If you are looking for an easy way to make a lamb roast, try this Instant pot leg of lamb! Instead of roasting lamb in the oven, you can cook it in a pressure cooker in just an hour or two. Studded with garlic and coated in fresh rosemary, this tasty lamb dinner will be a breeze. A naturally low carb dinner that’s perfect for the holidays!
You might also like these lamb recipes using the air fryer, smoker, etc.
I don’t think I’ve ever cooked an Easter dinner. However if I did, it would be a leg of lamb. Lamb is perfect for special occasions to me and I always the flavor combination of herbs and lots of garlic. So today I practiced an Easter dinner with this easy garlic & rosemary Instat Pot leg of lamb.
It was sooo easy, tender and delicious! Even my father in law said it melted in his mouth. That is easily the nicest compliment he’s ever given me. And it only took about 2 hours from start to finish.
The size and cut of lamb roast I used.
Below is the roast I bought at Aldi. It was roughly a 4 pound boneless leg of lamb roast. This easily served 6 people.
Many people also like to use a lamb shoulder roast. This cut of meat would also work because of the pressure cooker makes it very tender. The lamb shoulder tends to have more marbling than the leg of lamb which has a layer of fat on the outside. Check out Jamie Oliver’s post on the different cuts of lamb to learn more.
The other recipe ingredients I used.
To season the roast I used cloves of garlic cut into slivers, fresh rosemary, olive oil, salt and ground black pepper. If you prefer you could use fresh thyme and for both herbs you can also use dried. Remember 1 tablespoon fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon of dried.
The vegetables I added were potatoes, carrots and onions. They are pretty sturdy veggies and you can use whatever your favorites are but remember pressure cooking will really get them soft. Root vegetables work the best.
How to make Instant Pot leg of lamb.
Step 1: Slice the garlic cloves in to slivers. Prepare the roast by making little slits all over the lamb and stuff it with garlic slivers. Next, finely mince the rosemary and mix it with salt and pepper. Rub a little olive oil over the meat and rub the seasonings into it. Place in a big baggie and refrigerate until ready to cook.
I like to prepare roasts like this the night before and refrigerate over night for maximum flavor. However you can do it in the morning if you wish as it only takes a few minutes of prep time and then cook it in the afternoon.
Step 2: Now we are ready for the pressure cooker. First you want to sear the roast by using the saute mode and adjusting the heat to high. When the pot is nice and hot, add a little oil and then sear both sides of the roast for about 4-5 minutes. Hit the cancel button.
Step 3: Take out the lamb and add the water. You could also use chicken broth or beef broth for the liquid. Use it to scrape up the brown bits. Then add the roast back into pot. Secure the lid and push the pressure valve to the lock position. Hit the manual button for 50 minutes and do a quick pressure release when it’s done.
Note cooking time may vary depending on the size of your roast. Mine was 4 pounds and I wanted it to be very tender. The rule of thumb is 12 minutes per pound for medium rare doneness.
Step 4: Take off the lid and add the vegetables on top. I used potatoes, carrots and onions. Secure the pressure cooker lid again and manually cook for 10 more minutes to cook the vegetables and finish the lamb.
NOTE: You could add the vegetables in the beginning after you brown the lamb leg. However they will get a bit mushy. If you do it this way, make sure to cut your vegetables into bigger chunks and cook everything for 60 minutes and use a natural release of pressure.
Step 5: When it’s done, let the pressure come down naturally. This complete meal will take about 2 hours all together so you can plan accordingly. You could use the broth from the roast and make a delicious gravy or a sauce. Since I used the roasted veggies I didn’t feel a need to do this.
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.
If you want to brown the roast more.
You can brown this lamb meat two ways. Place it in a 450°F oven for 10 minutes or you can brown it under the broiler. However you don’t need to do either. The meat should be nice and tender and delicious right out of the Instant Pot!
Regardless of any of these methods, please make sure you let it rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
How to make this lamb in a slow cooker.
If you want to make this recipe in the slow cooker, check out my slow cooker lamb recipe. All you would do differently is brown the roast in a large skillet and then place in the slow cooker. No need to add water but cook it on low all day long. The rest should be the same.
Notes about the recipe.
- If you want the roast to be more chewy like a lamb chop, you might want to cook this for about 50 minutes total. I prefer it more tender so 60 minutes worked for me.
- You can use dried rosemary if you wish. Just make sure to crush it a bit to release the flavor and only use 1 -2 teaspoons.
- If you add the vegetables at the beginning, cut the vegetables into big pieces because they will get over cooked.
- Alternatively you can cook the lamb for 50 minutes quick release and then add the vegetables. Manually cook again for 10 minutes and then a natural pressure release. They should come out perfectly.
- If you have any leftover lamb, it would be great for a lamb stew.
Well I can honestly say I will be making this pressure cooker leg of lamb again … especially when lamb is on sale! This would make a great Sunday meal as it has roasted potatoes and carrots all cooked in one pot. Just add a green salad and you are done. Enjoy!
