Easter Sunday roast leg of lamb with roast potatoes, root veg, gravy and mint sauce
Succulent roast leg of lamb rubbed with garlic, rosemary and mustard, served with crispy roast potatoes, caramelised root veg, pan gravy and mint sauce.
This is the Easter roast everyone heads for first — a bone‑in leg of lamb flavoured with garlic, rosemary and mustard, roasted until the fat is crisp and the meat succulent. It’s showy but not fussy, and the mint sauce keeps it properly celebratory.
Make it the day before: the herb rub benefits from a long rest in the fridge. Roast the veg in the lamb’s juices for proper Sunday‑lunch comfort and finish with a quick pan gravy for extra smugness around the table.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 kg leg of lamb, bone-in
- 6 garlic cloves
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 100 ml olive oil
- 30 ml Dijon mustard
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 900 g potatoes — firm roasting variety, peeled and cut into even chunks
- 300 g carrots — peeled and halved lengthways if large
- 300 g parsnips — peeled and halved lengthways if large
- 2 red onion — cut into wedges
- 15 ml plain flour
- 300 ml lamb stock — or good-quality chicken stock
- 150 ml red wine — optional; omit for alcohol-free gravy
- 25 g butter
- 20 g fresh mint — leaves picked and finely chopped
- 50 ml white wine vinegar
- 30 ml caster sugar
Equipment
- roasting tin
- roasting rack
- meat thermometer
- sieve
- carving knife
Instructions
Make the herb‑garlic paste: finely chop the garlic cloves, strip the rosemary and thyme leaves and roughly chop. Zest the lemon. In a bowl combine garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, lemon, Dijon mustard, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper until a rough paste forms.
Prepare the lamb: pat the leg of lamb dry with kitchen paper. Using a small sharp knife score the fat in a diamond pattern and carefully loosen the fat layer or skin from the meat with the tip of the knife so you can push some paste underneath.
Rub the herb paste all over the lamb and push some under the loosened fat. Cover loosely and refrigerate uncovered to develop flavour — at least 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to roast, remove lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to come up towards room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional and position a rack in the top third.
Start the roast on a high heat: put the lamb on a roasting rack set in a roasting tin and roast at the preheated temperature for 20 minutes to help the fat crisp.
Toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and red onion with olive oil, a little sea salt and black pepper. Turn the oven down to 180°C fan/200°C conventional and arrange the veg in the roasting tin around the lamb. Continue to roast for the remainder of the calculated time for medium: 20 minutes per 500 g plus 20 minutes (for 2.2 kg leg the remaining time is about 88 minutes).
When the lamb is cooked, remove it to a warm plate or board, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes while you make the gravy.
Make the gravy from the roasting tin: pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat, place the tin on the hob over medium heat, add red wine to deglaze and scrape up the browned bits. Add lamb stock and simmer for a few minutes. Whisk in butter mixed with plain flour to thicken, season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and strain through a sieve into a warm jug.
Make the quick mint sauce: finely chop the fresh mint and mix with white wine vinegar, caster sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Leave for 10 minutes to macerate so the sugar dissolves.
Carve the rested leg of lamb into slices against the grain, arrange on a warmed platter with the roast potatoes and root veg, drizzle over pan gravy and serve the mint sauce on the side.
Tips
- Loosen the fat layer and push the herb paste underneath for flavour that reaches the meat rather than sitting on the surface.
- Bring the lamb up towards room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting; a cold joint cooks unevenly.
- Start the roast on a higher temperature for 20 minutes to encourage a crisp exterior, then reduce for even cooking.
- If the vegetables brown too quickly, turn them and/or move them lower in the oven; if they’re crowded, use a second tin.
- Make the gravy while the joint rests — resting both improves the lamb and gives you time to finish sauces.
Substitutions
leg of lamb, bone-in → boneless leg of lamb, 2 kg (reduce cooking time slightly — check internal temperature)
Stays closered wine → additional lamb stock or balsamic vinegar diluted with a little water (150 ml total)
Stays closepotatoes → sweet potatoes, 900 g (roast time similar but will be softer and sweeter)
Noticeably differentbutter → olive oil 25 ml for dairy-free gravy (slightly less glossy)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 680
- Calories
- 40 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I know when the lamb is cooked to the right doneness?
Use a meat thermometer: for medium‑rare aim for 55–57°C, medium 60–63°C. The temperature will rise a few degrees while the lamb rests.
Can I roast a larger or smaller joint with the same method?
Yes — adjust total roasting time to 20 minutes per 500 g plus 20 minutes for medium, after the initial 20‑minute high heat blast. Always check with a thermometer rather than time alone.
Can I prepare anything ahead?
Yes — make the herb rub and apply it to the lamb up to 24 hours ahead. You can also peel and cut the veg a day ahead and keep them in cold water in the fridge.
What if my roast is browning too quickly?
Turn the veg and/or tent the lamb loosely with foil to prevent further browning while the inside reaches temperature.
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