Grilled Lamb Cutlets Mint Yogurt (Printable)
Tender grilled lamb cutlets complement a fresh mint yogurt sauce, perfect for a light Mediterranean meal.
# What You Need:
→ Lamb
01 - 8 lamb cutlets (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Mint Yogurt Sauce
09 - 7 ounces Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ To Serve
15 - Lemon wedges
16 - Fresh mint sprigs
# Directions:
01 - In a bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, sea salt, and black pepper. Thoroughly coat the lamb cutlets with the mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours to intensify flavor.
02 - While lamb marinates, stir together Greek yogurt, fresh mint, parsley, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and chill until serving time.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
04 - Remove lamb cutlets from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness or adjust time to preferred cooking level. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes.
05 - Plate the grilled lamb cutlets with a generous dollop of the mint yogurt sauce, garnished with lemon wedges and fresh mint sprigs.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lamb stays impossibly tender because the marinade does all the work while you do something else.
- Mint yogurt is a complete flavor turnaround that works on everything from vegetables to bread to leftover lamb.
- It feels impressive enough for guests but honest enough that you won't stress making it on a Tuesday night.
02 -
- Marinating for longer than 4 hours can make the meat mushy because the acid in the lemon zest keeps breaking down the proteins; there's such a thing as too much of a good thing.
- Don't skip letting the lamb rest after cooking; those 2 minutes are when the heat finishes its work and the juices redistribute so every bite is tender instead of dry.
03 -
- Buy lamb cutlets from a butcher if you can, tell them you're grilling, and ask for them to be cut to even thickness—it's the kind of conversation that guarantees better results.
- The grill marks matter less than even cooking; if your grill has hot and cool spots, use them strategically to control how fast the outside chars versus how gently the inside cooks.