Top Your Roast Lamb With This Delicious Mint Jelly Sauce

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 10/21/21
New Zealand lamb with baked onions and mint sauce

Joff Lee / Getty Images

Prep: 7 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 12 mins
Servings: 10 servings

Like the marriage of roast turkey with cranberry sauce, roast lamb pairs beautifully with its own condiment—mint sauce. The origin of this match seems to be unknown, but lamb and mint have been side by side for centuries, and its popularity doesn't ever seem to wane. Perhaps it is the combination of lamb's gamy and earthy tastes with the brightness and freshness of the mint that makes the duo so appealing, or that when farm-to-table was a standard way of eating, the herb grew plentifully next to where the livestock roamed.

Either way, mint helps cut through some of that classic lamb taste, and brightens up the meat beautifully. This flavorful mint sauce recipe for lamb is easy to prepare, using ready-made mint jelly as a base. Whip it up in a snap for your next roast dinner.

This sauce will pair well with a marinated and grilled butterflied leg of lamb or a roasted leg of lamb tinged with garlic and herbs. Lamb chops are the perfect accompaniment to this vibrant green condiment. Try them with rosemary, red wine vinegar, and garlic—mild but flavorful.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Combine sugar, water, and vinegar in a saucepan over medium-low heat; simmer for 5 minutes.

  2. Add mint jelly and whisk ingredients until well blended.

  3. Stir in the chopped mint and lemon juice until combined. Serve alongside the lamb recipe of your choice.

Tips

You can use this sauce in a number of ways, including lamb. Here are some ideas:

  • Serve drizzled on grilled chicken or shrimp.
  • Combine it with a little bit of plain yogurt or mayonnaise and use it as a dip or spread with a creamy base.
  • Toss it with some roasted red potatoes with rosemary and olive oil to give the potatoes a zingy taste.
  • Combine it with some olive oil and create a flavorful salad dressing out of it; it's especially good with cooked legumes such as chickpeas or tossed with butter lettuce and fresh radishes.

How to Store and Freeze Mint Jelly Sauce

This mint jelly will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for at least two weeks. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You may need to reheat it briefly over low heat in a saucepan to regain its sauce-like consistency.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
61 Calories
0g Fat
15g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 61
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 21mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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