Lamb with garlic and olive sauce
This is the kind of quick, sunny dish olives were made for: lamb seared and rested, then dressed in a warm sauce of garlic, lemon zest and chopped Kalamata olives. Twenty minutes, a handful of ingredients, and a plate that punches well above its effort.
Lamb and olives are old friends around the Mediterranean, and this is one of the simplest ways to put them together: quickly-cooked lamb backstraps or leg steaks, sliced and spooned over with a warm, punchy sauce of garlic, lemon and Kalamata olives. There is almost nothing to it, which is the point — when the components are this good, the cooking should get out of their way. Serve it with peppery rocket and some roasted potatoes and you have a proper meal in the time it takes to lay the table.
What you need
For four, you want good lamb — backstraps or leg steaks — and a bright, savoury sauce built on Kalamata olives. The olive matters here: a plump, winey Kalamata brings the depth the dish leans on, so it is worth buying well. If you want to know what you are choosing, the Greek olives page is a good primer.
| Ingredient | Amount (serves 4) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb backstraps or leg steaks | 4 | Good quality; cook fast, rest well |
| Olive oil | ~60 ml (¼ cup) | For searing and the sauce |
| Garlic | 2 cloves, finely chopped | Softened, not browned |
| Lemon zest | from 2 lemons, finely grated | Brightness against the rich lamb |
| Pitted Kalamata olives | 1 cup, roughly chopped | The savoury heart of the sauce |
| Flat-leaf parsley | ½ cup, finely chopped | Freshness, stirred in at the end |
Method
Warm the oven low, to keep the lamb hot while you work. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high and cook the lamb in batches, about three to four minutes a side for medium or to your liking, then move it to a tray in the low oven to rest — resting is what keeps it juicy, so do not skip it. Turn the heat down to medium, add the rest of the oil, and soften the garlic for a minute without letting it colour. Stir in the lemon zest, chopped olives and parsley and warm through for three or four minutes. Season carefully with pepper, and salt only if it needs it — the olives are already salty. Slice the rested lamb, arrange on plates and spoon the warm sauce over.
Getting it right
Two things carry this dish. First, do not overcook the lamb and do rest it — a few minutes off the heat lets the juices settle back through the meat. Second, taste before you salt, because chopped Kalamatas bring plenty of salt of their own; season the sauce last, once the olives have had their say. Beyond that, keep the sauce warm rather than fried hard, so the garlic stays sweet and the parsley stays green. Peppery rocket and roasted kipfler or new potatoes are the natural partners.
- Rest the lamb in a low oven — it is what keeps it juicy.
- Soften the garlic, don’t brown it, or the sauce turns bitter.
- Taste before salting — the Kalamatas are already salty.
- Keep the sauce warm, not hard-fried, to stay fresh and bright.
Lamb with garlic and olive sauce: common questions
What cut of lamb works best?
Quick-cooking cuts like backstraps (loin) or leg steaks. They sear fast and stay tender, which suits this bright, speedy sauce.
Which olives should I use?
Kalamata — plump, dark and winey — pitted and roughly chopped. They give the sauce its savoury depth, so choose a good one.
Do I need to add salt?
Taste first. Chopped Kalamata olives bring plenty of salt, so season the sauce last and add salt only if it genuinely needs it.
Why rest the lamb?
Resting lets the juices settle back through the meat so it stays moist when sliced. A few minutes in a low oven while you make the sauce is ideal.
What should I serve with it?
Peppery rocket and roasted potatoes are the classic partners, but any simple green salad or vegetable works against the rich lamb and salty sauce.
Two moves make this plate, and both are about restraint. Do not overcook the lamb, and do rest it — a few minutes in a low oven lets the juices settle so it stays juicy under the knife. And taste before you reach for the salt : chopped Kalamatas carry plenty of their own, so season the sauce last, once the olives have spoken. Keep the sauce warm rather than fried hard so the garlic stays sweet and the parsley green. Good lamb, a good Kalamata, and a light hand — that is the whole dish.
A house recipe template for pan-fried lamb with a warm garlic, lemon and Kalamata olive sauce.