Pulse in the food processor until it is a smooth paste.
  2. Season the lamb: Rub part of the paste onto the butterflied lamb, then roll it up, tie it together, and rub the remainder of the paste on top. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours.
Seasoned leg of lamb tied with kitchen twine.
  1. Roast the lamb: Set the lamb out at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat and roast for about 50 to 70 minutes more. For medium-rare lamb, an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast should read 125 degrees F (see chart below).

Kitchen Smarts

How to Cook Leg of Lamb has lots of tips to help you with this recipe, including times, temperatures, and more!

Roasted Leg of Lamb in a baking dish.
  1. Make the feta sauce: Mix together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Mash the feta into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Mixing dill sauce in bowl.
  1. Serve: Rest the lamb for 20 minutes. Slice the lamb, squeeze over a little lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with the feta sauce.
Slicing a leg of lamb and serving with feta sauce.

American Lamb

Lamb is full of flavor. Most people agree that it’s best when cooked to a lovely medium-rare, tender and pink. When you choose American Lamb, you are supporting local ranchers and farmers throughout the U.S. The majority of American Lamb is pasture-raised, with some lamb being finished on grain and some grass-fed their whole lives. Check the packaging if you want to know more about how your lamb was raised.

Leg of Lamb Internal Temperature

How long it takes to cook a leg of lamb varies with each recipe and the size and thickness of your lamb. Follow the recipe’s instructions and have an instant-read thermometer, then use this chart to give you a target for the internal temperature based on how you want the meat to turn out.

Internal Temperature
Rare120 degrees F
Medium-Rare120-125 degrees F
Medium 130-135 degrees F
Medium-Well140-145 degrees F 
Well-Done150-155 degrees F
How long to cook leg of lamb per pound to different levels of doneness

Leftover Lamb

Leftover lamb can be used in all kinds of ways. Sandwiches, obviously: pile thin slices on a halved baguette or some good thick peasant bread and slather on some of the feta sauce, or try Herbed Mayonnaise, Persillade, Green Olive and Ramp Tapenade, Sriracha Mayo, or maybe just some leftover jarred pesto or another condiment you have in your fridge or pantry.

Slices can be added to a Greek Salad for a fantastic dinner or lunch later in the week. And I always make too much lamb in the hopes of a shepherd’s pie being on the horizon (which happily was the case here!). Or try making lamb chorba.

What to Serve With Greek-Style Leg of Lamb

Spoon adding feta sauce to Greek-style lamb.

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5 from 3 votes

Greek Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Feta Sauce

This butterflied and rolled leg of lamb has a seasoning of garlic, herbs, and lemon inside and out. Perfect for Easter and any celebration or holiday.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Marinating and Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10 People
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Ingredients 

  • 1 boned and butterflied leg of lamb (about 6 pounds; fat trimmed)
  • 6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
  • ½ cup fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • Fresh dill or oregano sprigs (to garnish the platter)

For the Creamy Feta Sauce:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (preferably whole milk)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • 2 garlic cloves (very finely minced)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • Dill sprigs (for serving, optional)

Instructions 

  • Place the garlic, oregano, thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the lemon zest (reserve the juice for later) in a mini or regular-sized food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Process until it becomes a paste (if you are a mortar and pestle type of cook, you can use that instead).
  • Rub about 2/3 of the herb paste on the top of the lamb, the side that was cut for butterflying. Then roll up the lamb and tie it well with kitchen twine at 1 1/2 inch intervals to keep it tightly rolled. Rub the rest of the paste over the outside of the lamb, place in a pan or container, and refrigerate from 1 hour to 24 hours uncovered.
  • Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 450 F. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 F and roast for another 50 to 70 minutes. An internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast should read 125 F for medium-rare.
  • While the lamb is cooking or resting, make the Creamy Feta Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, dill, and minced garlic. Add the feta and stir, lightly mashing it into the mixture, using a fork. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper. Spring over some small dill sprigs, if using.
  • When the lamb is cooked, let it rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. Slice the lamb against the grain, remove the string, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon lemon juice over the sliced lamb and give the slices a light seasoning of salt and pepper. Serve warm with the feta sauce on the side.

Notes

  • When a cut of meat is butterflied, it means it is cut almost in half horizontally and opened flat so that it cooks more quickly and evenly. In the case of larger, thicker pieces of meat, it might be sliced in more than one place so that it unfolds into a flatter cut of meat. Ask your butcher to butterfly the lamb for you.
  • Leftover lamb will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
  • Leftover lamb can be used in all kinds of ways. Sandwiches, a Greek Salad, or a  Shepherd’s Pie, for instance.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Sodium: 198mg, Potassium: 570mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 106IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 4mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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1 Comment

  1. Annie says:

    This is our traditional Holy Thursday meal with pita and tzatziki. Thank you for being part of our holiday.