• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ahead of Thyme logo

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Work With Us
    • Press
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Food Blogger Business School
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » 30 Minute Dinners » Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik)

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik)

    21 Comments

    6K Shares
    Pin5K
    Yum132
    Share89
    Tweet
    More
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    I have noticed a lot of searches on the blog for Persian recipes so today we are taking it back to the roots! Lamb shashlik is my husband's favourite Persian dish and I can definitely see why. It's a Persian style lamb chops dish that is juicy, tender and bursting with flavour. It may become your new favourite as well! Not to boast or anything, but he even says that it tastes better than when we order it at the restaurant. Not that he is biased or anything… hehe 😉

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik): Juicy, tender and bursting flavour, lamb shashlik will be your new favourite way to make lamb chops.

    Lamb shashlik is a quick and easy way to prepare lamb chops. It takes less than 20 minutes to get the perfect medium/rare to medium lamb chop. Of course, if you prefer your meat to be well-done, you just need to adjust the cooking time. Or alternatively, if you prefer a solid medium-rare, lower the cooking time by a few minutes. This may become your new favourite way to make lamb chops!

    What gives this that decadent Persian/Middle Eastern taste is the marinade. We love yogurt. We douse it on just about anything. We even dilute it with water, add salt and drink it. So, naturally, we marinade our meat in a yogurt mixture. This mixture also contains lemon, garlic, onions and saffron. I personally don’t like chunks of onion stuck on my meat when I cook it and that is why I choose to put the marinade through the food processor before I use it. But if you don’t mind, then just chop up the onions and garlic more finely and you are good to go.

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik): Juicy, tender and bursting flavour, lamb shashlik will be your new favourite way to make lamb chops.

    Although this dish is quick and easy to make, you have to prepare ahead of thyme time to ensure your lamb is fully marinated and has soaked up all that yummy flavor. I would recommend 1-2 hours in the fridge. If you don’t have time to wait for the lamb to marinate, then do it the night before!

    Once marinated and all ready to cook, leave the lamb out for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Traditionally, lamb shashlik is skewered and prepared on a barbeque grill, but considering the fact that is it January… the middle of WINTER, let’s use the oven! 🙂 The method that I use is to skillet-fry the lamb chops for a few minutes on each side first. This will “sear” the lamb, giving it those beautiful burnt marks. Then roast them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik): Juicy, tender and bursting flavour, lamb shashlik will be your new favourite way to make lamb chops.

    This lamb dish is traditionally served with a side of Basmati rice. For a low-carb option, serve with a mixed greens salad with feta cheese.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik)


    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    • Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 10 lamb chops
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Juicy, tender and bursting with flavour, Persian style lamb chops (lamb shashlik) will be your new favourite way to make lamb chops.


    Ingredients

    • 1 cup yogurt
    • 1 medium onion, cut in large chunks
    • 4 cloves garlic, whole clove
    • ¼ cup lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
    • 1 tablespoon hot water
    • 10 lamb chops (I used lamb loin chops)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Instructions

    1. Marinade the lamb: Combine the yogurt, onions, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in your food processor and blend.
    2. Dissolve the ground saffron in the hot water.
    3. Add the saffron mixture to your food processor and continue to blend until sauce is yellow.
    4. Place the lamb chops in a large ziploc bag or tupperware container.
    5. Pour the marinade on the lamb chops and fully coat.
    6. Marinade in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours.
    7. Cook: Preheat oven to 400 F.
    8. Remove lamb chops from fridge and let it come back to room temperature while you are waiting for the oven to preheat.
    9. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    10. Drain and transfer the lamb to the skillet. Discard the rest of the marinade.
    11. Sear the lamb, cooking for 3 minutes on each side.
    12. Transfer the lamb onto a lined baking tray
    13. Roast for 10 minutes (for medium-rare) or cook to your preference. Flip halfway through.
    • Prep Time: 8 mins
    • Cook Time: 17 mins
    • Category: Entree
    • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

    Did you make this recipe?

    I'd love to see! Tag me @aheadofthyme on Instagram.

