Greek Main Courses
Arnaki Lemonato Recipe (Greek Roast Lamb Leg with Lemon)
Αρνάκι λεμονάτο ar-NAH-kee leh-moh-NAH-toh · Arnaki lemonato
In short
Arnaki lemonato is a whole lamb leg, roasted slowly with lemon, garlic, oregano and a little stock until it falls from the bone. It is the practical oven alternative to a full outdoor souvla, giving the same lemon and oregano flavours in a dish that fits comfortably into a normal Sunday.
Not every Sunday allows for a full charcoal souvla turning for four hours, and arnaki lemonato is the sensible oven alternative: a whole lamb leg, given the same lemon, garlic and oregano treatment, roasted slowly until it is completely tender and pulls easily from the bone, without needing an outdoor fire or a whole afternoon of tending it.
The technique leans on a long, covered roast at a moderate temperature, closer to a proper braise than a quick high-heat roast, which is what gets a whole leg to fall-apart tenderness rather than simply cooked through and chewy.
This is real Sunday roast comfort food, needing attention only at the start and the finish, with the middle hours left entirely to the oven.
Key preparation steps
- Marinate the whole leg in lemon, garlic and oregano.
- Sear or brown briefly for colour.
- Roast covered at a moderate temperature for a long, unhurried time.
- Rest before carving and serving with the pan juices.
The marinade
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic and dried oregano together, and rub thoroughly over the whole leg, ideally marinating for at least a few hours or overnight in the fridge, since a whole leg benefits from more time than smaller cuts to properly take on the flavour.
Browning for colour
A brief sear in a hot pan on the stovetop, or a short blast in a very hot oven, before the long slow roast begins, gives the outside real colour and some initial flavour development that a purely low-and-slow roast alone would not achieve.
The long, covered roast
Roast in a covered tray at a moderate temperature, around 160C, with a little stock or water in the base of the tray, for a genuine three hours or more, basting occasionally. This slow, covered method is what breaks down the leg's connective tissue properly, giving meat that pulls apart rather than needing to be carved into resistant slices.
Rest for fifteen minutes under loose foil before carving, and serve with the reduced pan juices spooned over.
Tips from my kitchen
Brown it before the slow roast
A brief sear develops real surface flavour that a purely covered, low roast alone would not achieve.
Keep it covered for most of the cook
This traps steam that helps break down the leg's connective tissue, giving fall-apart tenderness rather than a chewier, sliced result.
Baste occasionally
Spooning the pan juices over the lamb periodically keeps the exposed surface from drying out over the long roast.
Arnaki Lemonato Recipe (Greek Roast Lamb Leg with Lemon)
Αρνάκι λεμονάτο · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 25m
- Cook
- 3h 15m
- Total
- 3h 40m
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano together. Rub thoroughly over the lamb leg, season well, and marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight.
- Bring the lamb to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 160C fan 140C.
- Heat a large pan and brown the lamb leg on all sides for a few minutes, or place under a very hot grill briefly, until well coloured.
- Transfer to a roasting tray, pour in the hot stock, and cover tightly with foil.
- Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, basting occasionally, until the meat is completely tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- Uncover for the final 20 to 30 minutes to let the outside colour further.
- Rest under loose foil for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the reduced pan juices.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 486
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Sat fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Arnaki lemonato
How is this different from souvla?
Souvla is cut into chunks and slow-turned on a skewer over outdoor charcoal for hours. Arnaki lemonato roasts a whole leg in the oven, giving similar lemon and oregano flavours in a dish that fits into a normal indoor Sunday without an outdoor fire.
How do you know when the lamb is done?
It should pull apart easily with a fork or two, with almost no resistance, rather than needing to be carved into firm, resistant slices.
Can you make arnaki lemonato ahead?
The marinating can be done a day ahead, and the roast itself can be made a few hours before serving and kept warm, covered, since it holds its tenderness well.
