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Juicy, tender, herbaceous, and bright, Italian Lamb Lollipops with Gremolata are the ultimate taste of spring. Whether you’re looking for the perfect dish to serve to a small gathering for Easter or are firing up the grill this weekend, these lambchops are easy and delicious.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect Easter appetizer, or main dish to serve alongside your Twice Baked Potato Casserole, this is it. Combining tender lamb lollipops with a burst of fresh ingredients, these are so good they might not even make it to a plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Process – These lamb lollipops get a quick marinade using pantry staples before being simply seared. And the gremolata? Just give everything a quick chop and mix to combine. This is a recipe any level of cook can make with restaurant worthy results.
Fresh Flavors – This lamb recipe combines pantry staples like Italian seasoning and balsamic vinegar with fresh ingredients like parsley and garlic. Everything is meant to compliment the lamb without overpowering it.
Versatility – You can serve this dish as an appetizer or main course. You can also pick how to cook the lamb lollipops, either in a skillet, griddle pan, or on the grill. The choice is completely up to you.

Ingredients

Aside from the amazing flavors of these Italian Lamb Lollipops with Gremolata, the fact you only need a handful of ingredients makes them an instant favorite. They are spectacular enough for a special occasion or holiday while also being easy enough to make they can turn a weeknight into an event.

Lamb Lollipops – D’Artagnan Grass-Fed Lamb Lollipops are humanely raised on lush grasslands. They’re sweet, with a complex flavor and fine, tender texture. The come with the bones Frenched and cleaned, making them easy to prepare and as beautiful as they are delicious.
Seasonings – Italian seasoning and salt are all that is needed for the lamb itself while salt and pepper are the perfect accents to the herbaceous gremolata.
Water – Helps dilute the vinegar in the marinade so it doesn’t overpower the lamb.
Balsamic – Adds tang and sweetness to the marinade.
Olive Oil – Used both in the marinade and also to cook the lamb.
Parsley – The grassy freshness of the parsley is the perfect bright compliment to the tender and delicate lamb.
Garlic – Adds just enough of an assertive pop to wake up the flavors without overpowering the lamb.
Orange – The zest of the orange adds a slight hint of sunny sweetness to the gremolata.

How to Make Italian Lamb Lollipops with Gremolata

If you’ve never cooked lamb before these lamb lollipops are a great place to start. They come already prepared and only require a few minutes of actual cook time.

Time needed: 1 hour and 45 minutes

The most time consuming part of this recipe is inactive time while they marinate. That makes these a great dish to prep ahead of time so you can cook your sides and then sear them just before serving dinner.

Marinade
Add your ingredients for the marinade to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the marinade over the lamb lollipops and cover them. Place them in the refrigerator and allow them to marinate for an hour.
Sear
Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Remove the lamb from the marinade and gently pat them dry. Place them in the hot skillet, careful not to crowd them. You can work in batches if needed. Cook each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until they’ve reached your desired level of doneness. Remove from the pan and let rest. Because of carry over cooking, you will want to pull your lamb at 135 degrees and allow it to rest for medium rare. It will continue to cook as it rests and hit 145 degrees.
Gremolata
Add all of your ingredients for the gremolata to a bowl and mix to combine. This step can be done ahead of time.
Serve
Top your lamb lollipops with the gremolata and enjoy!

Lamb Cooking Temperatures

Doneness	Pull Temperature	Final Temperature
Medium Rare	135 degrees	145 degrees
Medium	150 degrees	160 degrees
Well	160 degrees	170 degrees

How to Cook Italian Lamb Lollipops with Gremolata on the Grill

The cooking time will be about the same if you decide to cook these lamb lollipops on the grill. For a charcoal grill, prepare your grill for direct grilling. You will be cooking these over the flame. For a gas grill heat your grill to about 400-450 degrees. Make sure that your grates are clean and lightly oil them if desired.

Place the lamb lollipops on the hot grates. Cook the first side for about three minutes before flipping. If they don’t easily release from the grates they’re not ready. Give them another 30 seconds to a minute. Flip them and cook them another three minutes or until they’ve reached your level of doneness.

Substitutions

No lamb lollipops? No problem! You can also purchase a rack of lamb where the bones have been Frenched. Simply slice the individual chops to create the lollipops and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Storage

The gremolata for this recipe only takes minutes to make but can be made several days in advance. Keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will keep for up to three days.

The leftover lamb lollipops make the ultimate late night midnight snack. Keep them stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator and they will last for 3-4 days.

Top Tip for Italian Lamb Lollipops with Gremolata

When it comes to cooking not just lamb, but any protein, you want to make sure that your skillet, grill pan, or grill is fully heated before adding your meat. When you add your meat, don’t crowd the pan. It’s better to work in batches, letting the pan heat back up in between each round, that put everything in the pan at one time. If the meat is too crowded in on itself it will steam instead of searing the outside.