Rack of Lamb with Mint Yogurt Sauce

By Becky Hardin

Updated Mar 29, 2026

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I usually cook ham for Easter, but this year I’m feeling fancy, so lamb it is. I was initially intimidated when testing this rack of lamb recipe, but it was so simple to make. The mint yogurt sauce is the perfect complement to the savoriness of the herb-crusted lamb.

Easy Rack of Lamb Recipe

This rack of lamb, inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s recipe, has such a nice flavor. A delightful mixture of herbs gives it a simple yet wonderful taste, while the mint yogurt sauce is a perfect tangy complement to the savory lamb.

I know rack of lamb with mint yogurt sounds like something you’d get in an upscale restaurant, but it’s actually a quick and easy-to-prepare dish that I like to serve to celebrate the holidays. It’s a nice alternative to the traditional ham I usually serve on Easter.

Tips for Beginners

• Don’t skip taking the lamb out of the fridge. If the lamb does not come to room temperature, it will not cook properly.
• Fresh herbs are best. It may be tempting to use dried herbs, but for the best flavor, fresh is best.
• Greek yogurt is the way to go. Greek yogurt will give you a nice, thick sauce; regular plain yogurt is too runny.
• The official “safe” internal temperature for lamb (according to the USDA) is 140-145°F, which is medium/medium-well. However, I prefer to eat the rack of lamb a bit more rare than that. Lamb is one of those meats that is okay to serve on the rare side.
• It’s important to “French” the lamb. “Frenched” means that some of the meat and fat is trimmed off the ends (usually about two inches), exposing the rib bones. You can see in the photos how the meat is concentrated on one end, while the other is bare. You can find lamb like this at the store or butcher, so no need to trim it yourself, although you can, if you like.

Recipe Card

Rack of Lamb Recipe with Mint Yogurt Sauce

4.75 from 55 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Rest Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total: 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 ribs

Author: Becky Hardin

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This Rack of Lamb recipe is a beautiful holiday dish fit for a feast. Try it for Easter, Christmas, or any special occasion.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Lamb

• ▢ 2 lbs. rack of lamb Frenched (bone exposed) with fat cap removed (1 rack)
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil grapeseed or avocado also works
• ▢ 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
• ▢ ½ cup fresh basil leaves packed
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley flat leaf
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted (¼ stick)
• ▢ 1½ tbsp kosher salt
• ▢ 8 oz. Panko breadcrumbs (do not substitute regular breadcrumbs!)
• ▢ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the Mint Yogurt Sauce

• ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced (2 teaspoons)
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• ▢ 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper optional

Instructions 

**Remove the lamb from the fridge 1½ hours before cooking to ensure it is at room temperature before placing it in the oven. If the meat isn’t at room temperature before cooking, it won’t cook evenly.**

For the Rack of Lamb

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the rack of lamb on the prepared baking sheet and brush all sides of the lamb with oil and Dijon mustard. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until the basil crust/seasoning is ready.
  2 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 lbs. rack of lamb
• In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade, pulse the basil, parsley, thyme, garlic, butter, salt, bread crumbs and Parmesan until the ingredients are evenly processed, about 6-8 times. Season to taste, and add more salt, pepper and/or Parmesan cheese, if needed.
  ½ cup fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1½ tbsp kosher salt, 8 oz. Panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• With the lamb on the sheet pan, press the basil/parsley/thyme mixture onto both sides of the lamb meat.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F for 15-30 minutes before placing the lamb in the oven and set the oven rack to the middle position.
• Wrap the bones in aluminum foil and place the lamb with the bones curving up.
• Roast the lamb for 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare (125°F-130°F). For complete transparency, we prefer lamb cooked to medium to medium-well (135-145°F).
• Remove the lamb from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes and cut into individual ribs.

For the Mint Yogurt Sauce

• While the lamb is roasting, whisk all of the yogurt sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to use.
  1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• Serve with the finished rack of lamb.

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Food Processor

Becky’s Tips

Recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Basil-Crusted Rack of Lamb.

• Lamb Internal Temperature Guide
  • For rare lamb: 125-130°F
  • For medium-rare lamb: 130-140°F
  • For medium lamb: 140-150°F
  • For medium-well lamb: 150-160°F
  • For well-done lamb: 160-165°F

Serving: 1ribCalories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 21gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 2056mgPotassium: 321mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 552IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Rack of Lamb with Mint Yogurt Step by Step

Remove the lamb from the fridge: Take the meat out of the fridge about an hour and a half before you begin to prepare it.

Get a baking sheet ready and season the lamb: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and then spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 lbs. rack of lamb on the prepared baking sheet and brush all sides with 2 tbsp oil and 4 tbsp Dijon mustard, and then lightly season it with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until the basil crust/seasoning is ready.

Make the herb seasoning: Using the steel blade in a food processor, pulse ½ cup fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1½ tbsp kosher salt, 8 oz. Panko breadcrumbs, and ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese until evenly processed. This usually takes me between 6 and 8 pulses. Season to taste and add more salt, pepper, or cheese as needed.

Season the lamb: Press the herb seasoning onto both sides of the lamb meat.

Get the oven going: Preheat the oven to 450°F for 15-30 minutes before placing the lamb inside and set the oven rack to the middle position.

Wrap the rack of lamb: Wrap the bones in aluminum foil, with the bones curving up.

Cook the lamb: Roast the lamb for 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium-rare (125°F-130°F). I prefer lamb cooked to medium to medium-well (135-145°F).

Let the lamb rest: Take the lamb out of the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before cutting into individual ribs.

Make the yogurt sauce: While the lamb is roasting, whisk 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a 1 pinch of ground cayenne pepper together until smooth. Place the sauce in the fridge until ready to serve.

Serve and enjoy: Cut between the ribs in smooth, single strokes to separate the rack into chops, and serve with the yogurt sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Variations

You can easily change up this rack of lamb to suit your tastes. I often swap the herbs for whatever I have on hand, like sage, rosemary, or even mint. You can also use a less potent mustard for a lighter flavor if you prefer.

If I don’t have any Parmesan cheese on hand, I’ll use Asiago or Pecorino Romano. And while I think the mint yogurt sauce is the perfect pairing, you could also serve this rack of lamb with a sweet balsamic glaze, this versatile mustard cream sauce, or this flavorful chimichurri.

How to Store  

Store leftover rack of lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The mint yogurt sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat the lamb in a 325°F oven wrapped in aluminum foil for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

Freeze the rack of lamb in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. I do not recommend freezing the yogurt sauce.

Serving Suggestions

This rack of lamb with mint yogurt sauce is absolutely a special occasion kind of dish. Sure, you can serve it any time you like, but it’s so beautiful, so elegant, that it really deserves to be saved for Easter dinner.

I served mine with glazed carrots, but it’s also delicious with garlic mashed cauliflower and a side of green beans amandine. For a fun and festive dessert, I love serving this decadent banana pudding cheesecake.

More Easter Recipes To Try

• Lemon Meringue Pie is a show stopping dessert full of fresh and vibrant flavors.
• Loaded Scalloped Potatoes are layered with lots of cheese and bacon, and cooked slathered in a creamy cheesy sauce.
• Deviled Eggs: the perfect appetizer for any occasion.

more roasted recipes

Roasted Pork Loin

Roasted Turkey Breast

Roasted Baby Potatoes

Roasted Honeynut Squash