Sumac Roasted Lamb with Simple Salad

All you need is 2 ingredients to spice up this sumac roasted lamb: sumac, and garlic powder. For REAL! And it is such an impressive dinner table centerpiece!

You'll want to try this and then make it over, and over again! This 3-ingredient roast is sure to impress your dinner party guests, and the leftovers are just as delicious as the fresh roast! Cut up the leftovers into bite-size chunks and serve with hummus and pita.

How do you know the lamb is cooked perfectly medium rare?

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Use a meat thermometer and take the lamb out of the oven at 135F. It should reach 145F before serving as it rests. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before cutting into it and serving. You do not need to tent the lamb, but you can if you would like. Then, cut the rack between every other rib bone to serve. Stack the pieces upright, using the bones to hold each other up for a showstopper presentation. See photo for inspiration.

All meat thermometers break quickly and end up in the back of a junk drawer. I have had this meat thermometer for 5 years now, use it at least once a week, and just love it. Highly recommend.

What is sumac?

I grew up putting sumac on my rice…a lot of it…and have now graduated to using it in new and interesting ways. Sumac is a spice made from drying and powdering flowers on a plant found in subtropical Middle Eastern and South Asian countries.

Step by step roast rack of lamb recipe

Trim the fat on the lamb so there is only ~⅛" of fat. We want to keep some fat because we aren't using any oil. Mix the sumac and garlic powder in a bowl.

Liberally season the two racks of lamb on all sides with the seasoning.

Lay the two racks fat side up on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake another 10 minutes. 

Why sumac roasted lamb?

To try something new, I made this sumac roasted lamb instead of our regular garlic & herb roasted lamb for dinner. It was so delicious, we started making it more and more often. Sumac has a tangy, lemony flavor that is special and different than other spices. Pairing the sumac with the garlic and lamb is magical, and I am not sure why I didn't think of this sooner! It's officially on the top requested dinner recipes when my sister comes over for dinner.

To keep this dinner light, I paired it with a salad. But you can also pair with basmati rice or roasted root vegetables. Either pairing, it's sure to please meat lovers and health nuts, alike!

Looking for more lamb recipes? Check them out here!

This post was originally published in March of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and a video August of 2019.