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Air Fryer Roast Lamb

There’s nothing quite like a beautifully roasted lamb joint, and now you can enjoy it without all the hassle, thanks to your air fryer. This recipe for air fryer roast lamb is a quick and easy way to perfectly roasted lamb that’s juicy and full of flavor. Season with fresh rosemary and thyme for a lamb roast worthy of any holiday feast.

Air fryer roast lamb sliced on a wooden board.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Cooking roast lamb in an air fryer is a great option when you are short on time. It is quick and easy, and because there are no messy roasting pans to deal with, it makes a great fuss-free roast for the weekend or for a holiday celebration.

Air frying is such a great way to roast meat. It gets that delicious crust to develop on the outside quickly so that the inside of the meat remains succulent and juicy. Also, it’s much quicker than oven roasting.

And as a bonus, because you don’t have the meat sitting right in the fat, absorbing it while it cooks, air fryer lamb is a healthier option for your family. The air fryer that I have* even claims to remove some of the saturated fat from food during cooking, making it even healthier!

For some more air fryer roast recipes, check out: air fryer rack of lamb, air fryer roast beef, or air fryer pork roast.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer roast lamb recipe, or read on for all the details!

What do you need?

Boneless lamb leg roast on a wooden board with oil, black pepper, rosemary and thyme.
Air fryer lamb roast seasoning – rosemary and thyme, black pepper, olive oil.

What cut of lamb to use

The recipe uses a butterflied leg of lamb, which you can ask your local butcher to prepare for you, or you can just cut it open yourself using a sharp knife.

If you can, buy a boneless leg roast, as this will make the process much easier as the bone has already been removed.

One of the great things about this recipe is that you can actually use any type of lamb roast. We usually have boneless leg of lamb, but lamb rump roast, and lamb loin roast are also great options.

As long as it is around 2 inches thick, the cook times in the recipe below should be right, though the exact cook time will also depend on how powerful your air fryer is (more on this below).

If your lamb roast is thicker or thinner than 2-inches, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Tip

If your lamb roast is thicker than 2 inches, then you can still use this recipe but the cooking times will be longer than in the recipe below, so use a meat thermometer to check progress during cooking.

Lamb rack is exceptional cooked in an air fryer, but the cook times are slightly different so check out my air fryer rack of lamb recipe for all the details.

Seasoning

Air fried roast lamb has a lovely rich flavor, which is really enhanced by the classic seasoning of rosemary and thyme. This recipe uses fresh rosemary and thyme, however, you can substitute dried herbs if that is what you have.

Feel free to substitute any other herbs or spices that you like with lamb, you can add a little garlic powder for some extra flavor, or use a pre-made seasoning mix like Moroccan or Greek spices.

Air fryer roast lamb on a white plate
Air fryer roast lamb

How to roast lamb in an air fryer

Step 1: Prepare lamb

First, preheat the air fryer to 360°F/ 180°C.

Then pat the lamb roast dry with paper towels before seasoning. This step is important because it helps the meat to start browning quickly.

Drizzle oil over the lamb, then add the salt, pepper, and herbs, and rub into the lamb.

If you are using fresh rosemary, pick the leaves off and chop them up quite finely before using them. You can also add some whole sprigs on top of the lamb for extra flavor.

Tip

For an easy way to season your lamb, mix all the herbs and salt together with the oil on a plate and roll the lamb in it.

Lamb roast seasoned with herbs and oil on a white plate.
Season the lamb roast with rosemary and thyme.

Step 2: Air fry lamb

Place lamb roast in the air fryer basket. Add some extra sprigs of rosemary if you like. Air fry lamb roast at 360°F/ 180°C for 15-20 minutes until cooked to your liking.

See the section below on how long to air fry lamb for more details and for other sized lamb roasts.

Uncooked roast lamb in air fryer basket.
Place lamb in the air fryer basket. You can add sprigs of rosemary for extra flavor.
Air fried roast lamb in air fryer basket
Air fry lamb roast for 15-20 minutes until it reaches 145°F/ 63°C in the center.

Step 3: Rest lamb.

Remove lamb from the air fryer to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

This allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat before you cut it, ensuring it stays moist.

How long to air fry lamb?

If you have a different sized lamb roast from the recipe below, you can work out how long to air fry it by using the following rule of thumb.

Air fry lamb for 20 minutes per lb for rare, then add two minutes per lb for each degree of doneness that you like.

The exact cooking times depend on a few factors including how powerful your air fryer is. The cook times in the recipe below are for my Philips XXL Airfryer. If you have another powerful brand of air fryer like the Nuwave or a Ninja Foodi then expect cook times to be similar.

The best way to tell whether your lamb roast is cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.

For roast lamb it should be 145°F / 63°C for medium, which is the minimum safe temperature for lamb according to the USDA.

Tip

Use an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature in the center of the thickest part of the meat for an accurate temperature reading.

Air fryer lamb roast on a wooden board with carving knife.
Air fryer lamb roast.

Serving roast lamb

I love to serve a classic roast with gravy, Dijon mustard, roasted potatoes, and fresh microwave steamed vegetables.

For a simple dressing, you can make an easy homemade 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!

Alternatively, for a quick and easy gravy, try this recipe for making brown gravy from stock cubes.

If you also want to cook side dishes in the air fryer, you can cook the lamb and vegetables in the air fryer at the same time (if your air fryer is big enough).

Potatoes with air fryer lamb roast.
Roast lamb and potatoes in air fryer basket

You just need to work out which takes longer to cook, and remember that the veges can cook on their own for ten minutes at the end while the lamb is resting.

Alternatively, you can precook the sides 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.

I often cook these air fryer roast potatoes when we have this lamb roast, here is my method:

  1. Prepare the potatoes and roast them in the air fryer for 15 minutes while I season the lamb.
  2. Remove the potatoes to a bowl and cover with foil while I roast lamb.
  3. Remove the lamb to rest for ten minutes, and return the potatoes to the air fryer to finish roasting.

Storing and reheating

Store any leftover lamb roast in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

You can reheat lamb roast in the air fryer, air fry for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.

Air fryer roast lamb sliced on a wooden board.

Air Fryer Roast Lamb

4.5 from 340 votes
How to roast lamb in an air fryer.
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 20 minutes
Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

  • 10 oz lamb leg roast boneless, butterflied
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary fresh or dried
  • 1 teaspoon thyme fresh or dried
  • ½ teaspoon 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 in air fryer basket, and air fry at 360°F/ 180°C for 15-20 minutes.
  • This should give you medium 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 you prefer it more well done.
  • Remove roast lamb from air fryer, cover with kitchen foil and leave to rest for five minutes before serving (this allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat).
  • Carve against the grain to serve.

Notes

  1. Medium-done should be 145°F / 63°C.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 18gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 56mg

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I’m Eliza, busy mom, home cook, and blogger. My goal is to help everyone cook good food. Whether you are short on time, skills, or motivation, there is something here for you! We have dozens of quick and easy recipes for dinner, lunch, side dishes, and more. Our recipes use everyday ingredients, for quick delicious meals your family will love! Read more…

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