1 serving (lamb only) is: 776 cals / 48.2g fat / 0.9g carbs / 0.2g fiber / 79.4g protein = 0.7g net carbs
Instant Pot Leg of Lamb Recipe
If you are looking for an easy way to make lamb, try this Instant Pot leg of lamb! Studded with garlic and coated in fresh rosemary, this tasty lamb roast dinner will be a breeze. Great for a holiday gathering or Sunday dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds leg of lamb, boneless
- 4 cloves garlic, slivered
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup water (can also use broth or stock)
- carrots, potatoes, onions (optional)
Instructions
- Slice the garlic cloves in to slivers. Cut little slits in the lamb roast and stuff the slivers in the holes.
- Mix the rosemary, salt and pepper together. Then add a tablespoon olive oil all over the lamb and rub the spices in next. Place in a large baggie and refrigerate over night.
- Heat up the Instant Pot by using the saute mode and adjust the heat to high. Once hot, add a tablespoons of oil and brown the roast on both sides. About 4-5 minutes each side. Hit the cancel button.
- Take out the roast and add the water (you could also use beef or chicken broth). Scrape up the brown bits then add in the roast back into the pot.
- Secure the lid, turn the pressure valve to the back and manually pressure cook for 50 minutes.
- When done, do a quick pressure release and add the vegetables. Secure the lid and cook for 10 minutes more and let the pressure come down naturally.
Note cooking time may vary depending on the size of your roast. Mine was 4 pounds and I wanted it to be very tender. The rule of thumb is 12 minutes per pound for medium rare doneness. - Take out the roast and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- NOTE: If you want to, you can set the roast under the broiler to make it browner. Or you can place it in a 450°F oven for 10 minutes. However neither are needed.
- NOTE2: If you want to add the vegetables from the beginning, make sure they are in big chunks because they will get mushy. Add them when you put in the roast and manually cook for 60 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
- If you want more of a chewy lamb you might want to cook this for about 50 minutes total. I prefer it more tender so 60 minutes worked for me.
- You can use dried rosemary if you wish. Just make sure to crush it a bit to release the flavor and only use 1 -2 teaspoons.
- If you have any leftover lamb, it would be great for a lamb stew.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 776
Aneliya says
Hi, how many ml. is the cup you used? In my country we don’t use cup for ingredients. Thanks
Denise Wright says
Hi Aneliya, there is 236.5 ml in 1 cup of water. Hope you like it!
Aneliya says
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I will prepare the recipe this Saturday for Easter.
Denise Wright says
Enjoy!
Diane says
Hi. My roast is only 2 lbs. Does it cook for the same amount of time?
Denise says
Hi Diane, according to this page from Instant Pot it should take 15 minutes per pound so try 30 minutes.
https://instantpot.com/instantpot-cooking-time/#tab-id-4
Hope you like it!
Mary says
Absolutely delicious especially made so by following the suggestion in comments to deglaze with red wine (I used 1/2 cup wine and 1/2 cup water). I would probably cut 2 minutes off meat cooking time and 1 minute off after vegetable addition as my meat wasn’t really sliceable and veggies were very soft. This is definitely a keeper!
Denise says
HI Mary, So glad you liked it. Thanks for coming back to comment and share your tips with the other readers. That’s really helpful!
Deb says
I made this last night using a 5lb semi-boneless leg of lamb. I accidently used all 12 cloves in the lamb itself, then added some additional cloves to before pressure cooking it. It was delicious!
I think that carrots cooked that much time would be way to mushy though. I cooked it for 50 minutes with NPR 10 minutes. After sitting an additional 5-10 minutes on a plate, it still had some pink.
Denise says
Hi Deb, thanks for sharing your tips. All that garlic certainly sounds delicious to me! For the carrots I try to make them in big chunks but they can be mushy. Again thanks for coming back to share your experience as it helps the other readers.
Anu says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made Instant Pot lamb for New Years Lunch and it came out so well! I did add a spice blend and didn’t have rosemary but it was so good! We used the liquid left after cooking to make gravy and it was super tasty. I’m so glad you posted this recipe! Lunch was a triumph 😊
Denise says
Hi Anu, that makes me so happy! Glad it worked out for you!
Fay says
What size is the instant pot you used?
Denise says
I have a 6Qt Instant Pot.
LynnN says
Can you use a bone-in leg of lamb?
Denise says
Hi Lynn, yes you can use a bone-in leg of lamb. Bone-in may need a few more minutes to cook. Here’s an excellent Instant Pot resource that I found this information from.
https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/series/instant-pot/instant-pot-tips-tricks-201/
Good luck!
DW says
No that’s not true. Bone in requires less time! Guys, hello, there’s less meat to cook when there’s a bone in. You will overcook your meat factor the bone as part of the meat.
