Incredibly juicy tender lamb roast is ready in minutes with this recipe for air fryer roast lamb. Simply season with fresh rosemary and thyme, and air fry to tender, pink perfection for the easiest most succulent lamb roast ever!
My secret to fuss-free roast lamb (air fry it!)
I’ve been cooking this lamb roast recipe in my air fryer for years now, and it’s a dish I find myself coming back to time and time again. Why? Because it’s just so incredibly easy to prepare, and quick to cook too!
With a simple rub of herbs and oil, the lamb is ready to go into the air fryer, where it cooks to perfection in a fraction of the time it would take in a traditional oven.
Simple ingredients
Lamb roast
I used a boneless leg of lamb to make this recipe. However, you can use any other small lamb joint like lamb rump roast, or lamb loin roast.
Seasoning
This recipe uses fresh rosemary and thyme, along with a little salt and pepper. You can substitute dried herbs if needed.
If you prefer, you can use any other herbs or spices you like with lamb. Try adding a little garlic powder for extra flavor, or use a pre-made seasoning mix like Moroccan or Greek spices.
Oil
I use light olive oil for this recipe, but you can use any cooking oil that you would usually use in your air fryer. Vegetable oil or avocado oil are good choices.
Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking.
Let’s cook this roast lamb in the air fryer!
1
Prepare lamb roast.
Pat the lamb roast dry with paper towels, drizzle oil over the lamb, add salt, pepper, and herbs, and rub into the lamb.
Note: If you are using fresh rosemary, pick the leaves off and chop them up quite finely before using them.
For an easy way to season your lamb, mix the herbs, salt, and pepper together with the oil on a plate and roll the lamb in it.
2
Pop it in the air fryer.
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F / 180°C. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, just set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes. Place the lamb roast in the air fryer basket. Add some extra sprigs of rosemary, or bashed garlic cloves if you like.
3
Air fry lamb roast.
Cook the lamb in the air fryer at 360°F / 180°C for 20 minutes or until done to your liking. See the section below on how long to air fry lamb for more details on cooking times.
4
Rest.
When the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove it from the air fryer, cover with foil, and leave to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb.
How long to roast lamb in the air fryer
Cooking times will vary according to the size of the lamb joint you are cooking and how powerful your air fryer is.
My rule of thumb to estimate cook times is: 10 minutes per pound / 450g for rare, then add five minutes for each degree of doneness that you like. Use this as a starting point, and monitor the internal temperature of the lamb when it is close to the end of the cooking time until it is cooked to your liking.
Note: the USDA states that roast lamb should be cooked to a minimum of 145°F / 63°C – medium-rare.
Estimated roast lamb air fryer cooking times
| Size | Medium-rare | Medium | Well done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal temp. | 145°F / 63°C | 154°F / 68°C | 162°F / 72°C |
| 2-2.4lb / 900g-1kg | 25 mins | 30 mins | 35 mins |
| 2.5-2.7lb / 1.1-1.2kg | 30 mins | 35 mins | 40 mins |
| 2.8-3.3lb / 1.3-1.5kg | 35 mins | 40 mins | 45 mins |
| 3.4-4lb / 1.5-1.8kg | 40 mins | 45 mins | 50 mins |
Remember that the temperature of the meat will continue to rise a few degrees while it rests.
These cook times were tested with my Philips XXL Airfryer. If you have another powerful brand of air fryer like the Nuwave or a Ninja Foodi then expect times to be similar.
Serving ideas to make it a meal
It’s hard to beat a traditional roast lamb dinner with crispy roasted potatoes, fresh vegetables like carrots and peas, and rich brown gravy spooned over the top. But roasted lamb is also delicious served with salad, or in wraps or pita bread drizzled with garlic yogurt (or try tzatziki for a Greek-inspired flavor).
Here are some tasty side dishes that go well with this recipe:
For a simple dressing, you can make an easy homemade British-style mint sauce by mixing finely chopped fresh mint leaves with a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of vinegar (adjusting both to taste). It looks a little rustic, but tastes fantastic!
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover lamb roast in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within three days.
You can reheat lamb roast in the air fryer: air fry for 3-4 minutes at 360°F / 180°C until heated through.
Air Fryer Roast Lamb
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb / 1 kg lamb roast (boneless)
- 1 tablespoon / 15 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon / 2 g rosemary (fresh or dried)
- 1 teaspoon / 2 g thyme (fresh or dried)
- ½ teaspoon / 3 g fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon / 1 g black pepper
Directions
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F/ 180°C.
- Mix olive oil with rosemary and thyme on a plate.
- Pat lamb roast dry and place into the herb oil mixture, turning it to ensure it is well coated.
- Place lamb roast in air fryer basket, and air fry at 360°F/ 180°C for 25-30 minutes.
- This should give you medium-rare lamb. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure that it is cooked to your liking [Note 1]. Cook for additional 3-minute intervals if required.
- Remove the lamb, cover with kitchen foil, and leave to rest for at least five minutes before serving.
- Carve against the grain to serve.
Notes
- Medium-rare: 145°F / 63°C
- Medium: 154°F / 68°C
- Well-done: 162°F / 72°C
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Recommended equipment
Also want to air fry a side dish?
If you also want to cook side dishes in the air fryer, you can pre-cook them for part of the cooking time before the lamb, then put them back in the air fryer to finish cooking for 10 minutes while the lamb is resting.
Annette C.
Monday 12th of February 2024
This came out really delicious! I'm only cooking roast lamb like this from now on! 😍