9 Easter Lamb Recipes That Will Steal the Show at Your Holiday Table

One of the best parts about Easter is, arguably, the big piece of lamb—impressive, succulent, and delicious—at the center of the table. Lamb can be gamey and dry, especially when it's poorly prepared. Made thoughtfully, however, lamb can be a delicious, tender, and mild cut of meat with just the right amount of gaminess. Below, you'll find our nine favorite lamb recipes for the Easter table, including an impressive crown roast of lamb and a slow-roasted leg of lamb rubbed with fragrant rosemary and garlic. (Need some help picking the best lamb for your celebration? Check out our guide to buying and cooking lamb.)

Pan-Roasted Rack of Lamb

With nothing more than a pan and some butter, garlic, and herbs, you can make an astoundingly delicious rack of lamb. An optional dry-brining step seasons the meat and dries the exterior for better browning, and basting the racks with hot fat helps it cook evenly.

Qidreh (Palestinian Bone-In Lamb With Spiced Rice)

Brimming with tender bone-in lamb and fragrant rice, qidreh is the hallmark dish of the Palestinian city of Hebron. Serve it with a side of plain yogurt and a chopped salad, which provide lightness and complement the dish's rich and earthy flavor.

Crown Roast of Lamb With Couscous Stuffing and Pistachio-Mint Sauce

Set on a bed of fluffy couscous and served with a pistachio-mint sauce, this crown roast of lamb is a show-stopping centerpiece fit for a holiday meal. Cook the lamb low-and-slow, then bump up the heat to give it a beautiful brown crust.

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb With Rosemary, Garlic, and Mustard Crust

Rub your lamb with a fragrant mixture of garlic, mustard, olive oil, white wine, rosemary, lemon juice, and salt, then let it marinate for 12 hours. When you're ready to serve, all that's left to do is throw it on the grill.

Tender Braised Lamb Shanks With Bitter Herb Salad

A fragrant spice blend and a long, slow braise produce flavorful lamb shanks that practically melt off the bone. Here, anchovies give the dish a savory boost, and a mixture of spices—coriander seeds, fennel seeds, ground cumin, and smoked paprika—bring complexity and depth.

Roasted Spiced Lamb Ribs With Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

These lamb ribs are rubbed with a punchy mix of smoked paprika, fennel seed, chile flakes, and cumin, then slow-roasted until they're tender and juicy. Served with a whole grain mustard sauce, they're a meaty, satisfying main dish worth making for your holiday table.

Slow-Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb With Garlic, Rosemary, and Lemon

Leg of lamb makes for a wonderful Easter roast. We especially like a boneless cut, which is easy to season inside and out and cooks more evenly than a bone-in leg. Rub the lamb with an aromatic mixture of garlic, shallots, rosemary, and lemon zest, then roast it until it has a crisp brown crust and a rosy medium-rare center.

Sichuan Roast Leg of Lamb With Celery-Mint Salad

Bring some heat to your Easter table with this Sichuan-inspired lamb dish. Seasoned with ground Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, dried red chiles, fennel seed, and star anise, each bite is satisfyingly hot and numbing—and will keep you coming back for more.

Braised Lamb Shoulder With Dried Chilies and Dates

Stressed about cooking for a crowd? This set-it-and-forget-it dish is as easy as it gets—and lets the oven do the hard work for you. A Dutch oven heats the meat evenly from all sides, allowing it to brown while becoming tender, and sweet dates balance the acidity of the tomatillos and the heat from the chiles.