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    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Appetizer Recipes

    Baby Lamb Chops with Two Dipping Sauces

    Published: Mar 30, 2023 · Updated: Sep 7, 2023 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Baby Lamb Chops
    Baby Lamb Chops

    Baby lamb chops with two types of dipping sauces are as elegant as they are delicious! This easy-to-make dish is perfect as an appetizer or entree for any celebration.


    Lamb Chops with red and green sauce on oval white plate, red linen

    A party buffet needs all sorts of delicious, and festive, dishes. These lamb lollipops, with frenched bones for handles and red and green sauces, are just what your holiday table needs!

    This is a simple but impressive pan seared lamb chops recipe. I created two dipping sauces for the lamb chops, a parsley-mint sauce and a sun-dried tomato sauce.

    I typically serve this baby lamb chop recipe as an appetizer, but with the right sides you could enjoy it as a main course too!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Needed For This Lamb Appetizer
    • What Are Lollipop Lamb Chops?
    • How To Cook Lamb Lollipops
    • Sauces For Lamb Chops
    • Tips For Making Baby Lamb Chops
    • Baby Lamb Chop Appetizer FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • More Easy Party Appetizers:
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients Needed For This Lamb Appetizer

    This lamb chop appetizer is incredibly simple — all you need are baby lamb chops (bones Frenched), salt, and olive oil.

    The red and green sauces for for the lamb chops impart much of the flavor.

    The sun-dried tomato sauce is made with fresh basil, red wine vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, and a mix of dried herbs and spices.

    The mint green sauce features fresh mint and parsley, as well as lightly toasted almonds, anchovies, and a splash of lemon juice.

    What Are Lollipop Lamb Chops?

    Lamb chops, lollipops, or cutlets are from the rib of the lamb. They are the most expensive cut of lamb, so they are a special treat.

    These lamb lollipops are cooked individually (best served slightly pink inside). When several baby lamb chops are left together it's called a rack of lamb. You've heard of that, I'm sure!

    There is a difference between baby lamb chops or cutlets and lamb loin chops. Lamb loin chops are like mini T-bone steaks.

    But for the baby lamb chops, the bone is often Frenched. The French trimming of the ends of the rib bones is simply scraping the bone clean. This makes the chops look pretty, and also acts as a handle, making these little gems perfect for appetizers.

    Baby lamb chops with red and green sauce on white oval platter, red linen

    How To Cook Lamb Lollipops

    This is a simple pan-seared lamb chops recipe. The sauces can be made in a food processor a day or two in advance. Wait to prepare the lamb chops until you're ready to serve them.

    Here's how to make mini lamb chops on stove:

    1. Salt both sides of the lamb chops.
    2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat.
    3. Cook in two batches, turning once until chops are deep brown and cooked to medium-rare, 9 to 11 minutes total.
    4. Serve with dipping sauces (recipes in the recipe card below).

    How Long Should Baby Lamb Chops Be Cooked?

    Since mini lamb chops are quite expensive, they are a special food and you don't want to overcook them. I love the American Lamb Board's chart for cooking temperatures as a reference.

    These baby lamb chops can be cooked similar to the loin chops and should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145ºF for medium-rare.

    For medium cook them to 160ºF. Please don't cook them to well-done. They won't be delicious. They will be dry and hard to eat.

    Lamb chops with red and green sauces on oval white platter

    Sauces For Lamb Chops

    For an appetizer or party nibble, I've created two dipping sauces for lamb chops. You can just choose one, or serve both.

    Lamb is very flavorful, so it's fun to balance that with flavorful sauces. Traditionally lamb is often served with mint, or mint jelly. My green sauce for lamb chops is an herb pesto with mint, but just a hint so that it's not the only flavor.

    The red sauce is a sundried tomato pesto with a little vinegar for tang. It's so delicious. Serve the lamb chops with plates and the sauces with spoons so guests can put a little of each sauce on their plate.

