Instant Pot Leg of Lamb

March 12, 2024

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Cooking Leg of Lamb in an instant pot is not only easy, it’s also incredibly tender and flavorful. This Keto Easter dinner comes together in under an hour!

Sliced lamb roast on a grey plate with parsley.

Tender leg of lamb is usually a labor of love. Most recipes call for roasting for upwards of an hour and a half. And I certainly love to cook it that way when I have plenty of time on my hands.

But Instant Pot Leg of Lamb cuts that time almost in half, AND it results in unbelievably juicy, succulent meat. Ever since I first tried this method, I’ve been sold.

Paired with low carb sides like Cauliflower Rice Pilaf and lemony Sugar Snap Peas, it makes a wonderful spring meal. It’s always part of our Keto Easter Menu Plan!

A leg of lamb cooked in an instant pot on a cutting board with garlic, rosemary and parsley.

Why you must try this recipe

Instant Pots are wonderful inventions, and they do so much more than just soups and stews. I think some people tend to forget that, but I’ve made everything from Easy Chicken and Mushrooms to Keto Cinnamon Bread.

The sauté function is incredibly valuable when doing something like leg of lamb, because you can brown the roast all over as you would in a dutch oven. Browning always brings out more flavor.

I still like to pop the roast under my broiler at the very end of cooking, to crisp up the fat a little more. But you can skip that step if you are short on time. Regardless, you will have perfectly cooked meat that is meltingly tender.

I encourage you to give this Instant Pot Leg of Lamb a go and let me know what you think!

Reader Reviews

“I love how easy and delicious this recipe was! Can’t wait to make it again!” — Steph

“This is an awesomely easy and yummy recipe. I made a little change and it’s worth it. Instead of water, I used low sodium beef stock and made a delicious gravy with it after the lamb was cooked.” — Cindy

“It was yummy my family loved it, I cooked my lamb on New Years 2022!” — Renee

Ingredients you need

Top down image of ingredients for Instant Pot Leg of Lamb.

Boneless leg of lamb: You want to find a lamb that will fit inside your pressure cooker. Boneless is going to work best here, as bone-in tends to be much larger and takes longer to cook. Try to get a roast that’s three to four pounds in weight.
Garlic: Always use fresh garlic when pairing with lamb.
Fresh rosemary: If you don’t like rosemary, try other herbs like marjoram or thyme. You can also use Italian seasoning.
Water: I added some water to create the pressure, but you can use beef or vegetable broth.
Olive or avocado oil: A few tablespoons of oil will keep the roast from sticking to the bottom of the pot during browning.
Salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

A collage of 6 images showing how to make Instant Pot Leg of Lamb.

1. Prepare the roast: Pat the lamb roast dry and season with salt and pepper.

2. Brown all over: Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, brown the lamb on all sides.

3. Pressure cook: Insert the rack into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the water to the bottom of the pot. Place the lamb on the rack and set the Instant Pot to meat/stew. Cook 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how rare you want it (30 minutes is about right for medium rare on a 4lb leg of lamb).

4. Release the pressure: Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then vent to release any remaining pressure. Test the internal temperature of the lamb with an instant read thermometer. If it needs more time, you can return it to the pot for a few minutes or you can cook it a bit longer in the oven after broiling the top.

5. Broil: Preheat the broiler. Remove the netting from the lamb and spread the garlic and rosemary all over the top and sides. Set the lamb in a baking dish and broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, to brown the top.

6. Rest: Let the roast rest about 10 minutes before slicing.

Sliced leg of lamb on a gray plate on a concrete table.

Expert Tips

When estimating how long to cook your lamb in the pressure cooker, remember that lamb is best when it it is somewhat pink inside and not well done. So it’s better to cut the cooking time by a few minutes instead of adding more.

A general rule of thumb for Instant Pot Leg of Lamb is to cook is about 12 minutes per pound. If it’s not up to temperature when it comes out of the pot, you can leave it in the oven for a few extra minutes after broiling the top.

If you want to make a gravy, use chicken or beef broth instead of water. Then you can follow my tips here for a good keto gravy.

Leftovers can be place in an air tight container and refrigerated for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

A spoon drizzling juices over sliced leg of lamb.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does lamb take in the Instant Pot?

A 4-pound boneless leg of lamb will take 30 to 35 minutes and the duration depends on how rare you like it. A good rule of thumb is about 12 minutes of pressure cooking per pound. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before removing the lid.

Do you put water in a pressure cooker to cook meat?

When pressure cooking meat, you must add some liquid so that the Instant Pot can create the steam needed to pressure cook the meat. You can use water, stock, wine or a combination of liquids.

How many carbs are in instant pot leg of lamb?

This Instant Pot Leg of Lamb recipe has only 1g of carbs per serving.

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