Easy Greek Lamb Marinade (For Chops, Leg, Pitas & More!)

Why you’ll love it

Lamb can be so delicious, but even more so when you take just a little more time (10 minutes in fact!) to make a marinade for perfectly juicy, tender and flavorful meat.

I first tried out this Greek style lamb marinade when making some simple lamb pitas, but it’s just as great for lamb chops, kabobs, rack of lamb, and even whole legs or shoulders.

• Super Quick, Easy, and Simple: This marinade requires minimal effort and prep time, making it perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining. No fancy ingredients are needed – you probably have everything you’ll need already in your fridge or pantry!
• Simple but Rich and Characteristically Mediterranean Flavors: Herbs like oregano and thyme, along with a touch of honey and cinnamon, create a warm and cozy Greek style flavor.
• Make Ahead at Your Convenience: You can marinate your lamb for as little as 30 minutes for a quick weeknight meal. Alternatively, marinate it overnight for an even deeper flavor infusion.
• So Versatile: This marinade isn’t just for lamb! Use it to flavor chicken, pork, or even shrimp. It can also be used to marinate vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, or bell peppers before grilling or roasting. Or what about potatoes? The possibilities are endless!
• Easily Customizable: This recipe is a fantastic starting point, but feel free to customize it to your taste. Don’t like cinnamon? Leave it out. Want a hot and spicy kick? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Love garlic? Throw in an extra clove or two!

Here’s what you need to make an easy and delicious Greek Lamb marinade for a tender lamb dish:

Dried Oregano (substitute with fresh oregano): Oregano is one of the most essential herbs in Greek cuisine. It really adds a warm, aromatic flavor that’s slightly peppery. You can substitute with fresh oregano, if you prefer. I suggest using Mediterranean oregano rather than Mexican, which tastes quite different.

If you don’t have any oregano, check out my post on best oregano substitutes!

Fresh Thyme: Thyme has a similar taste to oregano, but it’s more subtle in flavor. You could easily substitute it with dried thyme instead.

Ground Cinnamon: This ingredient might surprise you, but a small amount of ground cinnamon really adds a subtle warmth and depth of flavor to the marinade. Classic Greek savory dishes, like Authentic Pastitsio and Easy Greek Moussaka often use ground cinnamon. In my opinion it’s a key ingredient!

Garlic: No Greek lamb marinade is complete without garlic! It really pairs so well with lamb. You can easily increase the amount if you especially love garlic.

Paprika: Paprika adds a touch of smokiness to the marinade, which I love. You can use either regular paprika for a milder flavor or smoked paprika for a deeper, richer taste, depending on your preference.

Cumin: Cumin is amazing with lamb and in Greek recipes. I suggest adding just a little so as not to overpower the lamb’s natural flavor.

Salt & Pepper: Seasoning is definitely key! I’ve suggested an amount but feel free to adjust to taste.

Honey: Honey not only adds sweetness, but it also slightly caramelizes when the lamb cooks – mmm, delicious! Any honey will work, or you can substitute with maple syrup or even sugar if you don’t have any.

Lemon: For this marinade, I use fresh lemon zest and juice. The acidity will help tenderize the lamb while adding a zesty citrus flavor, too. I like an intense lemony flavor, but add less (or more!) if you like.

If you don’t have a lemon, you can substitute with vinegar – try red wine vinegar, but any will work.

Bay Leaf: Although this is optional, I like the subtle herbal aroma it gives the marinade. It’s up to you – if you have one, why not include it?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil is the base of the marinade. Use whatever you have or like.

This marinade is incredibly simple to make! All you do is stir everything together in a large bowl and mix until everything is fully combined.

Then add your meat and let the marinade do its magic!

How to use

Use to marinate up to roughly 2 pounds/1 kilo of lamb. That’s (on average) 4 to 6 lamb leg steaks, 6 to 8 lamb chops (depending on size), 10 to 12 lamb kabobs/skewers, 1 X 2 pound/1 kilo leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, or equivalent of any other cut of lamb.

Here are some recipe ideas:

• Marinate bite-sized pieces of lamb (cut up lamb steaks are good for this). Either thread onto skewers for lamb souvlaki (kabobs) or spread out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper to make meat for lamb pitas. Bake at 200C for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through to your desired level of ‘done-ness’ (see tip below!).
• Use the marinade to smear/rub all over a roughly 2 pound/1 kilo boneless lamb leg or shoulder. Then slow cook it as in this amazingly delicious classic recipe for Greek lamb.
• Use the marinade to marinate other proteins such as chicken thighs, pork chops, or even salmon or shrimp (how about Greek style shrimp pitas – mmm!).
• I often use this recipe to bake lamb bites or kabobs, but you can also use it for grilled/BBQ lamb, or pan-fried lamb such as lamb chops.
• Want the ultimate roast potatoes? Just toss them in leftover Greek lamb marinade and roast them until they’re nice and crispy! (For another amazing potato recipe, check out these delicious Greek potatoes, too!).

Variations

There are so many ways you can create your own variations! Here are a few ideas:

• Herbs: Try different, fragrant herbs, like rosemary, dill or mint. These are all perfect with lamb.
• Yogurt: For a little tang, add a tablespoon or two of plain Greek yogurt to the marinade. It will help tenderize the lamb even more, too.
• Spices: A pinch of coriander or cayenne pepper would also add a richer flavor.
• Mustard: A little Dijon mustard adds more depth of flavor to the marinade. It also complements the lemon juice nicely.

Recipes to serve with marinated lamb

Of course, you can serve literally anything you like with Greek marinated lamb. Grilled or roasted Mediterranean vegetables and pita bread or a classic Greek village salad would be great, or anything ‘Greek’!

Here are some more of my favorite options:

• Greek potatoes (you just can’t go wrong)
• Greek lemon rice
• Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad)
• Greek bread (you just have to try this – your friends and family will think you’re a genius baker!)
• Greek baked eggplant
• Tyrokafteri (spicy feta dip)

More easy seasoned meat recipes

• Slow cooked Greek lamb (lamb kleftiko)
• Easy oven chicken kabobs
• Baked chicken thighs (oven or air fryer)
• Air fryer whole rotisserie chicken
• Greek chicken and potatoes
• Greek marinated chicken

Want more easy seasoning ideas for all your favorite meat dishes? Try Greek gyro seasoning, or this homemade all-purpose seasoning blend.