What to Serve with Lamb Chops: 13 Tremendous Choices

While many Americans probably associate lamb with a traditional Easter meal, we don’t like to hem ourselves in with this juicy, earthy protein.

Why take on an intimidating, full holiday dinner with butterflied leg of lamb or roasted rack of lamb, when the classic simplicity of a juicy, bone-in chop awaits you?

Seared in a skillet with a simple pan sauce, coated in earthy Middle Eastern herbs and grilled to succulent juiciness, or braised in a dreamy harissa sauce, lamb is loved around the world.

So, don’t be afraid to play around with flavors from different regions.

From the British Isles to Greece and Turkey and the Middle East to Indian, it’s hard to find a cuisine that doesn’t embrace the rich, meaty, astringent sweetness of lamb.

What do we love so much about lamb chops?

Lamb has a distinctive, lightly gamey flavor which some people love but others have yet to acquire. But it takes so many flavors so well that once you find the right combination for you, the love will stick with you forever.

But then, really, how do you pick what to serve with lamb chops and love it? Let’s take a look…

Mint is a classic British pairing with lamb. And for good reason. But many other herbs and spices work well too.

With lamb’s unique flavor, many prefer to bring on equally strong herbs, spices and side dishes. We couldn’t agree more.

Assertive garlic, rosemary, thyme, and sage are all magical combinations.

Maybe dusted with a deep layer of earthy and pungent cumin and other warm spices? Yes, please.

A marinade loaded with fennel, coriander, ginger, and lemon? Twist my arm.

Grilled with a mint chimichurri? Oh. My. Lord.

But once you’ve landed on your favorite flavors, what are the best side dishes to serve with your new favorite lamb chops dish?

Spring flavors can be a great place to start.

You can’t really go wrong if you lean into seasonal vegetables such as peas and asparagus as side dishes for lamb chops.

A root vegetable like turnips and radishes, especially braised or roasted, can also really bring out the best in the lamb.

13 Best Sides to Serve with Lamb Chops Tonight

There are so many ways to go and we have a small, small world of possibilities for you to consider right here.

Read on to let us guide you toward your new favorite menu featuring lamb chops.

1. Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

French flageolet beans are a classic pairing with lamb, but these gorgeous little packets of flavor bring so much more to the meal!

From fresh, hearty, and sweet heirloom tomatoes to flageolet beans and robust, herby flavors, this dish hits so many perfect notes to round out a simple pan-seared lamb chop.

Jenny at Nourished Kitchen tells the full story. Find her recipe here: nourishedkitchen.com

2. Flageolet Beans a la Francaise

This classic preparation of flageolet beans – replete with herby thyme and garlic – will play beautifully beside a well-seasoned lamb chop.

Savory. Elegant. Simple. The textural contrasts of beans and pearl onions will make everyone around the table hum a little song of joy.

Hello, Mama! Thanks for the beany goodness!

Helene over at French Foodie Baby gives the rundown for her mother’s version of this well-loved French recipe.  Click here to read all about it: frenchfoodiebaby

3. Rosemary Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

These hasselback potatoes will fill your kitchen with the luxurious aromas of rosemary and garlic.

And your lamb chops will sit up and take notice, because if there’s anything they love more than rosemary – it’s garlic.

While these potatoes might look complicated and only for those with incredibly precise knife skills, they’re really deceptively simple.

Just take a potato and slice it nearly all the way through. Voila! You have the perfect vehicle for flavor.

Sylvia from Feasting at Home shows you just how easy it is to make these showstopping potatoes: feastingathome.com

4. Mediterranean Couscous Salad

They say that opposites attract. If so, then this summery couscous salad can’t keep its hand off grilled lamb chops.

This light and bright couscous and vegetable salad with Mediterranean flavors is a lovely contrast to the rustic earthiness of the lamb.

Feta, basil, mint, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and onions all bask in the joy of a lemony vinaigrette.

