Oma's Traditional German Roasted Lamb (Lammbraten)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: May 16, 2012, Updated: April 14, 2025

Roast lamb recipe with a German twist—this one’s marinated in buttermilk for extra tenderness and flavor. It’s a special-occasion dish made surprisingly simple.

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Roasted Lamb, served German style. Try making this scrumptious meal for a dinner party and WOW everyone with the astounding flavors.

This roasted lamb recipe, aka lammbraten, is especially delicious for Easter dinner. A German tradition, it's great all year long.  

Although not as common or traditional as beef and pork, lamb is becoming more widespread with the increase in immigrants to Germany.

One of the best lambs to eat in Germany are the 'salt meadow lambs'. These are lambs that have been raised in Schleswig-Holstein on the dykes. Their food is the salt grasses. The meat, saltier? No, just tastier!

Whenever we visited the northern part of Germany, near Bredstedt in Nordfriesland, we often walked along the dykes. Fresh sea air. Little lambs frolicking about. Peaceful. 

We walked right among the sheep. One just needs to watch where one is stepping ;)

In some places, there are beaches. Often we'd also walk out to the Hallig. These are small, unprotected or slightly protected marsh islands off the coastline. With the tide out, one could walk right out to them. Once just had to be careful to be back before the tide turned.

It was always a treat to go to a local restaurant that overlooks the water. Local food was always an attraction. Lamb was typically on the menu.

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I have to admit, we rarely had lamb at home growing up. My Mutti seldom made it. That was probably because of the cost of it here in southern Ontario, Canada.

However, if one can find a good source, then one is in for a treat. The tender meat has a distinctive flavor and is often enhanced with garlic, and in my recipe below, with mustard.

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Traditional German Roasted Lamb Recipe – Oma's Lammbraten

Traditional German roasted lamb (lammbraten) marinated in buttermilk, then roasted to tender perfection. Perfect for Easter or any special occasion.

Prep Time: 

15 minutes

Marinate Time:

12 hours

Roast Time:

2 hours

Total Time:

14 hours 15 minutes

Servings:

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 - 5 pounds ( 1.8 - 2.3 kg) leg of lamb
• 6 cups (1.4 l) buttermilk
• ½ cup (115 g) butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mustard
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil and rosemary, finely chopped (if desired)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt 
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup (240 ml) white wine
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch and a bit of cold water
• ½ cup (120 ml) whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Place the lamb roast into the buttermilk and marinate overnight in the fridge.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Remove roast from buttermilk, rinse, and pat dry. (discard buttermilk)
4. Mix together the butter, mustard, tomato paste, basil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper into a paste. Spread over the lamb roast.
5. Place roast onto a rack in the roasting pan and roast for about 2  hours or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
6. Remove roast from roasting pan and let it rest, tenting with foil until you make the gravy.
7. De-glaze the roasting pan with the wine. 
8. Add the cornstarch dissolved in a bit of cold water to thicken gravy. Add whipping cream and stir. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated: April 14, 2025

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to your table

Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.