This easy herb & garlic slow cooker lamb roast recipe is the perfect meal for the holidays or special Sunday supper. The herbs & garlic add so much flavor to both the lamb roast and the vegetables. And when this roast is made in the slow cooker or crockpot it frees up time so you can spend time with your loved ones.
You might also like leg of lamb made in the air fryer!
I must confess I’m not a huge lover of lamb. I do love it when it is cooked on a spit but not chewy lamb chops. That is why I made this lamb roast in a slow cooker or crock pot. It reminds me of how my grandma used to make roasts.
She would stud the meat with garlic and herbs and cook them all day until they were tender. So that is why I made this herb & garlic slow cooker lamb roast just like her. It’s studded with garlic, rubbed with herbs and cooked all day in the slow cooker until it’s tender and delicious.
I like to make pork and beef roasts like this too. One of my favorite recipes is this garlicky pork roast that we eat all the time. It’s a less expensive meat to make and we use it for burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
However lamb is something special and reminds me of the holidays or special occasions. So when I saw that Aldi has leg of lamb I had to try it. And slow cooker recipes are the easiest dinners to make.
Preparing the lamb roast and ingredients I used.
For this recipe the ingredients I used were garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, black pepper, oregano and rosemary leaves to season the meat. This just takes a few minutes to do.
Note I used dried herbs and not fresh. If using fresh herbs the rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs equal 1 teaspoon of dried.
The garlic is used to stuff the meat and the herbs and olive oil are used to make a paste that’s rubbed all over the meat. Note that I do not use any liquid like beef broth or stock. The roast and vegetables will produce enough liquid.
You can roast potatoes, carrots, celery and onions along with the meat for a full meal. Make sure to place the vegetables in the slow cooker first and then the roast.
How to cook a lamb roast in the slow cooker.
This is a pretty easy recipe. Just a few steps and a couple of minutes to get it going in the morning and it will be done for you in the evening for dinner.
Note you could take an extra step to sear the roast in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. However I find it isn’t necessary.
- Take 5 cloves of garlic and slice them thinly into slivers.
- Then cut little slits all over the roast and stuffed the garlic slivers in to the holes.
- Make a paste of the herbs, spices and olive oil and rub the herb mixture all over the boneless lamb leg.
- You can add any kind of fresh vegetables you like to your slow cooker. Season with salt and then rest the roast on top. I used potatoes, carrots, celery and onions.
- Cook it all day on low heat (about 8 hours) in the slow cooker for a tender and flavorful roast dinner. Or you can cook it on high heat and it will be done in approximately 5 hours. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your roast.
- Place on a platter and surround with the roasted potatoes and other vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil until ready to eat.
The internal temperature should be 145° when using a meat thermometer to make it medium well. If you want to use a garnish, try some fresh herbs like a sprigs of rosemary or fresh thyme.
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Please scroll down for a printable recipe card.
What cuts of lamb works best in the slow cooker?
I would not make a rack of lamb or chops in the slow cooker. They are more tender than other cuts and usually more expensive. What I did use was a leg of lamb and sometimes a lamb shoulder roast. It takes awhile to get tender so this makes it the perfect cut for a slow cooker.
To learn more about cuts of lamb, check this article from Jamie Oliver.
What to serve with this recipe.
If you are using vegetables in the crockpot along with the meat you would just need a nice green salad for a full meal. However my suggestions for something a bit more festive. Try this pomegranate and quinoa, potatoes and Brussels sprouts with bacon or wrapped asparagus with goat cheese recipes. They are all easy and make a delicious side dish.
For more delicious lamb recipes check out these posts
- Middle Eastern Burger
- Slow Cooker Gyro Lamb
- Instant Pot Leg of Lamb (pressure cooker)
- Marinated Grilled Chops
- Smoked Leg of Lamb Roast
I’m keeping this slow cooker roast lamb recipe around for a holiday meal like Easter when the weather is better but still cool and you want a special warming dinner. It just takes minutes to season the meat and about 5 hours to cook for a delicious and special meal. Enjoy!
Easy Slow Cooker Lamb Leg or Shoulder
This is the time of year to make a nice herb garlic slow cooker lamb roast. Easy to make and the perfect way to celebrate the holidays with loved ones.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb roast
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
Instructions
- Take the roast and cut little slits in it and stuff the garlic slivers into the holes.
- Make a paste with the olive oil, herbs and spices and rub the herb mixture all over the lamb roast.
- If you using vegetables, cut them and place in the slow cooker. I used carrots, onions and potatoes.
- Put the roast on top, cover and cook on low all day (about 8 hours) Or cook on high for 5 hours.
- Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your roast and your slow cooker. Just check to see if it's tender and to your liking. I cooked mine on high for 5 hours and it was perfectly tender for us.
