Rack of Lamb with Mushroom Sauce

Roasted rack of lamb is an elegant dish with tender bone-in juicy meat. This recipe is paired with a red wine Zinfandel mushroom sauce for a gourmet dinner at home!

This post is sponsored by Terra d’Oro Winery. All opinions are my own.

When this delicious rack of lamb recipe hits the dinner table, eyes will grow wide, and mouths will water. I’ll show you how to make this beautiful juicy roast in under an hour with a few simple cooking techniques. Are you ready to impress your guests or that special someone?

When cooking lamb, I like to make a sauce to complement the meat. This sauce is made with savory mushrooms simmered in red wine. Grab a wine glass while you’re at it, and give yourself a generous pour- let’s get started!

“Loved it! Thank you!”—Michele H.

Recipe ingredients

• Lamb: This recipe uses Frenched racks of lamb. Muscle and fat are trimmed to expose parts of the rib bone. I use New Zealand-sourced meat. Look for a 2-pound rack with about an inch of fat above the main eye of the meat.
• Olive: Use fruity olive oil with a high smoke point for searing and making the mushroom sauce.
• Seasoning: Sprinkle salt and pepper on the lamb’s surface to enhance the meat’s savory taste.
• Alliums: Minced yellow onions and garlic add an earthy aroma, boosting the taste of the red wine mushroom sauce.
• Mushrooms: Use sliced brown mushrooms for a more robust umami taste from the fungi.
• Wine: I selected a Terra d’Oro 2015 Zinfandel red wine grown at the Deaver Vineyard in Amador County. The wine’s toasty butterscotch and sweet caramel character enhance the sauce’s taste.
• Stock: Unsalted chicken stock or broth adds dimension and a savory taste to the sauce.
• Butter: The solidified fat and milk solids help to lightly thicken the wine sauce.
• Herbs: Freshly chopped thyme adds herbaceous notes. It’s a heartier herb, which pairs well with the rich lamb.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

How to cook a rack of lamb

Step 1: The lamb will gently finish cooking in the oven. Set the rack to the center position and preheat to 350°F (177ºC).

Prepare and season

Step 2: The Frenched rack of lamb will have a layer of fat on the meat, called a fat cap. Trim it down if it’s more than ½ inch thick. Fat adds flavor and moistens the meat, so don’t remove it all. Dry the surface with paper towels so it sears and browns quickly in the hot pan—season both sides of the rack with salt and black pepper.

Sear the surface of the meat

Step 3: A brief sear on the stovetop in hot olive oil encourages flavor and color development through Maillard browning. The high heat helps the fat on the lamb render and flavor the rest of the roast.

When seared over medium-high heat, the crust will form in about 3 to 4 minutes per side and less than a minute on the bottom and sides. The lamb meat will finish cooking in the oven so that moisture is retained.

Roast the lamb

Step 4: Place the pan with the lamb directly in the oven if using a heatproof skillet. Alternatively, transfer the meat to a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until the desired doneness is reached. Depending on the size, roasting will take 15 to 30 minutes.

Using a meat thermometer, target an internal temperature of 120 to 125°F for medium-rare and 130 to 135°F for medium. Due to carryover cooking, the temperature will increase about 5 degrees after resting.

Rest the meat

Step 5: After the lamb finishes cooking in the oven, the gorgeous roast is ready to carve, but hold on a second! Resting the lamb chops at room temperature before slicing will help retain the moisture inside that you worked so diligently to preserve.

At least 10 minutes is the optimal time for resting to allow the water squeezed out of the muscle fibers during cooking to reabsorb. Golden crust with juicy, tender meat is just how lamb should be.

Saute the mushrooms

Step 6: As the lamb cooks, there’s time to prepare a delicious sauce for this meal. The good news is that it requires opening a bottle of wine if you haven’t done so already.

The first step is to saute the onions and garlic to mellow out the raw sulfurous notes. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and cook until most moisture is released and the vegetables are softened.

Make the wine sauce

Step 7: Add the Zinfandel wine and chicken stock to the sauteed mushrooms. The wine’s deep garnet red color, with clove, allspice, and cracked white pepper aromas, elevates the mushrooms’ flavors and intensity.

As the sauce reduces, the Zinfandel’s flavor becomes even more concentrated. It’s divine! Whisk in the cool butter and chopped thyme to finish.

Serve the rack of lamb

Step 8: Once the meat has rested, carefully cut the lamb rack between the ribs, yielding one to two bones per piece. Serve alongside the hearty red wine mushroom sauce and your favorite side dish.

Flavor variations

Now that you know how to cook a rack of lamb, there are numerous ways to customize the dish. Try these delicious options:

• Lamb: Instead of a rack of lamb, select lamb chops. They cook quickly and only need a brief sear on the stovetop.
• Mushrooms: Different types of mushrooms can be used for the sauce, like white button, porcini, bella, or portobello.
• Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon is a good substitute for red Zinfandel wine. For a lighter taste, use Merlot or Pinot Noir.
• Herbs: Robust herbs like fresh rosemary, tarragon, or oregano pair well with the lamb. Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme.

Serving suggestions

• Mashed potatoes
• Potatoes au gratin
• Roasted green beans
• Roasted brussels sprouts
• Risotto

Frequently asked questions