    If you'd like to make the lamb chops a full meal, serve them with one or more of the following side dishes:

    • Two Potato Gratin
    • Roast Parsnips
    • Baked Sweet Potato Cubes
    • Skillet Green Beans
    • Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

    Tips For Making Baby Lamb Chops

    • If your butcher or store doesn't have cutlets, you can simply buy a rack of lamb and slice it into cutlets yourself. Or ask the butcher to do it (and French the bones while he's at it!).
    • To French the lamb chops yourself, cut any excess meat from the end of each rib, scraping bone clean with the back of a knife.
    • I love using a good meat thermometer to check the temperature as the lamb chops cook. Adjust your cooking time accordingly. Remember even these small cuts of meat continue cooking a couple degrees after you take them off the heat.

    Baby Lamb Chop Appetizer FAQs

    Can This Lamb Chop Appetizer Be Prepared In Advance?

    Yes! You can cook this lamb appetizer ahead of time (up to an hour) and keep them warm in a very low oven. Just make sure to undercook them a bit as they will continue to cook in a warm oven.

    I'd suggest sautéing them on a slightly higher heat to brown the outside and cooking them to an internal temperature of 138º-140ºF (rare). Then they can rest in the warm oven while the party gets started!

    Are Lamb Lollipops The Same As Lamb Chops?

    Yes. Lamb lollipops, baby lamb chops, or mini lamb chops are an individual chop cut from a rack of lamb. They have been given the lollipop name since you can hold the bone in your hand like a lollipop and easily eat the meat.

    Rate this recipe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Scroll to the bottom of the page to rate and comment on this recipe. Leaving comments, questions, and ratings helps other too!

    📖 Recipe

    baby lamb chops on white plate with green and red sauces

    Baby Lamb Chops with Two Dipping Sauces

    Tara Teaspoon
    Baby lamb chops with two types of dipping sauces are as elegant as they are delicious! This easy-to-make dish is perfect as an appetizer or entree for any celebration.
    4.64 from 25 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 11 minutes mins
    Total Time 41 minutes mins
    Course buffet
    Servings 12 to 15

    Ingredients
      

    For the Lamb Chops

    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 12 to 15 baby lamb chops (bones Frenched*)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Red Sauce

    • ⅔ cup water
    • ½ cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes
    • ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Green Sauce

    • 1½ cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
    • ⅔ cup fresh mint leaves
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup lightly toasted almonds
    • 4 anchovies
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • You can make sauces ahead of time. Salt both sides of the lamb chops. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook in two batches, turning once until chops are deep brown and cooked to medium-rare, 9 to 11 minutes total. Serve with sauces.
    • For the red sauce: Combine the water, sundried tomatoes, basil, vinegar, sugar, cumin, salt, garlic and black pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. 
    • For the green sauce: Combine the parsley, mint, olive oil, almonds, anchovies and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth. 
    • Sauces can be made ahead and stored in airtight containers in the fridge up to a day in advance. 

    Notes

    *To French lamb chops, cut any excess meat from the end of each rib, scraping bone clean with the back of a knife. You can also ask your butcher to prepare the chops for you in this manner.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 311mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 830IUVitamin C: 16.1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg
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    More Easy Party Appetizers:

    I have some wonderful food friends with fantastic cocktail party appetizers. You can create an entire event from these delicious and easy recipes.

    Cheesy Spinach Egg Rolls

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    Cocktail Party Appetizers for the holiday
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Comments

      4.64 from 25 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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    1. Melinda Caldwell says

      December 03, 2018 at 12:57 pm

      Love this for New Year's! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    2. Deb@Cooking on the Front Burner says

      December 04, 2018 at 10:07 am

      My husband would love these!

      Reply
    3. Barbara Schieving says

      December 04, 2018 at 12:57 pm

      What a fabulous idea!

      Reply
    4. Mary Bench says

      May 17, 2019 at 7:41 pm

      These sauces!! oh my!

      Reply
    5. Nirosha Fernando says

      May 25, 2025 at 10:50 pm

      Are the anchovies used fresh or dried?

      Reply
      • Tara T. says

        May 26, 2025 at 12:27 pm

        I typically use anchovies in a jar packed in oil. You can also used tinned. Thanks for the question! I’ll edit the recipe to reflect that detail on my next update!
        Tara

        Reply
      • Tara Teaspoon says

        July 11, 2025 at 8:03 pm

        They are from a tin or a jar, preserved. I don't use fresh or dried and prefer anchovies packed in olive oil.

        Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

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