Easy Easter Greek Lamb Roast
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 29
Revised 2025 (original 27/3/18)
This Easy Greek Lamb Roast "Kleftiko" is a melt-in-your-mouth, slow-cooked lamb recipe with just 10 minutes of preparation. Infused with garlic, lemon, and traditional herbs, it’s a simple, foolproof way to create tender, flavour-packed lamb every time.
There’s something about a slow-cooked lamb that instantly feels like a celebration. This is the kind of recipe you put in the oven and let it quietly do its thing while everything else comes together around you. No stress, no overthinking, just simple ingredients, cooked properly.
This kleftiko-style lamb is all about keeping things as they should be. Garlic, lemon, oregano, and time. Wrapped and cooked slowly, the lamb becomes incredibly tender, soaking up every bit of flavour until it quite literally falls apart. It’s the kind of dish that brings people to the table without needing to say much.
Serve it with my Rosemary & Garlic Potatoes and Tzatziki dip, and you’ve got something that feels both effortless and special, exactly what Easter cooking should be.
A little history about "Kleftiko" Greek Lamb Roast:
Greek Easter and lamb go hand in hand and it’s simply not Easter without it. While the way it’s cooked can vary from region to region, the foundations never change: salt, garlic, herbs, and plenty of lemon.
Traditionally, lamb was cooked on the spit for hours, slowly turning over coals. It was a ritual as much as a meal and something that brought everyone together. But these days, that kind of cooking isn’t always practical, which is where this method comes in.
This recipe is inspired by kleftiko, one of Greece’s most iconic ways of cooking lamb. The name comes from the kleftes - mountain rebels who would cook stolen meat in sealed underground pits to trap the heat, smoke, and aroma, keeping it hidden. The result? Meat that was incredibly tender, full of flavour, and effortlessly cooked.
That same idea is what makes this recipe so special. The lamb is wrapped tightly and slow-cooked in its own parcel, allowing all the garlic, lemon, and herbs to fully absorb into the meat. No complicated steps, no unnecessary ingredients, just a simple method that delivers every time.
It’s the way I’ve been cooking lamb for years now, and it’s become our go-to for Easter and beyond...
Watch How to Make Easy Greek Lamb Roast
The perfect side dish to Easy Greek Lamb Roast
Easy Easter Greek Lamb Roast, gluten-free
Revised 2025
Serves 6-8
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 4 hours
Lamb:
2- 2½ kg shoulder of lamb bone in
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 15cm rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
1½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup) + extra lemon juice
Note! Start preparing the potatoes a little over an one hour before the lamb is ready - once the lamb has been roasting for 3 hours.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the oven and tray:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced / 200°C conventional / 400°F. Have a large baking tray ready, big enough to fit the lamb comfortably.
2. Layer the foil and baking paper:
On a clean bench, lay out two long pieces of foil in a cross shape. Then, layer two long pieces of baking paper over the foil, also in a cross shape. This will form the base to wrap your lamb parcel. Place the lamb in the center where the layers overlap.
3. Prepare the lamb and marinade:
Pat the lamb dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife, make 6–8 small incisions on the top side of the lamb. In a bowl, combine the fresh herbs, spices, and lemon juice to form a paste. Rub the mixture all over the lamb, pressing it into the cuts to help the flavours infuse.
4. Wrap and roast:
Fold the baking paper over the lamb to enclose it, then wrap tightly with the foil to form a sealed parcel. Transfer to the baking tray and roast for 4 hours. Once the lamb is roasted, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the lamb, then serve immediately.
5. Optional crispy top:
If you prefer a crispy top on your lamb, after 4 hours, carefully open the foil and baking paper to expose the top. Place the lamb back in the oven for a further 10 minutes to allow the surface to brown and crisp up. Otherwise, you can skip this step, as I personally don’t do it.
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Margaret Pahos @CreateCookShare
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