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    Lamb Chops with Mustard-Thyme Sauce

    By Julia | Updated: Nov 15, 2023 | Published: Jan 17, 2019 | 131 Comments

    191.6K shares
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    These easy and quick Lamb Chops with Mustard-Thyme Sauce make an amazing family favorite dinner!  Creamy mustard sauce is made with garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine (or white wine), and fresh thyme.  Lamb chops are tender and juicy.

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

     

    These Mediterranean pan-fried lamb chops can be cooked in a stainless steel skillet or in a cast iron pan.  The pan-searing process is very similar to how I cooked garlic lamb loin chops.  Your family will love the creamy mustard sauce texture and the savory flavor of lamb chops!  They will go great with green beans and bacon or with oven-roasted asparagus with bacon.

    The best part about the sauce?  It takes just 4 ingredients.  Garlic, fresh thyme, wine, and Dijon mustard. This combination produces the best sauce for lamb chops.  I used white wine, but you can definitely use red wine for the sauce.

    The best part about the lamb chops?  It takes only 10 minutes to pan sear them.  And, thanks to the creamy garlic sauce, the lamb chops are moist and tender!

    The whole recipe takes only 30 minutes to make!  Perfect choice for a weeknight dinner1

    How long does it take to cook lamb chops?

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in stainless steel or cast iron skillet until hot.
    • Pan sear 4 lamb chops for about 4 minutes on each side.
    • Cover with the lid.  Remove from heat.
    • Allow the pan-seared lamb chops rest, covered, for about 5 more minutes.

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

    What herbs go with lamb chops?

    The best herbs for lamb are fresh herbs:

    • Thyme
    • Rosemary
    • Parsley
    • Sage
    • Oregano

    Seasoning for lamb chops

    Lamb has such a distinctive strong flavor, it doesn't need much seasoning.  Salt and pepper and some garlic usually will do.  If you want more flavor, try these seasonings:

    • Cumin
    • Coriander
    • Rosemary
    • Thyme
    • Garlic
    • Red Pepper Flakes
    • Oregano
    • Paprika
    • Curry Powder
    • Mint

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

    Lamb Chop Marinade

    • In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 0.4 oz fresh thyme, ¼ teaspoon of cracked black pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 4 garlic cloves, minced.   Mix.
    • Arrange 4 lamb chops on a large plate.  Pour the marinade over the lamb chops.  Make sure that each side of lamb chops is coated with the marinade.
    • Allow the lamb chops rest for 30 minutes in the marinade before cooking.

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

    How to cook lamb chops

    • Pat dry lamb chops with paper towels to get rid of extra moisture. Coat the lamb chops with the marinade (as described in the previous section) and let it rest for 30 minutes.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet until hot.
    • Add lamb chops.
    • Cook on medium heat about 4 minutes per side.
    • Remove the lamb chops from the skillet.

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

    How to make a sauce for lamb chops

    • Add wine, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, and minced garlic to the skillet and bring to boil.
    • Continue boiling to reduce the sauce, until it thickens.
    • Add back cooked lamb chops.
    • Simmer on low-medium heat to heat them through.
    • Spoon the creamy mustard sauce over the lamb chops and serve.

    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce

    What to serve with lamb chops

    • Roasted potatoes
    • Sauteed spinach
    • Oven-roasted broccoli with cheese
    • Roasted butternut squash and Brussels Sprouts
    • Scalloped potatoes

    Salads to serve with lamb

    • Tomato cucumber avocado salad
    • Cilantro lime potato salad
    • Pesto Mozzarella salad with avocado
    • Greek Tortellini Salad
    • Greek Pasta Salad
    lamb chops with mustard thyme sauce
    4.74 from 230 votes

    Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Mustard-Thyme Sauce

    Make the best and the easiest sauce for lamb chops!  This creamy mustard-thyme sauce is made with garlic, red or white wine, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, sea salt, and cracked black pepper.  This savory Mediterranean dish will become a family favorite dinner!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 449 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Marinade

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 0.4 oz thyme fresh
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper cracked
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 cloves minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    Lamb Chops

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 lamb chops

    Sauce

    • 1 cup white wine or red wine
    • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    • fresh thyme
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

    Instructions 

    How to marinate lamb chops:

    • Combine olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, blacked cracked pepper, sea salt, minced garlic in a medium bowl. Mix.
    • Arrange lamb chops on a large plate.  Pour the marinade over the lamb chops.  Make sure the lamb chops are covered with the marinade from all sides.
    • Let the lamb chops sit at room temperature in this marinade for 30 minutes.

    How to sear lamb chops:

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet until hot. Add lamb chops.
    • Cook on medium heat about 4 minutes on one side.  Then 4 minutes on medium heat on another side.
    • Remove the lamb chops from the skillet.

