Ina Garten’s Recipe for Panko-Crusted Lamb Is the Ultimate Date-Night Dish

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, the number-one goal is to show your loved ones just how important they are to you. While we all have our different ways of showing it, in my experience there’s no one way better than the other — as long as what you do comes from the heart. Whether you are in the market for the best Valentine’s gifts on a budget or the perfect love-themed snacks, Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without a special romantic meal, and thankfully Ina Garten is all over it. 

Recently taking to her Instagram, Ina posted a delicious photo of her recipe for panko-crusted rack of lamb as the start of her week-long dedication to Valentine’s Day, by way of a special personalized menu. With just a few days left in the countdown, I knew I needed to get prepared for what was to come next, but this rack of lamb climbed its way to the top of my priorities list, enticing me to know exactly how to recreate this masterpiece myself. 

Start by preheating your oven to 450°F and lining a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Using a medium bowl, crumble goat cheese with a fork and add the panko, garlic, rosemary, thyme, fleur de sel, and some pepper. Drizzle some olive oil on top and stir to moisten the crumbs. Set that aside for a few minutes, or cover and refrigerate if you need more time. 

If the rack of lamb was left to wait in the refrigerator, it needs to be removed about 30 minutes before you are ready to cook. Once ready, place the lamb fat-side up on your previously prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper, then roast for approximately 12 minutes. Quickly remove the rack from the oven and use a knife to spread mustard over the top of the lamb. Next, spread the crumb mixture evenly over the mustard, making sure to press gently to help the mixture stick. Finally, return the lamb to the oven to continue roasting and, depending on the size of the lamb, the crumbs should be golden-brown when finished. 

You can find the full recipe here and, while I don’t know about you, I’d put a ring on whoever made these for me — just saying!