This oven roasted lamb breast recipe is wonderfully seasoned and cooked to perfection. You will love the mouthwateringly tender lamb riblets with the smoky lamb rub - it has the best flavor! Prepped in less than 10 minutes - super EASY!
You'll Love This Lamb Breast Recipe
"This is a foolproof recipe that results in very tender and tasty lamb EVERY TIME. With just a few simple steps, you'll be on your way to the perfect roasted breast of lamb!"
Mouthwatering. Lamb breast is one of the most flavorful cuts of the lamb. Roasting the dry-rubbed lamb over several hours results in mouthwateringly tender and flavorful meat!
Easy. This is an easy recipe! Dry rub the lamb and wrap it in foil, and let it marinate. Roast it in the oven, wrap it in foil, and cook until it's tender. Unwrap it, and voila - tender lamb! p.s. I like to broil the top of meat to give it a bit of color too!
Healthy. This recipe gluten-free, low carb, keto, paleo, dairy-free, and sugar-free.
Breast of Lamb Ingredients
- Lamb Rub - use my recipe or use a favorite store-bought rub. My recipe can be made well in advance. Make extra and store for later use! The lamb rub has smoky paprika, rosemary, marjoram, cumin, ground black pepper, salt, parsley, and dried lemon peel.
- Lamb Breast - did you know that it is actually a fatty "riblet" or sparerib, not a meaty breast like chicken or turkey? My 4 pound breast came as two 2 pound breasts which worked out well. I wrapped them in separate pieces of foil.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions!
Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later! 😉
Substitutions and Variations
- Use my lamb rub OR use a favorite dry rub from the store.
- Custome the spices to your tastes preference.
- Make it a spicy rub by adding red pepper flakes.
- Instead of finishing the breast under the broiler you can use an air fryer (425-degrees F) or a grill to do this. Do what is easiest for you!
How To Cook Lamb Breast
Prep
Make the lamb rub recipe and gather all your ingredients and equipment.
Tear off sheets of aluminum foil that extend past the lamb about 4 to 6 inches. Hint: if your foil is thin use two sheets to prevent spills and leakage.
Spray one side of the foil with nonstick spray.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Season
Lay the meat on the foil and generously sprinkle with lamb rub on all sides.
Wrap In Foil
Turn the lamb fat side up and wrap the foil tightly around the meat and place on a baking sheet - seam side up.
Roast
Roast the lamb on the middle rack of your oven for about 2 1/2 hours or until very tender.
Finish
Turn the oven to broil.
Remove the breast of lamb from the fats and juices and transfer to a separate baking sheet. Place under the broiler and let the breast get a nice brown color and a crispier top - watch it carefully as it can burn easily.
Remove from the oven, tent with foil until ready to serve.
Tip! You can also do this step on a grill for a wonderful smoky flavor!
How To Serve Breast of Lamb
- Adjust seasoning if needed. Slice between the ribs and serve.
- Garnish with fresh parsley to add some color and freshness, or try it with a side of Mint Chimichurri.
- Goes well with roasted vegetables like potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, etc.
- Easy meal idea: Serve over mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower with a side of air fryer green beans or air fryer brussel sprouts (try this frozen brussel sprout version).
- Balance the richness of lamb with a fresh side salad and a favorite salad dressing like Blue Cheese, Creamy Dill, Thousand Island, or French.
Top Tips
- Make the rub in advance - up to 6 months in advance! LOL 🙂
- Wrap the foil tighly around the meat to prevent loss of juices.
- To save time you do not need to broil the breasts at the end.
FAQs
To store leftovers, let the meat cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. See reheating and freezing instructions below.
You can freeze the leftover breast. Let the meat cool then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Oven: Wrap in foil and reheat at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Microwave: Microwave on a low setting for 30 seconds at a time, continuing at 15-second intervals after that, until meat is warmed through.
Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 300 degrees F., wrap the meat breast in foil, and place in the basket. Air fry until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Lamb breast actually comes from the underbelly of the animal. It is one of the fattiest cuts of the lamb and can also be tough - but it is also one of the most flavorful cuts.
Because it can be tough and fatty, it is best to cook the meat for longer periods of time so the fats are rendered and released and the meat is tender.
The breast of lamb has riblets (also called spareribs) and comes from the underbelly of the animal, whereas lamb ribs come from the side of the animal.
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📖 The recipe.
Roasted Lamb Breast
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
Ingredients
Lamb Breast
- ½ cup lamb rub (make your own or use a premade rub from the store)
- 4 pounds lamb breast (my lamb came in two 2 pound breasts)
- optional for serving: mint chimichurri
Lamb Rub
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoon dried lemon peel (1 teaspoon fresh lemon peel may be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground yellow mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon optional: dried crushed mint
Instructions
Prep
- Mix the lamb rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer any unused rub to an airtight container for later use.
- Tear off sheets of aluminum foil that extend past the lamb breast about 4 to 6 inches. Hint: if your foil is thin use two sheets to prevent spills and leakage.
- Spray one side of the foil with nonstick spray.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rub
- Lay the meat on the foil and generously sprinkle with lamb rub on all sides.
- Turn the fat side up and wrap the foil tightly around the lamb and place on a baking sheet - seam side up. Tip: If you have 2 breasts, wrap them separately.
Roast
- Roast the lamb on the middle rack of your oven for about 2½ hours or until very tender.
Broil
- Turn the oven to broil.
- Remove the breast of lamb from the fats and juices and transfer to a separate baking sheet.
- Place under the broiler and let the breast get a nice brown color and a crispier top - watch it carefully as it can burn easily.
- Remove from the oven, tent with foil until ready to serve.
Serve
- Adjust seasoning if needed. Slice between each rib and serve.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Use any favorite dry rub.
- TOP TIPS: When you go to brown the lamb under the broiler transfer it to a new baking sheet - do not broil with the fatty juices.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve over mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower with a side of roasted vegetables or steamed green beans. A fresh green salad is a nice balance to the richness of the lamb. Garnish with fresh parsley or serve with a side of Mint Chimichurri.
Nutrition
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
Kelly Huff
Thanks for the recipe! I used your spice rub and the smell was just like a halal store I go to when I'm in the city;it smelled wonderful. And they came out really good,tender and flavorful.
seekinggoodeats
Wonderful! Thank you so much! I'm super happy you loved this recipe it's one of my favorite ways to make lamb! I'm working on a crock pot version as well! 🙂
mimi
no quantities -for the rub
seekinggoodeats
Hello, yes it's all in the recipe card. I mention using 1 recipe of my lamb rub or use 1/2 cup of your favorite rub. That's for 2 (2-pound) lamb breasts, so if you are making less adjust accordingly. Hope you enjoy! 🙂