Denise Wright says
Hi DW, because bone is dense, it insulates the meat that surrounds it, keeping it at a lower temperature for longer than if it was boneless. (source)
Leslie says
Lamb is my absolute Favourite Meat and it has always been oven cooked in a bag. So, just got my new express Crock mutli cooker.
”lace with seasoning in a big baggie and refrigerate until ready to cook OVER NIGHT”
Question: Can you do it immediately after seasoning?
Denise says
Hi Leslie, I like to season the roast overnight for maximum flavor but no you don’t have to. You can season it and cook it immediately. Hope you like it!
Rose says
Can you give me the minutes/pound for a stovetop pressure cooker? Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Rose, I am really not sure. According to this site (https://therationalkitchen.com/5-reasons-to-buy-a-stovetop-pressure-cooker-and-not-an-instant-pot/)
“If you’re adjusting an Instant Pot recipe for a stovetop pressure cooker, you can subtract about 25% of the cooking time needed.
For example, if an Instant Pot recipe calls for a cooking time of 40 minutes, it will take only 30 minutes with a stovetop pressure cooker. Or, if an Instant Pot recipe calls for 60 minutes, you can do it on the stove in only 45 minutes.”
Hope that helps.
Denise
This site seems to have a lot of information about all pressure cookers and from what I can gather a stove top cooker will take less time. She has charts on this page. https://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooking-times/#meat
Laura Barton says
Older instant pots have a ” manual” button
The newer instant pots actually have a ” pressure cooker” button! So when this recipe says to press the ” manual” button all of us with newer pots should press the ” pressure cook” button!
Denise says
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for commenting this little tip. I’m sure it will be helpful. I’ll need to keep that in mind for future Instant Pot posts.
Ayesha says
Would you pressure on high or low?
Denise says
Hi Ayesha, I always use the Manual button on the Instant Pot and then adjust the time for what I want. I have never used the Pressure button and adjusted the pressure. I would guess that I am cooking on high pressure since it’s a roast. I hope that helps. If you have a Manual button I would use that for this recipe. Good Luck!
MissJP says
I’ve got a 1/2 leg of lamb (1.5lb). How long would I need to cook this for?
Denise says
HI MissJP, according to the InstantPot website they say it should be 15 minutes per pound. So I’m guessing around 22-23 minutes? Here is the website if that helps. Good luck!
https://instantpot.com/instantpot-cooking-time/#tab-id-4
Mia says
Thank you so much for putting that time table on the reply – VERY helpful!!
Denise says
You are welcome!
Susan says
The shoulder roast was fall apart tender and made a tasty dinner with the liquid and vegetables.
Denise says
Hi Susan, so glad you liked it! I was just thinking about this recipe yesterday.
Melanie Kramar says
The perfect solution to avoid mushy veggies is to wrap them (seasoned of course) in individual foil parcels and place them on top of the lamb
Denise says
Thanks Melanie for your tips!
Pete Kesseler says
I forgot, is there a way to cook it so it is MED Rare? 60 Min may make it on the well done side. Just a question. FYI. Making this tonight. Only my second time using the pot. Just got it yesterday. I am one person and like to have left overs. I did pork chops last night. UMMMMM
Denise says
That’s a tough question Pete. You can always do it for less time and then put it back in if you don’t feel it’s ready. I’ve done that a few times but it will take time to come back to pressure. Maybe try 40 minutes? I’m just guessing though. Sorry I’m not much more help.
Pete Kesseler says
What about using some Cabernet to add flavor wen de-glazing the pot? In combination with the garlic and spices, it would add great flavor. Just remember to save some wine for yourself! LOL
Denise says
Hi Pete, that is a great idea! Let me know how it turns out.
Remi says
Hi, after cooking in the instant pot, I wanted to cut into chunks then p place on skewers and grill just for a couple minutes. Will the lamb hold its shape or will it be too juicy and fall off the skewer? Looks great!
Denise says
Hi Remi, I don’t think it will be fall apart tender so I think it could work. Though I have never tried it myself. Good luck!
Lizzie says
Hi I like how good this looks but I don’t understand what manually cook means. Please help! Thanks
Denise says
Hi Lizzie,
That means to just press the “manual” button on the Instant Pot for 60 minutes. Hope that helps!
Shannon says
Can I use a frozen leg of lamb?
Denise says
Hi Shannon I have never tried that but I don’t see why not. I would defrost it overnight if you can but I did read that you can cook a frozen roast in the Instant Pot and the time doesn’t change. They did mention that you should do a natural release at the end which might take some time.
Again I haven’t tried it but I think you can.
Here is the website I found that info from. https://temeculablogs.com/frozen-roast-in-instant-pot/
Good luck!
Giju says
I’m pinning and making!Love this recipe.easy and simple .i will definitely try it. One of our families favorite dinners! So easy and it tastes delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Christie says
Next time I’m trying mine in the slow cooker. It looks so delicious. And perfect for Easter.