Easy pan-seared Lamb Loin Chops Recipe with garlic and olive pil. Delicious, Mediterranean-style dinner that takes only 30 minutes to make!
Basic lamb loin chop recipe
Ever wondered how to cook lamb chops? It's surprisingly easy and quick. Because lamb loin chops naturally have so much amazing flavor, you don't have to add too much to enhance it. In this easy recipe, I use lots of garlic, salt & pepper, and olive oil - just to bring out the natural savory flavor of the lamb.
What is the difference between lamb chops and lamb loin chops?
- Lamb loin chops (this is what I am using in this recipe) look pretty much like small T-bone steaks, with the lamb loin on one side and the small fillet on the other, just like what you would see on a regular T-bone steak. They are very tender. Loin chops are cut from the waist of the lamb, and they don't have the rib bone.
- Lamb chops are generally rib chops, which are cut from the ribs of the lamb, and they often have the rib bone.
- Both kinds of chops are great pan-seared, sauteed, or prepared on the grill.
What is a good sauce for lamb chops?
Something very simple! Here, I just combined olive oil, garlic, salt and ground black pepper. Doesn't get any easier than that! Just rub the lamb loin chops with this sauce, on both sides. And, get ready to cook them!
How do you cook lamb chops on the stove in a skillet?
- First of all, allow lamb chops to reach room temperature before cooking. That means taking them out of the refrigerator and letting them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes.
- Then, rub them with the sauce as described above.
- Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet until hot.
- Add the chops and cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on one side, then turn over and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.
- Then, reduce the heat to low, add minced garlic, and let the lamb chops cook on low heat for about 10 more minutes.
- Next, remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a lid, and allow the chops to rest in the skillet for about 10 more minutes - they will continue cooking.
- After 10 minutes, check for doneness to make sure they are medium-rare to medium. Use an instant meat thermometer to check - the internal temperature should register 145 F. If not, cover with lid, and let the chops sit for 5-10 minutes longer - they will continue cooking, off heat.
How long do I cook lamb loin chops? And, how do you know when lamb chops are cooked?
Lamb chops are best when cooked medium when the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 F on the instant thermometer. Avoid lamb chops being well done, even though they are still delicious that way, too.
Keep in mind, lamb loin chops are very tender cut and they cook relatively quickly. It's really enough just to cook them on the stovetop on high heat for 3 minutes on one side, flip them and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Then let them rest off heat, covered, in the hot skillet for about 10-15 minutes. It's not necessary to put them in the oven, but if you want them on a more done side, you can cook them longer on low heat on the stovetop or put them in the oven at 350 F for 10 extra minutes (after searing for 3 minutes on each side as described in this recipe).
How to add extra flavor
If you do want to add some extra flavor, a little bit of something both sweet and tart goes really well, such as pomegranate seeds.
What goes well with lamb chops?
Something creamy and savory always goes really well with lamb, such as these easy scalloped potatoes. You will also want to serve something fresh and green, such as simple sautéed spinach.
What is a good side dish for lamb chops?
Green vegetables are a great side dish for lamb loin chops. Green veggies provide a beautiful color contrast with lamb and create a gorgeous presentation. Try these recipes:
- Green Beans with Pine Nuts
- Baked Asparagus with Gruyere cheese, Garlic, and Bacon
- Asiago Cheese Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 lamb loin chops
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Bring lamb loin chops to room temperature. That means taking them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking and allowing them to reach room temperature before cooking.
- Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, and mix. Rub lamb loin chops with this mixture.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (I used stainless steel skillet) on medium-high heat. Add lamb loin chops and cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on one side, then turn over and cook for 3 minutes on the other side. Use splatter screen, if needed.
- Then, reduce the heat to low, flip the lamb chops back to the other side, add minced garlic around and underneath the lamb chops, and cook the chops on low heat for about 10 more minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat, cover with lid. Let the lamb loin chops rest after cooking, in the skillet, off heat, covered, for about 10-15 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, check the lamb loin chops for doneness. They should have a nice pink color when cut in the center (not raw). The internal temperature of chops should register at 145 F. If the lamb chops are still raw, continue cooking, covered, on medium heat for another 5-10 minutes, until they are properly cooked.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.