Michelle at The Last Food Blog pulls it all together for your dining pleasure. Check out her recipe here: thelastfoodblog.com

5. Tabbouleh

What vegetable goes well with lamb chops? Oh, so many of them!

And this tabbouleh recipe gets bumped up a notch when you toss this classic salad with a Baharat spice mix for a slightly sweet, warm, and savory kiss of flavor.

Your bulgur, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, and mint will declare that they never knew what love was until they were combined with the Baharat and pomegranate seeds.

 Sabina over at Girl Vs Globe shows you exactly how it’s done. Head on over for the full scoop: girlvsglobe.com

6. Broccoli Rabe

Wondering what vegetable goes well with lamb chops and is packed with colossal vitamins? This one does the trick!

Garlic and red pepper flakes provide some heat, and a bit of acid from lemon make this broccoli rabe a keeper.

Paired with grilled lamb chops on a platter, people revel at the green and grilled deliciousness.

Broccoli rabe isn’t just a “super food,” it’s literally a “super side dish.”

Anna and Liz over at 2 Sisters Recipes give us the recipe for all the garlicy broccoli rabe nom-nom-nom-ness. Find the recipe here: 2sistersrecipes.com

7. Roasted Spring Vegetables

While you’re braising some lamb chops on the stovetop, don’t forget to put your oven to good use too! Slide a sheet pan loaded with spring veggie goodness in there.

Try this crazy-fun combination of asparagus, broccoli, leeks, carrots, and potatoes. They’re all roasted on a single pan with olive oil and lemon juice for caramelized deliciousness.

If you have some, you could throw in some seasonal radishes for a little bit of bright spice too!

Add a touch of garlic powder and paprika to really make the spring veggie side dish shine.

Natalie over at Life Made Simple pulls the mixture together effortlessly for a veritable riot of color on a platter. Read all about it here: lifemadesimplebakes.com

8. Pea and Mint Risotto

Let’s all take a moment to reflect on the beautiful affinity between mint and lamb chops. Ah, mint and lamb.

But we don’t need to stick to the standard mint jelly. Let’s have mint check another box of flavor.

It’s so refreshingly versatile, that we should give it a chance to shine as a side with arborio rice and spring-fresh peas in a luxuriantly vibrant risotto.

Mint, peas, and lamb? Well, that’s just something everyone wants on their table.

Check out Patrick Drake’s recipe in this video.

9. Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes

Color us intrigued!

Because this base is sweet Hakurei turnips and young radishes, it tastes like spring on a plate.

Try these dual-roasted vegetables with grilled lamb chops and scatter the platter with fresh herbs for a truly eye-catching and seasonal meal.

Anne Marie over at Just a Little Bit of Bacon describes this recipe as, “…twenty minutes, four ingredients, and one skillet.” Grab the recipe here: justalittlebitofbacon.com

10. Moroccan Roasted Potatoes

Set this spicy and earthy side dish beside a cumin-crusted lamb chop and you’ll have a whole new vision of “meat and potatoes.”

Cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder are all finished with fresh cilantro for a vibrant meal that will fill the kitchen with addictive aromas.

Yes, you may find yourself mewling in joy like a kitten in front of a bowl of kibble.

Who doesn’t want that?

Danelle over at Let’s Dish lays out the instructions for this incredible side dish. She shares all of her secrets right here: letsdishrecipes.com

11. Indian-Style Asparagus

While we’re on the subject of enticing and intoxicating aromas, let’s talk about this asparagus recipe.

The flavor comes in a big part from Chaat masala, which is a mixture of cumin, coriander, fennel, ajwain, mint, kala namak, mango powder, and tamarind powder.

Can you imagine the scent? Oh, my.

It’s zingy and tangy with a little bit of heat from the Aleppo pepper flakes.

This is an amazingly simple side dish that would pair perfectly with spice-rubbed lamb chops.Ansh over at SpiceRoots gives us her tasty recipe. See it here: spiceroots.com

12. Creamed Spinach

A classic steakhouse side dish is a great match for grilled lamb. Savory spinach in a creamy bechamel sauce is a combination that everyone will devour.

