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Lamb chops (also known as lamb cutlets) are cuts of lamb meat taken from the ribs of a lamb. This deliciously tender meat is known for being wonderfully fatty and having a delicately gamey flavour with a hint of sweetness. Lamb’s deliciously unique red meat taste and texture make it something of a staple in the UK. However, due to being less common in the United States lamb is almost seen as an expensive and luxurious form of meat. As such, when cooking some, people may not know what to serve with lamb chops. If so, we’ll explain all below.
Table of Contents
- How To Cook Lamb Chops
- What Goes With Lamb Chops
- What To Serve With Lamb Chops?
- Answered – What To Serve With Lamb Chops?
How To Cook Lamb Chops
Lamb chops are a very versatile cut of meat than mutton, as such, they can be cooked in a variety of different ways. Some common ways of cooking include grilled lamb chops, along with roasting, frying, barbecuing and griddling them. Personally, though, the method of cooking lamb chops I prefer is to roast them after briefly pan searing the lamb chops as one would a steak. When doing so, follow the steps below:
- Season your lamb chops with mint, salt and pepper, along with any other seasonings of your preference. Another popular addition for example is paprika.
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (or 220°C).
- In an ovenproof pan sear the lamb for roughly two minutes on each side on high medium heat.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and roast them until at their desired level of cookedness. This should take about ten to twenty minutes on average.
What Goes With Lamb Chops
Roasted lamb chops truly have a wonderfully tender but juicy texture along with a gamey, fatty and slightly sweet flavour. That said though, the flavours associated with lamb whilst incredibly nuanced and varied are still somewhat delicate.
As such, when deciding on some sides for lamb chops you should always consider options that whilst still flavourful is not overpoweringly strong. Additionally, the options that you choose should always complement the lamb chops in some manner, whether that be by mirroring the flavours already there or by contrasting them somehow.
What To Serve With Lamb Chops?
With the above in mind, you may or may not already have some ideas for what you could serve with your lamb chops. If you’re thinking that the choices are limited though then like with finding sides for grilled shrimp, there are a surprising number of options available to you. Some great choices that perfectly complement your lamb chops include the following:
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Vegetables
- Garlic Roasted Radishes
- Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
- Glazed Carrots
- Peas
- Brussels Sprouts
- Broccoli Rabe
- Mint Sauce
- Garlic Bread
- Dinner Rolls
Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are an excellent way to make a rich saucy side dish that isn’t completely overpowering in terms of flavour. Not to be confused with potato dauphinoise or au gratin potatoes, scalloped potatoes is a baked potato dish that uses layers of sliced potatoes in a herby cream sauce.
This works incredibly well with lamb as the creamy sauce is delicious and rich without being too strong or overly flavourful. Instead, it will mix wonderfully with the flavours of juicy lamb chops in a way that is as decadent as it is delicious.
Additionally, the mix in textures from the potatoes provides a wonderful contrast of crispy and fluffy to the tender and juicy chops. Meanwhile, the potatoes’ earthy flavour provides a subtle contrast with the flavour of the chops.
Mashed Potatoes
When it comes to pairing a vegetable side with some meat, you can honestly never go wrong with mashed potatoes. The creamy texture is wonderfully thick and hearty, making the combination of lamb chops and mashed potatoes one that is not only delicious but also satisfactorily filling.
As a side dish, the contrast between the creamy but fluffy mashed potatoes and tender but juicy lamb chops is truly wonderful. Meanwhile, the mix of flavours will subtly pair wonderfully with the lamb chop and be a treat on the taste buds. Especially so, if you used garlic, butter, and sour cream in your mashed potatoes.
If you want to take things a step further though then making a pot of colcannon or Irish mashed potatoes is an excellent way to do so. This simple yet delicious recipe is essentially mashed potatoes mixed with some leafy green vegetables such as kale or cabbage, along with some scallions.
Greek Lemon Potatoes
Sticking with the potato theme, if you want to have something with a slight bit of lemon zest along with a Greek feel then Greek lemon potatoes are an excellent choice. These are essentially roast potatoes, however, before roasting they will first be cooked in a garlic and lemon broth.
The result is a potato dish that has a texture with a wonderfully crispy exterior and fluffy middle. Meanwhile, it also brings a multitude of subtle flavours from the earthy potatoes, to the delicious garlic and of course some lemon zest.
Honestly, I could probably eat a bowl of these on their own. However, with how much of a staple lamb is in Greek cooking, this dish makes for a wonderful pairing.
Sweet Potatoes
Another form of potato that will pair wonderfully with lamb chops is of course the sweet potato. Like regular potatoes, these will add some earthiness to the dish. However, it will also add some delicious extra sweetness that somewhat mirrors that of the lamb chops.
Sweet potatoes are also incredibly versatile meaning they can be served in a variety of different ways. Some great examples are sweet potato fries along with whipped sweet potatoes with each option providing unique texture along with the distinctive sweet potato syrupy taste.
Roasted Vegetables
A classic side dish for near enough any occasion and any main course is naturally roasted vegetables. This is of course also true when it is used as a lamb side as the variety of subtle veggie flavours will pair perfectly with those of the lamb.
The beauty of this dish though is that it is not only a healthy side option but also one that is incredibly versatile and can be customised to your desires. As such whether root vegetables or green veggies are more your thing, this will make for an excellent choice.
If though, you really want to make things interesting then the choice of seasonings will play a big role. Naturally, olive oil, salt, black pepper and herbs like fresh mint, garlic powder and barley make for excellent choices. However, coating your veggies in a balsamic honey glaze before roasting adds an extra tangy but sweet layer that your lamb dish will love.