- Place on a platter and surround with the vegetabls. Cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes then serve.
Notes
Recipe Notes and Cooking Tips
- I did not use any liquid like beef broth or stock in this recipe. The meat and vegetables provide plenty of lqiuid during the cooking process.
- I used dried and not fresh herbs. If using fresh, use twice as much.
- The internal temperature of the roast should be 120°F for rare - 135°F for medium and 150°F for well done. Use a meat thermometer if you are trying to reach a certain level of doneness. Mine was medium well when done. I wanted it to be as tender as possible.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 630Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 211mgSodium: 503mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 58g
carlyn
My roast is swimming in liquid….should I remove some of the liquid so it doesn’t get soggy?
Denise
Hi Carolyn, yes I would take out as much liquid as you want and keep it just incase you want to add some back.
Sara
Hi! How much of the veggies do you put in? For example, half a cup of celery or 1 cup of potatoes etc.? I’m just trying to figure out how much of each to cut up and place on the bottom. Thanks!
Denise
Hi Sara, you can pretty much put as much or as little as you want. I made a similar recipe yesterday with chicken and I used about 3 carrots and 3 medium sized golden potatoes and 1 onion. Hope that helps and you like the lamb!
Jacqueline
I cooked my first ever lamb roast using this recipe. It was perfect. Thank you.
Denise
So glad you liked it!
Betsy Rosenberg
Would you mix up the seasonings the night before?
Denise
Hi Betsy, I usually make this in the morning for dinner at night. If you wanted to prepare the roast the night before you could certainly do that. I referring to stuffing it with garlic and rubbing the oil and spices all over it. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any questions.
Janie
If you add broth what would I use beef?
Denise
Hi Jaanie, yes beef would be the best option. Hope you like it!
Karen
I’m all in for hearty, tender lamb. So glad that spring starts off chilly because this would make a cozy Easter dinner!
BETTY
This will be my first time cooking a lamb roast, I’m so excited to use your method. I will certainly let you know how it turns out. Thank you in advance for your clear and precise advice, it is greatly appreciated!
Denise
Hi Betty, I certainly hope you like it and please let me know if you have any questions.
J
I read that a lamb roast can be cooked on high in the crock pot and not get tough. I seared mine first (because it makes it look more appealing and renders off some of the outside fat), then put on high for about 4 hours. This was at high altitude (~9000 feet). I tested it with a fork and it came apart easily. Then I put it on the lowest setting (low or warm) until everyone was ready to eat (another hour or so). Served with the half onions and rough sliced carrots I put in the bottom of the crock. Everything was tender and really good. I made the mistake of adding coconut oil to the bottom of the crock when I put the veggies in. It did make it a bit greasy feeling, so I would t do that again. I also added about 1/2 cup of water/stock when I first put the veggies in. It was not soggy. If you’re afraid of that, just remove the roast from the crock when it’s at your desired tenderness. Good luck!
Denise
Hi J, thanks so much for coming back and sharing your tips! I’m sure that will be very helpful to others.
Gin
Hey, Denise! I was reading into lamb and a lot of websites recommend to use red wine. Should I use it when I sear in the pan or add it to the bottom enough with my vegetables?
Denise
HI Gin, I don’t cook much with wine but I don’t see any reason why couldn’t do that. Please let me know if you do and how it turns out. Good luck!
Connie
Do you cut it up into pieces or place it in whole ?
Denise
Hi Connie,
I guess you are talking about the lamb? I just place it in whole. Let me know if you have any other questions and I hope you like it!
Jane
How long is “all day”? 8 hours? 12?
Denise
Hi Jane,
Usually for me it’s low for about 8hrs. It’s hard to say because I’ve had different slow cookers and they took different amounts of time but for the most part they were done in 8 hours on a low setting. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions.
Fran
Mine is almost 5 lbs Should I cook it longer than 8 hours on low?
Denise
Hi Fran, I think you should. Maybe cook it on high for 4-6 hours and then if it doesn’t seem done keep cooking. If it’s done cooking early you can always let it stay warm in the slow cooker. Good luck!
Donna
What temp, high or low? No liquid?
Denise
Hi Donna,
Sorry for the confusion. I did not put any liquid in because I didn’t want it to get soggy. I’ve been making pork roasts without the liquid and they come out nice so I did the same with the lamb. You can add some type of broth if you like but I didn’t. Also you can cook it either at low temp or high temp. I personally like to cook it on low all day and checking to see if it’s at the desired tenderness. However sometimes I don’t have that much time and cook it on high for at least 4 hours. I’ve also found it depends on the slow cooker. I’ve had quite a few slow cookers over the years and they each cook differently. Hopefully that was a little help. Please let me know if you have any questions.