Last month, we celebrated Gavin’s mom’s birthday. There are two foods that she absolutely loves: lamb and lemon. We decided to treat her to a meal of both of her favorites by making lamb fajitas and a lemon olive oil cake.
We wanted to make a lamb dish that was easy, didn’t require too much tending to, and was simply delicious.
The basis of the recipe is similar to a beef fajita recipe but packs way more flavor and uses Mediterranean spices, including an addicting harissa yogurt sauce.
This lamb recipe is also a perfect way to use leftover lamb since a small amount of meat goes pretty far when you load up your tortilla with grilled veggies.
Speaking of colorful veggies, this is also likely one of the tastiest non-traditional renditions of healthy lamb recipes (just don’t overdo it on the guac!).
For this recipe, the fajita meat we used is lamb shoulder. If you might also choose to make lamb breast for these tacos as well.
You could use meat from a lamb shank or leg of lamb, but we used a steak from the lamb shoulder.
We chose this cut because while we were in Maine with the American Lamb Association during our Northeast road trip, we had the opportunity to taste many different cuts of lamb and we really liked the flavor from the cuts near the shoulder and loin.
We chose to sous vide our lamb steaks. If you aren’t familiar with sous vide, it is the method of cooking your food in a water bath at a controlled temperature.
We’ve learned that using sous vide for steaks is a total game changer, your meat comes out perfectly cooked and tender, and tastes better than a steak at a restaurant!
If you don’t have a sous vide, you can choose to pop the lamb on the grill or sear it in a skillet.
Easy, Lamb Fajitas
Serves 4-6
Lamb steak
4 medium-sized lamb shoulder steaks
2 tablespoons cumin
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Roasted veggies
3 bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sumac (check an ethnic grocery store or online if you can’t get it at your grocer)
Dukkah (we like the one from Trader Joes)
Olive Oil
Harissa Yogurt Sauce
1 cup of plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoons harissa, based on your desired spice level
1 clove of garlic, minced
Additional Fajita Ingredients
Tortillas
Guacamole
Cilantro
Radishes, sliced
Any other fajitas toppings that you love
Start by bringing your lamb to room temperature and season it generously with salt, pepper, and cumin. If using a sous vide, place the steaks in a ziplock bag and add a drizzle of olive oil. Use the water displacement method and sous vide the lamb for 4 hours at 132 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. Once complete, give your lamb steaks a quick sear on a scorching hot pan to finish your steak.
If you are going to cook your lamb steak the traditional way, season your meat as directed above. Cook your steaks in a skillet or on a grill until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Let your meat rest for 5 minutes before you slice your steak.
While you are cooking your steak, scatter your veggies on a sheet pan and drizzle them with olive oil. Season them with salt, pepper, sumac, and dukkah. Broil your veggies on high until they start to soften and char.
To make your harissa yogurt sauce, combine all three ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
Now comes the fun part, making the fajitas! We like to add all ingredients to a platter in the middle of the dining room table and let everyone build their own creation!
This recipe was created in partnership with the American Lamb Association. All recipes, ideas, and opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting the brands we love!
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