For the love of lamb

Whether roasted to succulent perfection, braised in fragrant spices, or grilled over an open flame, lamb is a versatile ingredient loved in many culinary traditions around the world.

Greek lamb pie with feta and hummus Credit: Kitti Gould

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Known for its rich flavour and tender texture, lamb is a timeless favourite that captivates chefs and home cooks alike. Here are some collections of lamb recipes featured on The Cook Up, from comforting classics to innovative creations.

Lamb rendang

Rendang is a classic dry-style Asian curry originating from Malaysia and Indonesia. Typically served with beef, this version uses lamb leg to infuse with the flavour-packed rendang paste, which is combined with coconut cream to form a thick and flavoursome curry.

Lamb rendang Credit: Kitti Gould

Lamb cutlets and Greek salad

Cut from the rib section of the lamb, cutlets showcase the best of lamb's qualities in a single bite. Pair the sweetness of the barbecued cutlets with this easy Greek salad, packed with olives, feta and avocado.

Lamb cutlets and Greek salad Credit: Kitti Gould

Lamb shoulder with fruit chutney glaze

This simple slow-roasted lamb shoulder with onions is glazed with sweet fruit chutney and then served with a homemade mint and lemon sauce on the side. Serve with baby potatoes for the ultimate family-friendly meal.

Sizzling Mongolian lamb

Make this take-away classic at home in under 30 minutes, first by briefly soaking the lamb in a mixture of water and bicarbonate of soda to ensure a tender, moist finish. A great share plate for an entertaining or quick mid-week meal.

Sizzling Mongolian lamb Credit: Kitti Gould

Agashe lamb cutlets with shata dakwa

Agashe is a Sudanese spice blend, often used to make stews, curries, salads or grilled meats. This recipe pairs agashe with grilled lamb cutlets and serves it with shata dakwa, a Sudanese fresh chilli sauce made with lime juice and peanut butter.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

Spiced slow-cooked lamb shoulder tacos

Spiced lamb shoulder is oven-braised at a low temperature for up to six hours until meltingly tender, then shredded and piled onto soft tacos. Serve with creamy homemade jalapeno cheese sauce, and don't forget a heaping of pickled onions, a squeeze of lime juice, and a sprinkle of coriander for added freshness.

Spiced slow cooked lamb shoulder tacos Credit: Kitti Gould

Winter lamb shank navarin

This is a perfect recipe for winter that brings together lamb shanks with winter vegetables. At the end of the few hours of stewing, the lamb will have that fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Winter lamb shank navarin Credit: Adam Liaw

Greek lamb pie with feta and hummus

Lamb mince, eggplant, capsicum, and pine nuts come together in this

freeform Greek lamb pie, baked with only one baking sheet in the oven.

Serve with a dollop of hummus and a sprinkle of Greek feta for a creamy and tangy contrast to the savoury, rich flavours of the pie.

Greek lamb pie with feta and hummus Credit: Kitti Gould

Pepperberry and lemon myrtle lamb

Native ingredients such as pepperberry and lemon myrtle perfectly complement lamb, as in this recipe by Jody Orcher. The natives are used as a meat rub before being cooked on the stove. Serve with lightly pickled vegetables.

Pepperberry and lemon myrtle lamb Credit: Jiwon Kim

Peanut lamb salad

Inspired by the Indonesian salad, gado gado, this colourful Asian salad brings a heap of fresh vegetable goodness, teamed up with sliced lamb steaks and a creamy, satay-like dressing. The dressing uses peanut butter as a base for simplicity.

Peanut lamb salad Credit: Adam Liaw

Lamb papoutsakia

Lamb papoutsakia is a Greek dish that translates to "little shoes" in English. It typically consists of roasted eggplants stuffed with a spiced lamb mixture, topped with a rich bechamel sauce and baked until golden brown.

Lamb papoutsakia Credit: Kitti Gould

Korean sticky lamb ribs with pa muchim

In this recipe, lamb ribs are marinated in a Korean kalbi-inspired sauce overnight. They are then grilled over a charcoal barbecue or a chargrill pan and served with pa muchim, a refreshing spring onion salad that complements the slightly greasy and sticky lamb ribs.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

Cumin lamb with sesame noodles

This is a quick way to give lamb plenty of flavour without waiting hours for a marinade, simply toss it in ground spices and cook. In just 20 minutes, you'll have a mouthwatering dinner ready for your family or the unexpected guests.

Credit: Adam Liaw

Turkish Lamb Shoulder (kuzu tandir)

This simple Turkish lamb shoulder is flavoured with a rich marinade of garlic, spices and the secret ingredient, biber salçası, a Turkish capsicum paste concentrate that adds a unique depth of flavour to the lamb. Serve with zesty sumac onions, mint yoghurt, pickles and warm pita bread for an easy-to-serve Turkish feast to share with friends and family.