Delight your guests with this sous vide rack of lamb coated with a crust of fresh green herbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Even better, you can make it a few days in advance!

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Green Herb Crust

Disclaimer: This article is sponsored by KitchenBoss Global. The recipe in this article is made with KitchenBoss sous vide products, which I received for free. Like all content on this site, all opinions are mine and based on my own experiences. Some of the links in the article are affiliate links. If you decide to purchase any products through those links, I’ll receive a very small percentage of commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you as always for reading and cooking with StreetSmart Kitchen.

You know the feeling when you are anxiously trying something new and aren’t sure about the result, then it ends up blowing you away? You are like, “Holy cow, I did it!” That’s how I felt when I tried this green herb-crusted sous vide rack of lamb from Mastering Sous Vide with KitchenBoss Cookbook. It’s an impressive main dish for any holiday and gathering!

Why Sous Vide Rack of Lamb?

Cooking lamb sous vide has undeniable advantages. 

  • A rack of lamb is not cheap! I am not sure about you, but I get nervous when I deal with an expensive cut of meat such as beef tenderloin for Beef Wellington, lamb chops, a whole leg of lamb, a ribeye or a Porterhouse. I fear overcooking them. Lamb racks are leaner and smaller, which makes it even more nerve-wracking when cooking with traditional methods. With sous vide cooking, however, it’s nearly impossible to overcook it, and you get this perfect medium-rare result from edge to edge!
  • Cooking nice and slow at a precise temperature followed by a quick, high-heat sear gives you a nice brown crust with evenly cooked and tender meat.
  • You can get creative by adding more flavor when searing. Basting with butter and aromatics such as a few cloves of garlic and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary is one way, and coating it with a green herb crust is another way, which we’ll get into shortly.

It totally takes the stress away during holidays or gatherings. A properly cooked rack of lamb as the main dish is not only visually impressive but a true crowd-pleaser. The prep work for this sous vide rack of lamb takes practically no time, and you can make it ahead. All you need to do on the big day is finish it off.

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb Time and Temperature

If you use a KitchenBoss G320 Sous Vide Cooker, the rack of lamb cooking time and temperature are already built-in; they are one of 20 programs that come along with the machine. All you need to do is to select the rack of lamb program on the cooker’s TFT color screen and press start. The preset time and temperature for medium doneness are 135°F (57°C) for 2 hours. 

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But if you are using a different sous vide machine and would like to experiment with different doneness, here’s a quick reference chart.

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb TemperatureTime Doneness
126°F (52°C)2 hoursRare
131°F (55°C)2 hoursMedium-rare
135°F – 140°F (57°C – 60°C)2 hoursMedium
145°F – 149°F (63°C – 65°C)2 hoursMedium-well
158°F (70°C)2 hoursWell-done

Green Herb Crust

To take your masterpiece—an evenly-cooked-from-edge-to-edge rack of lamb—to a whole next level, this green herb crust is a must! Here’s what you need and how to make it. 

  • First and foremost, fresh herbs. Lots of them! The keyword here is fresh. Do not use dry herbs for the crust. Basil, mint, parsley, thyme, or even dill make a great combination.
  • Next, freshly grated parmesan cheese. Adding parmesan to the herb mixture creates another in-depth flavor to the crust. It also helps make everything come together.
  • Last but not least, plain breadcrumbs. Whether you choose to toast them in a hot pan on the stove or bake them in the oven together with the lamb to finish, the breadcrumbs are what make the crust crispy and golden. 

To coat your lamb well with the green herb crust and make sure the goodies stay where they are supposed to be, we apply a generous layer of Dijon mustard on the lamb after searing. 

To finish in the oven as introduced in Mastering Sous Vide with KitchenBoss Cookbook, dip the lamb in the combined crust mixture and bake at 325°F (180°C) for 3 minutes to crisp it up. 

As usual, I came up with a stovetop finishing method that results in no less. Before you add the breadcrumbs to the green herb mixture, toast them in a hot pan for a minute or two until crisp and lightly golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in all the fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt if desired. (I chop my herbs. You can use a blender for the job). 

Now, pour the whole thing on your Dijon-coated lamb to cover completely. It’s glorious!

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Green Herb Crust

Gear You Need

Before you roll up your sleeves, let’s get you geared up first. You’ll need: 

  • A sous vide machine.
  • A large pot that’s big enough to hold your rack of lamb and still have room for the water to circulate.
  • A vacuum sealer, ideally, and a vacuum sealer bag, or
  • A Ziploc-style plastic bag and use the water displacement method to sous vide. 
  • A heavy-duty skillet such as a cast-iron skillet

Here’s what I used to make this recipe. 

