Easter Sunday is always a memorable springtime celebration. Nothing says tradition more than a glorious Easter feast, complete with all the wonderful meats and vegetables the season has to offer. Lamb is commonly served as the main course and is deeply rooted in Easter, Passover and other springtime traditions. Its strong, earthy flavor and tender texture makes it ideal for roasting or grilling and does not require too much adornment. For our Easter dinner recipe, we took some inspiration from Argentinean cuisine and served our simply grilled lamb chops with a delicious chimichurri sauce. This fresh herb sauce keeps the meat moist and juicy while adding unforgettable flavor.
Towards the end of this post, we’ve also included a few food and wine pairings that would go spectacularly with this lamb recipe. Springtime truly does give way to some amazing garden-fresh vegetables and Easter dinner is the time to take advantage of that. For other recipe ideas, please visit our Easter Menu.
Lamb Chops with Chimichurri Sauce
Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 lamb chops
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 cup of Italian Parsley
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 cup of mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt , divided
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground, divided
1. First, make the chimichurri sauce. Combine the mint, parsley, rosemary, oregano and red pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are roughly chopped.
2. With the food processor running, slowly add in the olive oil and lemon juice.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Divide half the sauce. Wrap the lamb chops with the sauce and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
5. Season the lamb chops with more salt and pepper.
6. Heat up the grill to medium high heat. Sear the lamb chops on the grill for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
7. Once cooked, allow the lamb chops to rest for 5 minutes.
8. Serve with chimichurri sauce drizzled over the lamb chops or on the side.
Food and Wine Pairings
Glazed Chile Spiced Baby Carrots
There’s nothing like a side of sautéed carrots to accompany grilled lamb during Easter dinner. Baby carrots have a natural sweetness that is further enhanced by a mildly spicy jalapeño and brown sugar glaze. Never underestimate the power of glazed carrots; you may never want them any other way again. This dish pairs beautifully with the cool, herb flavors of the chimichurri sauce in the lamb. If you don’t have baby carrots available, you can also use regular carrots, cut thick.
Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes with Chile Key Lime Aioli
Potatoes are another must-have during a traditional Easter dinner. You’ll find no shortage of flavor when it comes to our Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes. Its buttery texture lends itself to many wonderful dishes including our pick for Easter dinner. A wonderful side dish that goes deliciously with grilled meat, these delightful little spuds are tossed in a cool, creamy homemade aioli made with Key Limes and Red Fresno Chiles.
A familiar red wine that is commonly paired with lamb is Cabernet Sauvignon. We have a great selection on our website, but the 2011 Barbour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the way to go if you plan to serve grilled lamb chops. Softly textured with notes of plums and light caramel and aromas of dark red fruits, candied cherries, graphite and vanilla, this wine echoes the earthy flavors of the lamb and goes fantastically with a variety of grilled red meats. This wine offers approachable tannins and a sustained finish, making it wonderful to sip on all throughout the meal.
Lamb is definitely one of the indulgent cuts of meat and pairs beautifully with red wines. Spring lamb chops boast a mild flavor with less gaminess that’s ideal for dark, fruity wines. We recommend the Mad Hatter Napa Valley Red Wine 2010 for its delicious blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. While Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic pairing with spring lamb, this unique blend lends itself to an unforgettably decadent flavor. It balances tasting notes of black cherries, sweet spices and toasty oak to complement the lusciousness of the grilled lamb.
What do you plan to serve during Easter? Will you be celebrating with a delicious family dinner? What’s your favorite part about the springtime holiday?