Kleftiko Lamb
This succulent Kleftiko Lamb will come out of the oven fall-apart tender and irresistibly crispy around the edges. Inspired by the flavours you’d enjoy at a Greek taverna, it’s seasoned with a slimming-friendly blend of herbs and spices, then left to roast on a bed of veg. We like to pop this batch-cook dream in on a Sunday, ready to toss into salads, wraps and pittas throughout the week!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories476
- Carbs17g
- Protein24g
- Fat33g
- Saturates16g
- Sugars5.3g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
Bring mouthwatering, summer holiday flavours to your table with this herby Kleftiko Lamb! The Greek-style flavours are heavenly to enjoy beside a crispy, fresh mixed salad on a warm summer’s evening.
It’s not just beautiful to eat, it’s low-fuss to make too. You’ll leave the herb-coated lamb joint in the oven for up to 3 hours on a colourful bed of veggies, until it’s ready to shred with two forks – it’ll be so tender, that part will be effortless!
We’ve taken things up a notch by popping the shredded lamb back in the oven for 20 minutes, to make sure every piece is nice and crispy around the edges.
The best part is, this one’s perfect for batch-cooking! Pop it in the slow cooker on a Sunday, ready to serve in salads or sandwiches that’ll feed you for the rest of the week. You can also make this one in your slow cooker, if you’d prefer, by tapping here.
What diets is this Kleftiko Lamb suitable for?
This Kleftiko Lamb recipe is suitable for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
As always, take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Kleftiko Lamb?
You don’t need any fancy ingredients to make this simple recipe.
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A durable roasting tin comes in handy for this recipe and so many others.
Use a meat thermometer to be sure your lamb joint is cooked through.
How many calories are in this Kleftiko Lamb?
There are 476 calories per portion in this Kleftiko Lamb, which means it falls into our Weekly Indulgence category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Kleftiko Lamb is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Step 2
In a small bowl, add the rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Mix well.
Step 3
Remove any string from the lamb and make diagonal cuts into the surface of the joint.
Step 4
Rub the rosemary mix all over the lamb joint, getting plenty of the rub into the diagonal cuts.
Step 5
Spray a large casserole dish with low-calorie cooking spray and add the potato, carrot, onion, pepper, tomatoes and garlic and season well.
Step 6
Place the lamb on-top of the vegetables.
Step 7
Pour in the lemon juice and water. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 hours. Check halfway through and add a little extra water if the vegetables look like they are drying out.
Step 8
Turn up the oven to 200°C.
Step 9
Remove the lamb from the oven and shred with two forks.
Step 10
Return the dish to the oven for 20 minutes to crisp up the lamb around the edges. Serve with an accompaniment of your choice.
What could I serve with this Kleftiko Lamb?
This Kleftiko Lamb is delicious all on its own, or as part of a slimming-friendly spread with any of these side dishes:
How do you know when Kleftiko Lamb is cooked?
You’ll know Kleftiko Lamb is ready when the juices run clear and the meat is crisp – but not burnt!
This will take around 3 hours at 170°C, and then an extra 20 minutes with the oven turned up to 200°C, to get that moreish texture.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Kleftiko Lamb in the fridge?
Once you’ve served this recipe, you’ll ideally need to eat it within 4 hours.
You can store any leftovers of this Kleftiko Lamb in the fridge for around 3 days. Make sure that you allow them to cool before putting them in a container with a lid and chilling in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze Kleftiko Lamb?
Yes, you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough in individual portions.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label telling you the name of the recipe and the date you’re stocking your freezer up.
How do I reheat Kleftiko Lamb?
From chilled: Place in a microwave-proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Stir, then cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Kleftiko Lamb
This succulent, slimming-friendly Kleftiko Lamb will come out of the oven fall-apart tender and irresistibly crispy around the edges.
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Prep Time
15 MINS
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Cook Time
3 HR 20
- KCals 476
- Carbs 17G
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- In a small bowl, add the rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Mix well.
- Remove any string from the lamb and make diagonal cuts into the surface of the joint.
- Rub the rosemary mix all over the lamb joint, getting plenty of the rub into the diagonal cuts.
- Spray a large casserole dish with low-calorie cooking spray and add the potato, carrot, onion, pepper, tomatoes and garlic and season well.
- Place the lamb on top of the vegetables.
- Pour in the lemon juice and water. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 hours. Check halfway through and add a little extra water if the vegetables look like they are drying out.
- Turn up the oven to 200°C.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and shred with two forks.
- Return the dish to the oven for 20 minutes to crisp up the lamb around the edges. Serve with an accompaniment of your choice.
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If you’ve made Kleftiko Lamb and love it, let us know by sharing a photo and tagging us on Instagram or in our Facebook group.
2 comments
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KarinaWednesday 9th July 2025
Can you do this in the slow cooker plz
HollyThursday 10th July 2025
Hey Karin, we have a slow cooker version of this recipe HERE, hope that helps!
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