This herby, lemony, semi-boneless leg of lamb is cooked low and slow for amazing tenderness, then finished with a blast of high heat to get the outside nice and browned. A leg of lamb is one of the greatest entertaining main courses around. It says You Are Special to everyone at the table, but in fact, it’s pretty easy on the cook. This one is very simply seasoned with classic Mediterranean herbs and spices and served up with cooling, creamy-crunchy tzatziki, which adds a Greek vibe.

Perfect for Easter or Christmas, serve this with saffron couscous or some roasted potatoes and some springy green vegetables for an easy but super impressive meal.

And hold onto those leftovers! You may want to make lamb sandwiches or Lamb Crostini the next day, or maybe put together a lamb gyro grazing board.

Slow Cooked Mediterranean Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki: A lush and tender semi-boneless leg of lamb gets paired up a simple tzatziki sauce for an easy but elegant meal.

Ingredients

Tzatziki, a yogurt-based Greek cucumber sauce, goes exceedingly well with lamb. The rich meat pairs so well with the creamy sauce and the clean crunch of the shredded cucumber.

For the Lamb:

• Semi-boneless leg of lamb – Ask for a semi-boneless leg of lamb from your butcher. This means most of the bones will be taken out except for the main leg bone, which will give the roast flavor but still keep it easy to carve.
• Olive oil – Helps the lamb develop a crust in the oven.
• Garlic cloves – The whole cloves get blended up in the food processor into a garlicky and flavorful rub for the lamb.
• Rosemary – Fresh rosemary leaves give this lamb a much fragrant, floral flavor.
• Thyme – Using fresh thyme adds a beautiful herby, Mediterranean flavor.
• Lemon zest – Adds a bright, fresh note of citrus.

For the Tzatziki:

• Cucumber – Gives the dip a nice crunchy texture and a cool, fresh taste.
• Fennel – If you aren’t a fan of fennel, or you forgot to pick it up at the store, you can skip it.
• Salt – Don’t skimp on the salt — it is needed to cut through the yogurt and bring out the savoriness.
• Fresh mint – Dial up or down the amount of the herbs as you like in this dip. I prefer to dial-up, loving the burst of freshness. Try dill in place of the mint if you prefer.
• Fresh oregano – Don’t try to use dried herbs in this recipe. Fresh oregano has a different flavor and texture.
• Lemon juice – Makes the tzatziki acidic and bright.
• Minced garlic – A classic tzatziki ingredient. Mince the garlic cloves super fine, so it almost melts into the sauce.
• Greek yogurt – Use Greek yogurt to make the tzatziki, which is thicker and smoother than regular yogurt. Also, go for the 4 or 5% fat version; it’s so much richer and more flavorful than the low or nonfat, and you really aren’t going to be serving up that much of the condiment with your lovely slow-cooked lamb. Let’s live a little, guys.
• Couscous – Optional, but a nice accompaniment. Cook according to package directions.

How to Make Mediterranean Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki

1. Season the lamb: Blend up the garlic, herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Rub the mixture onto the lamb leg and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Roast: Roast the lamb in the oven for about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 220 F on an internal thermometer. Turn the heat up to 500 F. and let the meat cook for another 15 minutes (the temperature in the oven will climb but may not quite reach 500 F within 15 minutes, which is fine). Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Prepare the vegetables: Mix together the grated cucumber with the fennel, if using. Salt and let rest for 20 minutes. Then, squeeze out the excess liquid.
4. Make the tzatziki: Mix the cucumber and fennel with the mint, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, and yogurt. Season.
5. Slice the lamb with a sharp knife and serve.

How Long to Cook Leg of Lamb

Here’s how long you should be cooking a semi-boneless leg of lamb at 325 degrees if you want it done rare, medium, or medium-well. If you want to avoid overcooking your lamb, start checking on your lamb using the meat thermometer at the earlier end of the time frames listed!

Leg of Lamb Weight	Doneness and Temperature
18–25 min/lb	Rare (125 degrees) or medium-rare (135 degrees)
25–30 min/lb	Medium (145 degrees)
30–35 min/lb	Medium-well (150 degrees) or well-done (160 degrees)

Leftovers and Storage

Leftover lamb is a gift, and the idea of making a just-the-right-size leg of lamb is such a shame. You want those leftovers. You need those leftovers.

And whether you just nibble at them over the next several days, or use them to make sandwiches, OR make a Shepherd’s pie or some Chorba or a pretty elegant little plate of crostini later in the week, you will be so happy you went for the bigger roast.

Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftover tzatziki will last for about two days in a container in the fridge; it will get a bit watery as it sits, so give it a stir before serving.

What to Serve With Mediterranean Leg of Lamb

Mediterranean Couscous, Swiss Chard, and Peppers

How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes

Spring Vegetable Salad

More Leg of Lamb Recipes

• Slow-Cooked Herbed Leg of Lamb with Fresh Herb and Arugula Salad
• Herbed Boneless Leg of Lamb with Mustard Crust
• Slow-Cooked Moroccan Leg of Lamb
• Lemon-Garlic Semi-Boneless Leg of Lamb