Incredibly quick yet flavor-packed air fryer lamb steaks are your new easy dinner savior! Tender and succulent on the inside, and air fried to caramelized perfection on the outside.
Why you’ll love air fryer lamb steaks
- Easy prep – just season lamb steaks before air frying.
- Incredibly quick (cook time is around 5 minutes!).
- Caramelized exterior with tender, succulent meat within.
Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer lamb steak recipe, or read on for all the details.
What do you need?
Lamb steaks
You can use lamb leg steaks or ump steaks for this recipe.
Oil
Use a quality cooking oil with a high smoke-point and a neutral flavor, like olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking.
Seasoning
This recipe uses a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. However, you can use another seasoning if you prefer. Try adding:
- Fresh rosemary and thyme
- Indian spices like cumin, garam masala, ground coriander, curry powder
- A Moroccan spice mix, try cumin, paprika, cinnamon and ginger
How to cook lamb steaks in the air fryer
1
Preheat.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F. This is important because the cooking time for this recipe is very short, so the air fryer needs to be hot when the steaks go in.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, just set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes.
2
Prepare.
Pat the steaks dry and rub with a little oil. Mix seasonings together on a plate, then press each side of the lamb steaks into the seasoning to coat well.
3
Pop them in the air fryer basket.
Place the lamb steak in the air fryer basket. If you are cooking more than one, ensure they are not touching.
4
Air fry.
Air fry lamb steaks for 5-10 minutes until at least at least 63°C/ 145°F in the center, or cooked to your liking. See below for more on cooking times.
5
Rest.
Remove lamb steaks from the air fryer, cover with foil and allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
How long to air fry lamb steaks
The exact cooking times will depend on a few factors, but as a general rule, medium-sized lamb steaks around 2-2.5 cm / 1-inch thick will take around 5 minutes to cook to medium-rare. If you prefer them more well done, add 2 additional minutes of cooking time for each degree of doneness that you like.
Monitor the internal temperature of the lamb closely with an instant-read thermometer towards the end of the cooking time. It is easy to add a few extra minutes cooking time if needed, but you can’t go back if it becomes over-cooked!
Remember that the temperature of the meat will continue to rise a few degrees while it rests.
Estimated cooking times for lamb steaks in the air fryer
| Doneness | Internal temp. | Approx. cook time |
|---|---|---|
| Medium-rare* | 63°C/ 145°F | 5 minutes |
| Medium | 68°C/ 154°F | 7 minutes |
| Well-done | 72°C/ 162°F | 9 minutes |
| *recommended |
Note: the USDA states that lamb should be cooked to a minimum of 63°C/ 145°F, which is medium-rare.
Make it a meal with these serving ideas!
- Serve with roasted vegetables and a classic mint sauce or brown gravy.
- Serve lamb steaks with a chimichurri sauce made with parsley, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar for a zesty and herbaceous flavor.
- Slice lamb steaks and serve on a Greek salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, and a lemon and olive oil dressing.
- Slice and serve with a couscous salad made with roasted vegetables, herbs, and a lemon and olive oil dressing.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover lamb steaks in an air-tight container in the fridge, and use within 3 days.
You can reheat leftover lamb steak in the air fryer. Heat at 400°F/ 200°C for 3-4 minutes until heated through to 74°C/ 165 °F.
Air Fryer Lamb Steaks
Ingredients
- 2 lamb steaks (approx 5oz each)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Drizzle of light olive oil
Directions
- Remove lamb steak from the refrigerator an hour before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature before cooking.
- Preheat air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F.
- Pat lamb steaks dry, then rub or spray with a little olive oil.
- Mix salt and ground pepper on a plate, then press both sides of steak into the salt/pepper mix.
- Place lamb steaks in air fryer basket, ensuring they are not touching.
- Air fry lamb steaks for 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking – use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. See recipe notes for more estimated cooking times.
- Remove lamb steaks from the air fryer, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
|
Doneness
|
Internal temp.
|
Approx. cook time
|
|---|---|---|
|
Med-rare*
|
63°C/ 145°F
|
5 mins
|
|
Medium
|
68°C/ 154°F
|
7 mins
|
|
Well-done
|
72°C/ 162°F
|
9 mins
|
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