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb adapted from KitchenBoss Sous Vide Cookbook
  • KitchenBoss G320 Sous Vide Cooker. The biggest difference between KitchenBoss and other sous vide precision cookers is the 20 built-in programs that display vibrantly on its TFT color screen, which is 100% waterproof, if you’re wondering. This thoughtful function allows you to cook a full category of food sous vide without thinking about the time and temperature setting. The built-in recipes include steak, lamb, pork, seafood, chicken, duck, vegetables, and dessert. Just select and press start. Let KitchenBoss do the rest. Along with the bonus cookbook, you can whip up some restaurant-quality meals hassle-free. For example, this very recipe is from their cookbook. 

I also used a vacuum sealer machine from KitchenBoss. Their starter kit comes with some pre-cut vacuum sealer bags. The size is literally perfect for a rack of lamb.

How to Sous Vide Rack of Lamb Step by Step (Video)

Make-Ahead Tips

This herb-crusted sous vide rack of lamb can be made way ahead of serving time. For a holiday or dinner gathering, you’ll be able to put together a masterpiece in under 10 minutes if you prepare ahead. 

  • Sous vide the lamb and rapidly chill it in an ice-water bath. From this point, the lamb can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure the lamb is still in its sealed bag, unopened. This is where a vacuum sealer works wonders for food safety reasons.
  • For an oven finish, you can combine all the ingredients for the green herb crust (including the breadcrumbs) and set it aside until ready to use.

All that’s left to do on the serving day is to sear the lamb and coat it with the herb mixture, then crisp it up. Voilà!

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Green Herb Crust

What to Serve with Sous Vide Rack of Lamb

Since I had a lot of fresh herbs left from making this recipe, I thought I’d put them to good use. This Fresh Herb Salad with Feta and Chickpeas paired very well with the lamb. I would highly recommend you give it a try.

Also, here are some other side dish recommendations for you to ponder.

Healthy Quinoa Salad

Classic Hummus

Minty Buttery Green Peas

Arugula Pear Salad with Tahini Dressing

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Cauliflower Gratin

Garlic Herb Hasselback Potatoes 

Print
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Sous Vide Rack of Lamb Recipe with Green Herb Crust

  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Sous Vide
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delight your guests with this sous vide rack of lamb. The crust of fresh herbs and Parmesan on the perfectly tender lamb makes this recipe unforgettable. Even better, you can make it a few days in advance!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 rack of lamb (around 1.5 pounds), frenched
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

For the herb crust:

  • 2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoon dill, torn
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
  • 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat water to 135°F (57°C) using a sous vide immersion circulator. (I use the KitchenBoss G320 Sous Vide Cooker. Select the pre-built rack of lamb recipe, and press start.)
  2. In the meantime, prep the lamb by patting it dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
  3. Slide the whole rack into a vacuum sealer bag and vacuum seal. (I use the KitchenBoss Vacuum Sealer Machine Starter Kit including 20 pre-cut vacuum sealer bags.)
  4. Once the water is ready, submerge the prepared rack of lamb under the water. Set the timer for 2 hours. (If using a KitchenBoss G320 Sous Vide Cooker, no need to set the time because it’s pre-programmed already.)
  5. In the meantime, combine all chopped herbs with Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set it aside.
  6. Once the timer goes off, take out the bag and cut it open. Transfer the sous vide rack of lamb onto a cutting board. Pat it dry with paper towels. (If not serving right away, submerge the bag in an ice-water bath to chill rapidly, then refrigerate. Then lamb can be stored in the fridge for five days.)
  7. To finish on the stove: Heat a heavy-duty skillet over high heat until really hot. Add a little olive oil (you won’t need oil if your rack of lamb has a good amount of fat on it) and quickly place the lamb in the skillet, fat cap side down, to sear for 60-90 seconds. Flip and sear the other side for 60 seconds. Remove the lamb rack from the skillet. Switch the heat to medium, work with the remaining fat or oil in the skillet (add more if needed), add the breadcrumbs and stir immediately and continuously to toast. Once the color turns slightly brown, about 1-2 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in herb mixture. Add a pinch of salt to taste if desired. Brush the lamb with Dijon mustard and dip the rack in the herb crust to coat. Use a sharp knife to slice between the bones and serve. Or bring the whole piece to your holiday table.
  8. To finish in the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (180°C). Combine all the ingredients for the herb crust except the olive oil. Follow the above step to sear the lamb and brush with Dijon mustard. Dip in the herb crust mixture. Ensure the herb crust mixture evenly covers the lamb. Bake for 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Mastering Sous Vide with KitchenBoss Cookbook which comes with KitchenBoss G320 Sous Vide Cooker when you purchase it.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 437
  • Sugar: 0.8g
  • Sodium: 433mg
  • Fat: 21.2g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Trans Fat: 0.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 10.4g
  • Fiber: 1.2g
  • Protein: 50.3g
  • Cholesterol: 147.5mg
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About the Author

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.