    How to make the sauce for lamb:

    • Add wine to the same skillet and bring to boil.
    • Add mustard, fresh thyme, and minced garlic.
    • Bring to boil and reduce the sauce, until it thickens.  It should take a couple of minutes.
    • Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. It's optional but it might be good for mellowing the strong flavors! Taste the sauce and add another tablespoon or two of cream, if desired.
    • Add back the pan-seared lamb chops.
    • Simmer on low-medium heat to heat them through.
    • Season the sauce with salt and cracked black pepper, if needed.
    • Note: Make sure the lamb chops are cooked to medium. If not, cook them in the sauce, covered with the lid, for a couple of minutes.  Then, remove from heat, and allow the lamb chops rest, covered until they are cooked through. 
    • To serve, spoon the sauce over lamb chops and sprinkle more fresh thyme on top.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Mustard-Thyme Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    449
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    23
    g
    35
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    38
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    128
    mg
    43
    %
    Sodium
     
    484
    mg
    21
    %
    Potassium
     
    633
    mg
    18
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    4
    g
    1
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    43
    g
    86
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    150
    IU
    3
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    8.7
    mg
    11
    %
    Calcium
     
    53
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    4.7
    mg
    26
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword how to cook lamb chops, pan-seared lamb chops, sauce for lamb chops
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Tom

      February 23, 2025 at 6:14 pm

      Great flavor!
      A couple comments
      1. had 12 chops, so tripled everything as recommended elsewhere
      2. I recommend white wine. The cab I tried tasted too tanniny, the the dark color turned out too brownish, which isn't nearly as appetizing on lamb as a more mustard-color sauce would have been
      3. I served it with baked potatoes--which LOVED the dark sauce.
      4. In the ingredient, it would be instructive to say the thyme doesn't need to be stripped from the sprigs--whole sprigs. Also, it wouldn't hurt to say how many sprigs 0.4ozs might be

      I'm definitely making this again.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 25, 2025 at 3:38 pm

        Thank you, Tom, for your detailed review, all the helpful tips, and great feedback!

        Reply
    2. Ally

      December 08, 2024 at 10:22 pm

      This was my 1st recipe experimenting with lamb. And oh goodness, the flavors were amazing! I too, didn't change a thing and followed the recipe. I found myself licking the sauce off the plate lol! I marinated 3 of 4 over night and cooked one after marinating for only 30 mins. Definitely, recommend the former. But either one is still packed with flavor. The red wine based reduction is absolutely a star player! I can't say enough. I'll be cooking this for guests soon.

      Reply
    3. Eliza

      November 20, 2024 at 6:51 pm

      Super tasty, I've made it twice now! The second time, my guest didn't consume alcohol, so instead of the wine in the sauce I used the marinade liquid and it was still very yummy

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 20, 2024 at 11:18 pm

        So glad this recipe was a hit, Eliza! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Kate

      November 17, 2024 at 7:09 pm

      This was wonderful! Didn't change a thing. Served it with roasted potatoes, asparagus and a mixed salad! Yum!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 17, 2024 at 11:05 pm

        So glad this recipe turned out well for you, Kate! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Alex

      July 21, 2024 at 6:03 pm

      If making 12 lamp loin chops, how much wine should I use?

      Reply
      • Julia

        July 22, 2024 at 10:11 pm

        Hi Alex, since I used 4 lamb chops, I would just mulitply all ingredients by 3 so that there is enough sauce for everyone.

        Reply
    6. Leonora Kelly

      June 16, 2024 at 7:23 pm

      Can you use coconut milk in place of heavy cream?

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 17, 2024 at 3:27 pm

        Yes, that should work just fine!

        Reply
    7. Judy

      April 13, 2024 at 12:44 pm

      I can’t believe how incredible this sounds! I’m having guests for lamb chops next Monday and, instead of grilling, I’m going to do them this way! And your weekly recipes make me wish I was still cooking for a family!

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 14, 2024 at 4:19 pm

        This recipe should work great for entertaining, Judy! 🙂 🙂

        Reply
        • Judy

          April 16, 2024 at 12:10 am

          I made this for my guests and it was a hit! I did add more cream to the sauce than the recipe recommended as well as about a tablespoon of sugar to offset the strong flavor of the mustard. That solved the problem and it was delicious!

          Reply
          • Julia

            April 16, 2024 at 11:24 am

            Such a helpful feedback, Judy, thank you! 🙂

            Reply
            • Goerge

              August 07, 2024 at 7:39 am

              Julia I think there is too much wine in this resipeee it’s got a fery strong taste to it ??

            • Julia

              August 07, 2024 at 3:23 pm

              Hi George, if it tastes like too much wine, I would just cook the sauce (without cream) longer, until the wine reduces considerably, and then add cream.

    8. Kristie Whittemore

      March 31, 2024 at 1:30 am

      This was my first time making lamb. I got a good price, so I was browsing for recipes & yours looked amazing!
      It was so good. Served with some mushroom wild rice and green beans.

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 31, 2024 at 1:32 pm

        Kristie, I am so happy my recipe did not disappoint! And, I love your choice of side dishes. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Kathy Scollan

      March 24, 2024 at 3:16 pm

      Can the chops be in the marinade over night?

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 28, 2024 at 11:17 pm

        Kathy, I wouldn't do that.

        Reply
    10. Valentine

      February 13, 2024 at 3:54 pm

      Can I use dried thyme if I dont have fresh?

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 13, 2024 at 8:22 pm

        Yes, you can. Use about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.

        Reply
    11. Dee

      January 23, 2024 at 11:36 pm

      Tonight I made just for me 2 lamb chops with your mustard sauce. I used 2 tbsp of cream and added caramelized onions and oyster mushrooms. Lamb only med-rare. The sauce is fabulous. I'll add it to my repertoire for guests.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 24, 2024 at 5:48 pm

        Dee, I am so happy you loved the sauce! I love the addition of caramelized onions + mushrooms! 🙂

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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