Main Course📍 All of RomaniaMedium🌾 Gluten-free🥛 Dairy-free🥩 Low-carb / Keto💪 High-protein🥦 Clean eating🫒 Mediterranean

Romanian Roast Lamb

Name: Romanian Roast Lamb
Prep time: 12 h 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 1 leg of lamb (approx. 1.5–2 kg) or 1 whole rack of lamb; 6–8 garlic cloves (4 for the marinade, the rest for cuts in the meat); 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 150 ml dry white wine or dry red wine; 1 lemon — zest and juice; 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary); 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme); 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika; 1 tsp coarse salt; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 600 g new potatoes or potatoes cut into large cubes; 2 carrots, cut into large pieces; 1 large onion, cut into quarters; 1 red pepper, cut into strips; 100 ml lamb or vegetable stock (for the roasting pan)

Romanian roast lamb is the symbol dish of the Romanian Easter table — a leg or rack of lamb marinated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, and white wine, slow-roasted until incredibly tender and juicy, with a golden fragrant crust. It is the dish around which families gather at Easter and which can be enjoyed with simple sides or with vegetables roasted in the same pan. Cooked with patience and quality ingredients, roast lamb is irresistible.

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Servings

⏱️

Prep

20 min (+ 4–12 h marinare)

🔥

Cook

1 h 30 min

⏰

Total

2 h (+ marinare)

🥘Ingredients

servings

Main ingredients

Vegetables for roasting (optional, in the same pan)

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

🌾Gluten-free🥛Dairy-free🥩Low-carb / Keto💪High-protein🥦Clean eating🫒Mediterranean

🍽️

Yield

6 servings

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Up to 3 days in a covered container in the fridge; reheat covered with foil at 160 °C with a little sauce or wine

🧊

Freezer

Up to 3 months — freeze portions with a little sauce to prevent drying out

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per serving (approx. 200 g cooked lamb, without side dish)

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Calories

420 kcal

🥩

Protein

38 g

🧈

Fat

28 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

2 g

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Fiber

0 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Fresh garlic sauce (mujdei)

🥂Spring salad (lettuce, radishes, spring onion)

🥂Oven-roasted new potatoes or mashed potatoes

🥂Lamb haggis/drob (as appetiser)

🥂Dry red wine (Fetească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon)

💡Variations

Roast lamb with Mediterranean vegetables: Add aubergine, courgettes, and cherry tomatoes to the vegetable pan for a Mediterranean flavour profile.

Lamb in tomato and garlic sauce (braised version): Place the lamb in a casserole, cover with passata, 10 garlic cloves, and herbs, cover and cook at 160 °C for 2.5–3 hours — the meat will fall off the bone.

Grilled lamb chops: Marinate lamb chops for 2 hours, grill on a preheated grill for 3–4 minutes per side for medium — perfect for outdoor meals.

🎪Events Celebrating This Dish

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Easter Fair – Baia Mare