One pan. That is all you need. Two racks of lamb, a handful of tomatoes, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper go onto a single sheet pan and into a hot oven for half an hour. No babysitting, no flipping. You pull it out, rest the lamb for ten minutes, and carve between the bones. The tomatoes roast in the lamb drippings and become your built-in side dish.
If you have been overthinking your Easter centerpiece, stop. A rack of lamb looks and tastes like a project, but the cooking itself is almost passive. Get the best lamb you can find, season it simply, and let 425F do what it does. Medium-rare at 57C (135F) internal, ten-minute rest, then straight to the table.
How to Make Roasted Rack of Lamb with Heirloom Tomatoes
Season and Set Up the Pan
Preheat your oven to 220C (425F). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. 
Rub 2 whole peeled garlic cloves all over both 900g (2 lb) lamb racks. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and press 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary into the surface. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper.
Roast Everything Together
Toss 3 containers of plum or heirloom tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary, salt, and pepper. Scatter them around the lamb on the sheet pan.
Roast for about 30 minutes until a thermometer reads 57C (135F) at the thickest part for medium-rare. Pull the pan and let the lamb rest 10 minutes on a cutting board.
Carve and Serve
Transfer the roasted tomatoes to a serving platter and arrange them around the edges. Cut the lamb between the bones into individual chops and pile them in the center.
How to Make Roasted Rack of Lamb with Heirloom Tomatoes
Season and Set Up the Pan
Preheat your oven to 220C (425F). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Rub 2 whole peeled garlic cloves all over both 900g (2 lb) lamb racks. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and press 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary into the surface. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper.
Roast Everything Together
Toss 3 containers of plum or heirloom tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary, salt, and pepper. Scatter them around the lamb on the sheet pan.
Roast for about 30 minutes until a thermometer reads 57C (135F) at the thickest part for medium-rare. Pull the pan and let the lamb rest 10 minutes on a cutting board.
Carve and Serve
Transfer the roasted tomatoes to a serving platter and arrange them around the edges. Cut the lamb between the bones into individual chops and pile them in the center.
Roast Lamb Racks with Heirloom Tomatoes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
A deceptively simple lamb recipe that allows the inherent tastiness of the ingredients shine.
Ingredients
- 2, 2-lb lamb racks, Frenched (your butcher can do this for you)
- 4-5 teaspoons of good olive oil, divided
- 3 12-ounce containers of plum or heirloom tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cover a large rimmed baking sheet (large enough to contain both racks of lamb with some space to spare) in foil.
- Rub garlic cloves (if using) all over lamb and place into roasting pan
- Rub lamb with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with half of the rosemary, then salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet.
- Mix together 2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary and tomatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat; scatter around lamb.
- Roast lamb and tomatoes until thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes.
- While lamb is resting, transfer tomatoes to a large serving platter and place tomatoes around the edges.
- Cut lamb between bones into individual chops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Frenched mean for a rack of lamb?
Frenching is when the meat and fat are trimmed away from the ends of the rib bones, leaving them clean and exposed. Ask your butcher to do this; it takes them about two minutes and saves you a messy job at home.
Can I use regular tomatoes instead of heirloom?
Any ripe tomato works. Cherry tomatoes are a good substitute because they roast quickly and burst in the oven. Larger tomatoes should be halved or quartered so they cook in the same 30-minute window as the lamb.
How do I know when rack of lamb is done without a thermometer?
You really should use one. Lamb goes from perfectly pink to overcooked fast. But if you are stuck, press the thickest part with your finger: medium-rare feels like the fleshy pad below your thumb when you touch your index finger to your thumb.
