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Meat, Italy

Roman style lamb with roasted potatoes

Roman style lamb is an Italian dish of lamb shoulder braised with garlic and rosemary, finished with an anchovy and vinegar sauce, served with roasted potatoes. It serves 4, takes 90 minutes, rates as easy, and costs €4.80 per serving. The key to success is the slow, gentle braise and adding the vinegar off the heat to brighten the dish right before serving.

Tonight, Roman style lamb, roasted with garlic and rosemary and a splash of vinegar, with potatoes from the oven.

Roman style lamb with roasted potatoes
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.80
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Fall, Winter

Roman style lamb braises slowly with garlic and rosemary until it turns tender enough to pull apart with a fork. The anchovy sauce, which melts away into something you can barely detect, adds a savory depth that's different from a classic pan jus, and the vinegar stirred in at the end cuts through the richness to balance everything out. The roasted potatoes soak up that flavor without ever overpowering it.

This is a dish for an unhurried Sunday, the kind of meal where the pot can simmer away while you handle other things. It works well for guests who are curious to try something beyond a classic roast leg of lamb, though the bold flavors call for a more adventurous palate, which makes it less suited to younger kids. Mon Chou suggests this dish as a change from the usual Sunday lamb roast.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless lamb shoulder 1 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Rosemary 4 sprigs
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Anchovy fillets in oiloften in the pantry 3
  • White wine vinegaroften in the pantry 5 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the lamb into large chunks and brown them in a pot with the oil. 12 min

    Don't crowd the pot, brown the meat in two batches.

  2. Add the garlic, rosemary, and white wine, then cover and let it simmer over low heat. 45 min

    Turn the pieces occasionally.

  3. Melt the anchovies in a pan with a spoonful of oil, add the vinegar, and let it reduce. 3 min

    The anchovies melt completely, you won't taste them but they boost the flavor of the dish.

  4. Cut the potatoes into wedges and roast them in the oven at 210°C. 35 min

    Toss them with oil and salt, they brown better that way.

  5. Pour the anchovy vinegar sauce over the lamb and serve with the potatoes.

    Taste before adding salt, the anchovies already bring plenty.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a heavy bottomed pot, it spreads heat more evenly and keeps the lamb from catching during the 45 minute slow braise.
  • If the sauce is still too thin at the end, pull out the lamb pieces and reduce the liquid over high heat for a few minutes before serving.
  • Make the anchovy vinegar sauce right before serving, it loses its punch if it sits too long in the pan.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb shoulder for pork shoulder for a milder, more budget friendly version.
  • For a fish free version, skip the anchovies and add a spoonful of chopped capers to keep that salty, savory edge.
  • For a quicker meal, ask your butcher to cut the lamb into pieces ahead of time and cut the braising time to 30 minutes by cutting the meat into smaller chunks.

What to serve it with

  • An arugula salad with lemon
  • A glass of light red wine
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

The lamb keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor actually improves the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, though the potatoes don't freeze well on their own. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make Roman style lamb ahead of time?

Yes, make the lamb a day ahead, it only gets better once reheated. Make the anchovy vinegar sauce and the potatoes right before serving to keep their texture.

Can you use a different cut instead of lamb shoulder?

Lamb leg cut into chunks also works, but it's leaner and needs slightly less cooking time. Shoulder stays the better choice for its tenderness after a long braise.

Does the dish actually taste fishy because of the anchovies?

No, the anchovies completely dissolve in the pan and disappear as a distinct ingredient. They just add a savory base that rounds out the dish, without any noticeable fish flavor.

Can you freeze Roman style lamb?

Yes, the lamb and its sauce freeze well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Prepare the potatoes fresh when serving, since they lose their texture after freezing.

How long does it take to make a Roman style lamb with roasted potatoes?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Roman style lamb with roasted potatoes?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Roman style lamb with roasted potatoes cost?

About €4.80 per serving, or €19.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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