    Persian Style Lamb Chops (Lamb Shashlik): Juicy, tender and bursting flavour, lamb shashlik will be your new favourite way to make lamb chops.
    6K Shares
    Pin5K
    Yum132
    Share89
    Tweet
    More
    « Creamy Pasta with Turkey Bacon
    Game Day Buffalo Hot Wings »

    Stay Updated

    Subscribe now to receive all the latest recipes, tips and news directly to your inbox.
    * indicates required
    How often would you like to receive recipe updates

    Food Blogger Business School | foodbloggerbusinessschool.com

    Food Blogger Business School

    A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business

    in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.

    LEARN MORE

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Curlymoe says

      April 07, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      Wonderful recipe, though I haven't exactly tried it yet. I had a couple of country style Tamworth pork chops and used this marinade (though w/o the saffron, since I didn't have any) and cooked them over charcoal. Wow, they were good.
      I have saffron on order and just picked up some beautiful small lamb rib chops from a local farm. This weekend I will give it a proper try on the grill. Can't wait! Thank you.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

        April 09, 2020 at 3:47 pm

        So glad you liked the recipe! Great idea trying it on pork chops! Let me know how you like it with the saffron on lamb! 🙂

        Reply
        • Curlymoe says

          July 05, 2020 at 6:16 pm

          Tried the complete recipe a couple of times now; last night with a mix of rib and loin chops grilled over charcoal. Fantastic! This is now one of my favorite lamb marinades. It adds so much to the lamb without any individual ingredient being dominant. Looking forward to preparing it for lamb-loving friends who, like myself, are more accustomed to French, Greek or Italian preparations. Had some leftover marinade and lamb so I am doing a long marinade and throwing it in the freezer for down the road. Thanks.

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

            July 11, 2020 at 12:26 am

            Wow thank you so much! This comment totally made my day. SO happy that you like this recipe as much as we do!

            Reply
    2. Jay Loubser says

      July 07, 2019 at 3:24 am

      Delicious! But I altered a bit, I barbequed the meat on bamboo skewers and served it with hummus, apas and green mango achar.

      Reply
      • Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

        September 21, 2019 at 1:41 pm

        Sounds amazing! So glad you liked the recipe!

        Reply
    3. Kara says

      July 18, 2017 at 11:23 pm

      Hi Sam! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! We enjoyed it with saffron rice and vegetables. I look forward to cooking more of your recipes!

      Reply
    4. plasterers bristol says

      August 11, 2016 at 10:27 am

      This sounded so good, So we made it the other night. And was absolutely delicious. Thanks do much for sharing. Simon

      Reply
      • Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

        August 11, 2016 at 10:24 pm

        You are most welcome! I am glad you liked the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Quick and easy recipes for the everyday home cook, using fresh, seasonal and wholesome ingredients -- from healthy meals to take-out to comfort foods. | aheadofthyme.com

    Hi, we're Sam and Dan! We like to help busy people eat real food that tastes good. Here, you can find hundreds of delicious, quick and easy recipes, using quality and wholesome ingredients. Read more about us

    Stay Updated

    Subscribe now to receive all the latest recipes, tips and news directly to your inbox.
    * indicates required
    How often would you like to receive recipe updates

    Food Blogger Business School | foodbloggerbusinessschool.com

    Food Blogger Business School

    A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business

    in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.

    LEARN MORE

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Ahead of Thyme

    Hello and welcome! I'm Sam -- the founder of Ahead of Thyme, where we help busy people eat real food that tastes good. Here, you will find hundreds of delicious, quick and easy recipes, using quality and wholesome ingredients. So stay a while, browse around, and make something tasty for dinner tonight.

    • RSS Feed
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Work with Us
    • Shop
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Food Blogger Business School
    • Newsletter

    Browse

    • 60+ Easy Dinners
    • 60+ Chicken Recipes
    • 25+ Ground Beef Recipes
    • 40+ Pasta Recipes
    • 50+ Bread Recipes
    • 25+ Air Fryer Recipes
    • Dessert

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

    Copyright © 2021 Ahead of Thyme Incorporated