Garlic Roasted Radishes
Radishes are an excellent choice for a side dish when paired with lamb and can be served in a variety of different ways. In particular, though, roasted radishes are a wonderful choice that a wonderfully fork tender.
Radishes provide quite a strong peppery flavour. However, when roasted this flavour mellows out whilst a distinctly sweet taste becomes more pronounced. This combination of sweet and peppery though makes for an excellent contrast to the fatty and gamey lamb.
To make it even better though, a sprinkling of garlic powder and some olive oil will add some extra layers of flavour.
Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
For a delicious restaurant-worthy sides dish to pair with your lamb chops look no further than some delicious lemon garlic roasted asparagus. However just because you may find this delicious side being served in a restaurant doesn’t mean it is complicated to create.
In fact, the opposite is the case since this delicious dish simply requires you to season your asparagus with lemon juice and garlic powder. The result though is wonderful as this dish brings not only the flavours of lemon and garlic but also the distinctive asparagus crunch and slightly bitter yet earthy taste.
This asparagus dish can be altered slightly though for interesting results. One option being to add a sprinkling of parmesan cheese along with the garlic. Meanwhile, another possibility is to make a risotto using the asparagus, garlic and lemon.
Glazed Carrots
For a side that adds a distinct subtle sweetness and a nice tender crunch, some glazed carrots are an excellent choice. When roasted well the texture of carrots is truly delectable as they have an initial firmness that quickly gives way to a lovely tenderness.
These will in some ways reflect the sensations found in your lamb chops. However, the glaze whether from honey, balsamic vinegar or a mint lemon dressing will contrast it beautifully.
Additionally, this dish can be taken up a notch by making pomegranate roasted carrots. The result is that the dish gains a lovely soft crunch sensation along with a subtle fruity taste.
Peas
For an incredibly simple and delicious side to serve alongside your lamb chops, a portion of peas is always an excellent choice. Peas are deliciously soft, plump and add a wonderful sweetness that is reminiscent of spring, making them a great culinary partner for lamb.
When served together the fresh peas bring a sense of spring freshness to the plate that wonderfully plays off the fatty and gamey lamb chops. Additionally, they will always make for a cheap, easy and convenient option as well since you’ll likely have some frozen peas in the freezer.
To make these truly mouth-wateringly delicious though, sautéing them in butter with fresh herbs like thyme and mint is a wonderful way to do so.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are often given a bad reputation with many people having negative associations with them from childhood. However, when trying them again as adults, many people come to find that the humble sprout is in fact an incredibly flavourful and nuanced veggie.
In fact, along with being a very healthy green vegetable, brussels sprouts are also delicious when cooked properly. Often this is best done by roasting them the olive oil, salt, pepper and some fresh herbs. The result being a slightly crunchy veggie that has earthy, sweet, nutty and smokey flavours.
These flavours all pair wonderfully with the gamey, fatty and slightly sweet lamb. However, to make this a special side then adding some fried bacon lardons and or goats cheese will really enhance the diversity of flavour.
Broccoli Rabe
For a green veggie that is packed with all sorts of essential vitamins broccoli, rabe is an excellent choice. However, it is not only healthy but also quite delicious.
This is especially true when cooked with garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon juice as these all add extra layers to the flavour already present. As a result, when seasoned in this manner, broccoli rabe is a slightly bitter side with some nuttiness along with the zest of lemon, heat of chilli and taste of garlic.
Mint Sauce
Truly when it comes to iconic culinary pairings, few are more loved than that of the tastes of mint and lamb. As such a mint sauce or even a mint chutney is an obvious and natural choice to serve with some lamb chops.
The concept of pairing mint with lamb has been a popular one dating back to at least the middle ages. The reason is that the fresh coolness and slight bitterness of mint nicely balance out the gamey nature of the lamb without completely overwhelming the flavour.
If though you want to go with more of an Indian theme with your lamb then instead of using a simple mint sauce, you should try mint chutney. Mint chutney contains jalapenos, mint, cilantro and ginger alongside the mint though. As such, you should expect a more spicy and fiery dish as a result.
Garlic Bread
For something universal adored and simple though, you ultimately cannot go wrong with garlic bread. Truly, garlic and bread go brilliantly together and with everything else. As such, this is honestly a no brainer.
Garlic bread will pair with lamb especially well though since the bread offers a wonderful assortment of flavours and textures that pair well with the lamb. These include the garlic itself, the crusty and doughy textures of bread and potentially some cheese, tomatoes or other herbs depending on the type of garlic bread in question.
Dinner Rolls
In a similar vein to the previous option, some delicious buttery dinner rolls can also make for a great side dish for your lamb chops. These will be incredibly soft and spongy, along with having that heavenly buttery sensation.
They’ll be especially good if they are served fresh out of the oven as their warmth will add an extra layer of comfort to the meal. Additionally, if you intend to remove the bone from the chops, with a little mint sauce they can make for some fantastic lamb sliders.
Answered – What To Serve With Lamb Chops?
Lamb chops are a truly delicious cut of meat that can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways with an assortment of different side dishes. As such, no matter your palette or how substantial of a meal you desire there is always at least a couple of great options to choose from.
Truly, the above is just the tip of the iceberg, as all sorts of different side dish options from around the world will pair excellently with lamb. With that in mind then, why not mix and match the suggestions above with some ideas of your own?
You never know, it may lead to something absolutely spectacular.