Although, it does beg the question: Why should you cool your cooked spinach in a western facing window?

Perhaps some whimsical mysteries are better left unsolved.

Find all the delicious magic by watching the video below and learn how to give just a kiss of clove to this traditional mother sauce.

13. Roasted Carrots With Mint Lemon Dressing

By finishing these roasted carrots with a fresh lemon-mint dressing, it takes this side dish up to an entirely different level of deliciousness.

Hello, lemon-mint sauce!

The luscious and slightly decadent dressing on these gorgeously sweet carrots will do the trick every time, especially when paired with brined and grilled lamb chops.

In fact, this minty approach made our list of best lamb chop sauces (yes we love it as much as you do!).

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple explain their new take on a classic roasted veggie recipe here: whiteonricecouple.com

What to Serve with Lamb Chops Prerequisites

Before you settle on your sides for a meal like this, make sure you get the best out of your lamb chops that you can. Here are some helpful tips you may not have thought about before now.

How Hot Is Too Hot?

Lamb chops cook relatively quickly depending on how thick they are, so don’t neglect them on the grill or in the skillet.

An overcooked chop is a sad chop.

A nice high heat, a good sear, and a little love all go a long way. Be attentive and shoot for a nice medium-rare to medium temperature with a nice pink color in the center.

As with most other proteins, you also want to make sure to let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes to let the juices reabsorb, making for a succulent, chin-dripping bite.

Don’t be afraid of marinades or brines either. This will only enhance what you serve as a side dish.

Play the Mellowing “Game”

As we mentioned earlier, lamb does have a characteristic flavor that can be an acquired taste for some. Call it “lamby” or call it “gamey.”

If this is difficult for you and your taste buds, even the more flavorful side dishes for lamb chops won’t hide the taste.

But, here’s what you can do…

Whatever you call it, that particular flavor comes mainly from the kind of fat in lamb and is related to the diet that they’re fed.

Although lamb in the U.S. eat grass for much of their lives, at about a month before being slaughtered their diet is often switched to grain.

This mellows that distinctive taste. Because of this, lamb from other parts of the world is often more “lamby” than our domestically grown cuts.

If you have particularly gamey-tasting cut of lamb and you want to tame it a little bit – whether for your own palate or a guest’s – try trimming off as much fat as you can.

The fat is where that gamy taste resides.

It will still taste like lamb, but you can mellow it a little with a few well-placed knife cuts. When you think about what goes with lamb chops, reach for more intense flavors as well.

Another option for a milder flavor is to search out lamb from younger sheep, often called “spring lamb.”

Speaking of the seasons, we do often associate lamb with the spring season, but you really can find it year round in most areas.

And the flavors do vary from season to season, which can make for a fun way to follow the seasons if you’re a “lamb head.”

Lamb vs. Mutton: A Quick Guide

“Lamb” is just a fussy name for “mutton,” right?

Well, not quite.

Both lamb and mutton do come from sheep, but they’re decidedly not the same, particularly in flavor.

Lamb generally comes from sheep younger than 1-year-old. Lamb has a milder flavor and loves to be grilled, roasted or braised.

Mutton, by contrast, comes from animals 1 to 3 years old. It has a decidedly stronger flavor than lamb and reacts really well to slow cooking methods.

While mutton is popular in other parts of the world, the American market is much smaller, so if you find yourself wishing your lamb taste even more “lamby” then mutton may be the thing for you.

Whether you prefer it subtler or more intense, your lamb never needs to be alone on the plate again.

Have leftovers? Check out our favorite leftover lamb chops recipes or these tasty leftover leg of lamb ideas or our  list of pork chop recipes and see what crosses over and fancies your eye (tummy)!

In the above list are sure to be some of your favorite vegetables and flavor combinations for what to serve with lamb chops, the classic spring protein.