Nutrition
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.
You don't mention how thick the chops are, or what the weight of the 4 chops are. Mine were fairly thin, so I cooked them for the 3 minutes a side, but feared they would be quite well done if I left them in the pan as long as you suggest. I was using a cast iron skillet, so it retained more heat than a stainless pan would, so I just left them a few more minutes, and they were excellent. I didn't have pomegranates but wanted something a bit sweet, so added about a tsp of apricot/orange marmalade to the pan, after removing the chops. Mixed with the garlic, it made a tart, slightly sweet glaze to add to the chops.
Thank you for recipe. It worked very well and they did come out perfectly cooked, even though my chops were very thick (1 1/2+ inches) and the recipe does not include cooking time based on thickness of meat. I used cast iron and browned all surfaces (6).
Instead of adding the chopped garlic I smashed some cloves and let the flavor infuse into the oil, before rubbing the oil onto the meat. Just the oil, salt and pepper is all it needs.
Linda, I am glad you found this recipe helpful. Thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂
I've never cooked lamb before, so this was my first attempt. I've done a lot of sauteeing with chicken and vegetarian dishes, so I have a lot of experience cooking other dishes, but not lamb. I picked this recipe because it was more interesting than most other lamb loin chop recipes I found online, which were basically like "just saute it".
The minced garlic got burned and kept the meat from getting a caramelized crust on the outside - so I just ended up scraping that off and adding shallots to the pan at the end instead.
The cooking time also did not work out for me. I took off the chops when they were at 130 F and left them covered in the pan off the heat for 12 minutes, but when I measured them again they were at 120 F, so I just put them back on the burner on low again for another 5 minutes or so and got them to temp. Even so, it's lamb so it was great!
Thank you for this constructive feedback - I appreciate it! I have updated the recipe to address the burnt garlic issue.
Oh my goodness! I made them about a month ago using your recipe, and they were just perfect! I couldn't believe it~ so incredibly tasty! And, they just melted in your mouth. Gonna try to make them when we go on our family vacation.
Michelle, thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! If you like lamb, take a look at this recipe as well - it's got great reviews - and the sauce is really good with lamb! Lamb Chops with Mustard-Thyme Sauce.
They turned out perfectly, other than the garlic burning. Great recipe!
Oh my gosh! So good! The lamb loin chops I just made using your recipe and times for cooking were AMAZING! The best dinner I have had in so long, and I made it. They were SOOOOO tender and delicious. I was in heaven. Yum!
Michelle, I am so flattered by your enthusiastic comment! 🙂 I know a lot of people might like the recipe but don't have the time to comment, but when I see glowing reviews like yours - they really make my day!
Jennifer, thank you for the feedback!
I marinated my lamb chops with some garlic, so I didn’t add more during cooking. I used a cast iron skillet & found they were perfectly done after only 5 min with the lid. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!
Lara, thank you for such helpful feedback - I appreciate it!!! And glad you enjoyed this recipe and will be making it again. Making these in a cast-iron skillet is a good idea.
This is a great recipe! Too cold out to grill so I went searching for a stove top recipe for my lamb chops. So happy I found this one. I followed it exactly and had perfect lamb chops for dinner. So good and easy! Thank you!
Debra, I am happy the recipe was a success! Thank you for sharing such a positive and enthusiastic comment and thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂
SFC… medium high heat or a 7, 2 minutes/side, remove from heat, cover and set for 10 minutes. Lamb really shouldn’t go over 130-135 max internal temp.
Great tips! Especially about letting the lamb rest after cooking for about 10 minutes. Then, use a meat thermometer - the internal temperature should register 145 F after the meat rested for 5 or 10 minutes. The meat will be at medium-well doneness.
Define "hot." Putting the stove to high resulted in a brief fire when I put the first chop in.
10 minutes.... I should have started checking at 5. They came out at 165 after 10.
Maybe I'll give it another try next week.
Your recipe looks delicious and simple to make-Ive never cooked Lamb before but you look Sooooo cute I'm sure it will be fine!!
Enjoy!