This Gochujang Honey Glazed Leg of Lamb with carrot purée and sesame scallions is the ultimate showstopper for your next dinner. Juicy, perfectly roasted lamb gets brushed with a sticky-sweet Korean-inspired glaze, then paired with silky sesame carrot purée and sesame scallions for a burst of texture and flavour. It's the kind of meal that feels restaurant-worthy but approachable enough for a home cook.
Once you make it, you'll be hooked on the balance of heat, sweetness, and umami!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Incredible Flavour: The gochujang-honey glaze adds sweet heat and depth.
- Balanced and Elegant: Creamy carrot purée and sesame scallions create a perfect bite every time.
- Special Yet Simple: Impressive presentation without complicated techniques.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: The purée and glaze can be prepped in advance to make hosting stress-free.
Ingredients
Lamb
- Bone-in leg of lamb
- Neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
- Salt and pepper
- Gochujang paste
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
Carrot Purée
- Carrots
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Butter
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Salt
Sesame Scallions
- Scallions (Green Onions)
- Neutral oil
- Sesame seeds
- Chili flakes
- Salt
To Serve
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Microgreens or cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges (optional)
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Lamb
Remove the lamb from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking and pat dry.
Season generously with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack in the middle position.
Make the Gochujang Honey Glaze
Whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger.
Reserve a few tablespoons for brushing after roasting.
Sear the Lamb
Heat a large oven-safe skillet (12.5-inch) over medium-high heat until hot.
Add the oil and sear the lamb on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
📌Tip: The bone-in shape may not sit evenly in the pan. Use tongs to tilt and rotate for full browning.
Roast the Lamb
Brush the lamb with a thin layer of glaze and transfer the skillet to the oven, uncovered.
Roast for 45 minutes, brushing with glaze half way through, until the internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) at the thickest part (away from the bone).
Remove from the oven and place on a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 25 minutes. The temperature will rise to 135°F (57°C) for a rosy pink center.
While the lamb is roasting, make the carrot purée & sesame scallions.
Prepare the Carrot Purée
In a small saucepan, simmer carrots with stock until tender, about 15 minutes.
Blend with butter, sesame oil, and rice vinegar until smooth and creamy. Add a little stock if needed to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt and keep warm.
Make the Sesame Scallions
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add scallions and fry until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Stir in sesame seeds, chili flakes, and salt. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Serve
Spoon a swoosh of sesame carrot purée onto each plate. Slice the lamb and layer it over the purée. Drizzle with pan juices and top with sesame scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and microgreens. Add a squeeze of lime for brightness if desired.
Tips & Substitutions
- Substitute the Lamb: Try this glaze on bone-in pork roast or chicken thighs for a smaller meal.
- Make it Mild: Use half the gochujang or replace it with sweet chili sauce for a gentler heat.
- Prep Ahead: Carrot purée can be made a day ahead and gently reheated before serving.
Cook's Notes
- The bone insulates the meat, so always check the temperature with a digital thermometer, near the thickest area, away from the bone.
- If the glaze starts to darken early, tent the roast loosely with foil halfway through cooking.
- Resting the lamb is key to locking in those juicy flavours.
Other Leg of Lamb Recipes to Try Next:
- Charred Citrus & Turmeric Yogurt Marinated Lamb
- Herb Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb
- Rotisserie Boneless Leg of Lamb
- Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette
Equipment Used: This recipe was made in collaboration with Hestan Culinary, and their cookware made the process effortless from start to finish. All opinions in this post are our own.
We used the 12.5" ProBond Skillet to sear and roast the leg of lamb. It delivered beautiful, even browning and transitioned seamlessly from stovetop to oven. The 2-Quart Sauté Pan was perfect for simmering the carrots until tender for our sesame purée, while the 8" Skillet handled the sesame scallions like a pro. And of course, one of Hestan's mixing bowls came in handy for whisking up that sticky gochujang-honey glaze.
📖 Recipe
Gochujang Honey Glazed Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
Lamb
- 4.5 lbs 2 kg local pasture-raised bone-in leg of lamb
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil avocado or grapeseed
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoon gochujang paste
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
Sesame Carrot Purée
- 1.5 lbs 700 g carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Salt to taste
Scallion Crunch
- 4 scallions (green onions) thinly sliced on the bias
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Pinch of salt
To Serve
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Microgreens or cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges optional
Instructions
Prepare the Lamb
- Remove the lamb from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking and pat dry.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack in the middle position.
Make the Glaze
- Whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger.
- Reserve a few tablespoons for brushing after roasting.
Sear the Lamb
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet (12.5-inch) over medium-high heat until hot.
- Add the oil and sear the lamb on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- 📌Tip: The bone-in shape may not sit evenly in the pan; use tongs to tilt and rotate for full browning.
Roast the Lamb
- Brush the lamb with a thin layer of glaze and transfer the skillet to the oven, uncovered.
- Roast for 45 minutes, brushing with glaze half way through, until the internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) at the thickest part (away from the bone).
- Remove from the oven and place on a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 25 minutes. The temperature will rise to 135°F (57°C) for a rosy pink center.
- While the lamb is roasting, make the carrot purée & sesame scallions.
Prepare the Carrot Purée
- In a small saucepan, simmer carrots with stock until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Blend with butter, sesame oil, and rice vinegar until smooth and creamy. Add a little stock if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Season with salt and keep warm.
Make the Sesame Scallions
- Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Add scallions and fry until lightly golden, about 1 minute.
- Stir in sesame seeds, chili flakes, and salt. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Serve
- Spoon a swoosh of sesame carrot purée onto each plate. Slice the lamb and layer it over the purée. Drizzle with pan juices and top with sesame scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and microgreens. Add a squeeze of lime for brightness if desired.
💬We'd really appreciate your feedback!
- Please take a moment to rate and review this recipe below. Your thoughts help others, and it would really make our day! Thank you – James & Elaine!
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