Easy Roasted Lamb Belly Recipe with Homemade Noodles

Have you ever wondered what to do with lamb belly? This underutilized cut is incredibly flavorful, budget-friendly, and surprisingly easy to cook. In this post, you'll learn exactly how to prepare tender, crispy lamb belly that your whole family will love - my kids couldn't get enough!

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When we butchered our own lambs last year, I was determined to use every cut instead of grinding everything unusual into burger meat. Lamb belly was one of those cuts I'd never worked with before, and after some trial and error (including a lamb bacon experiment that got mixed reviews!), I finally discovered this winning recipe. The combination of a flavorful spice rub, slow roasting, and tossing with buttery garlic noodles created a dish that had everyone asking for seconds.

How to Cook Lamb Belly: A Complete Guide

Lamb belly is the thin layer of meat and fat that comes from the belly of the lamb, right over the ribs. You might be more familiar with the smoked and cured pork version - bacon! This cut goes by several names including lamb breast or lamb brisket, and they're all essentially the same thing: the flavorful section from the ribs down to the belly.

Because there isn't much meat on lamb bellies, a lot of people simply grind them into lamb burger. But that's a shame, because when cooked properly, this cut becomes incredibly tender with a deliciously crispy exterior.

What You'll Need for This Recipe

This recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry:

For the lamb belly:

• 2 lbs lamb belly - you can use multiple smaller cuts if that is what you have, just adjust the cooking time

• 1 tsp salt

• 2.5 tbsp paprika

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp ground coriander (sub with cumin if needed)

• 1 tsp fennel seed

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

For the noodles:

• 1 lb homemade noodles(see recipe in card below) or store-bought noodles

• Up to 1/2 c rendered fat from the lamb belly, if you don’t get enough fat sub butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced - use as much as you desire, we add lots of garlic!!

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes - use less if your family is sensitive to heat

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Freshly grated Asiago cheese for serving

How to Prepare the Lamb Belly

The key to tender, flavorful lamb belly is giving it time. The dry rub needs several hours to work its magic and infuse the meat with flavor.

Step 1: Apply dry rub First season lamb belly with salt. Then mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, coriander, fennel, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub this mixture all over the lamb belly, making sure to get it into every nook and cranny. Don't be shy - really massage it in there!

Step 2: Let it rest Place the rubbed lamb belly in a covered dish and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight if possible. This waiting period is crucial for developing deep flavor and ensuring tender meat.

Step 3: Roast low and slow Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the lamb belly on a roasting rack set in a baking pan (this allows fat to drip away and the bottom to crisp up). Roast for 30 minutes, flip, then roast another 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 250℉ and roast another 1-1.5 hours or until the meat is fork-tender and the exterior is crispy and golden brown.

Finishing the Dish

While the lamb is cooking, prepare your noodles. Keep in mind homemade noodles need a resting period before being rolled out.

Once your noodles are prepared, melt the butter over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring to keep foam down and keep garlic from getting too toasty. Continue cooking until butter and garlic lightly brown. Toss the cooked, drained noodles in this butter mixture until well coated.

When the lamb belly is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Then slice it against the grain into strips about 1/2 inch thick. Toss the sliced lamb with the buttery noodles, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately topped with freshly grated Asiago cheese.

I added a little fresh spinach to my dish and I loved the pop of flavor and color!

Tips for Best Results

Slice against the grain: This is crucial for tenderness. Look at the direction the muscle fibers run and cut perpendicular to them.

Don't skip the rest time: Both before cooking (for the rub to penetrate) and after cooking (to let juices redistribute) are important.

Save those drippings: I used mine for cooking my noodles! Great for anything that needs to be fried.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute lamb belly with another cut? If you can't find lamb belly — lamb riblets are your closest substitute. Pork belly would work with this same recipe, though the flavor will be quite different.

How long does cooked lamb belly last? About 5 minutes in my house. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, cooked lamb belly will keep for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat in a hot oven to restore some of that crispy exterior.

Is lamb belly healthy? Lamb belly is high in fat, which means it's calorie-dense. Lamb fat contains beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid).

More Recipes Your Family Will Love:

• Chocolate Syrup

• Asiago Cheese

• Frozen Clabber Dessert

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Roasted Lamb Belly with Homemade Garlic Butter Noodles

Yield: 5

Author: Sari Fulbright

Lamb belly is coated in a savory spice rub, refrigerated overnight, then slow-roasted until tender and crispy. Slice and toss with buttery garlic noodles and top with Asiago cheese for a delicious way to use this underutilized cut.

Ingredients

Lamb Belly

• 2 lb lamb belly
• 1 tsp salt
• 2.5 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground coriander (sub with cumin if needed)
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Sourdough noodles

• 3 cups (360 g) flour (I like to use a mix of all purpose and fresh milled whole wheat)
• 1/3 c (100 g) sourdough starter
• 3 eggs (150 g)
• 1 tbsp (15 g) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5 g) salt
• water as needed to bring dough together

Putting it all together

• Full yield of your homemade noodles or 1lb store bought
• 1/2 c rendered fat from lamb belly, sub butter as needed
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (use less if your family is sensitive to heat)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Asiago cheese

Instructions

Prepare lamb belly

1. Unroll lamb belly, pat dry if needed and liberally salt both sides
2. Mix together the rest of the ingredients for the rub (paprika - cayenne pepper) and thoroughly rub into the lamb belly
3. Cover and let rest in fridge at least 8 hours
4. Preheat oven to 325℉
5. Put lamb belly on a roasting rack and roast for 30 minutes
6. Flip belly over and continue roasting for 30 minutes
7. Turn stove temp down to 250℉ and continue roasting lamb belly until it easily pulls apart with a fork about 1 - 1.5 hours. Continue flipping as needed to evenly brown and crisp both sides
8. Once lamb belly easily pulls apart with a fork, remove from oven and let rest for 5 - 10 minutes
9. Cut slices against the grain then add to the noodles

Make the pasta dough

1. Add all ingredients except water to a bowl. I like to set my bowl on a scale and add everything by weight
2. Begin bringing dough together, and add water about a tablespoon at a time as needed to form a cohesive dough
3. Knead for 5-10 minutes or until a smooth elastic texture is reached
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour for gluten to relax
5. Divide dough into quarters
6. Flatten dough with your hands or a rolling pin then run through your pasta machine. I run mine through the first setting several times, folding as needed until it "pops". I continue running it through each smaller setting twice until I get to setting 4 - I have the kitchenAid pasta machine
7. If you don't have a pasta machine just use a rolling pin and roll as thin as you can
8. Once all the dough is rolled out, cut with a knife or pizza cutter to desired lengths, I like mine about a foot long and then run through the noodle cutter of your choice. I like spaghetti or fettuccine
9. Alternatively, use a knife or pizza cutter to cut your own noodles
10. Bring a pot of water to a boil then see below to prepare your pan sauce
11. Add your noodles and cook for 2-5 minutes
12. Drain, then add to your pan sauce

Putting it all together

1. Remove fat from roasting lamb belly; ideally you are looking for about a 1/2 cup. If you don't have that much, just substitute butter
2. Add fat to a pan, along with minced garlic and red pepper flakes
3. Heat over medium heat and whisk / stir often to keep foam down (mostly if using butter)
4. Continue heating and stirring until garlic is toasted - this may take ten minutes or so
5. Once garlic is toasted, add noodles and toss through the sauce; then add the lamb belly slices and toss to coat
6. Add salt, pepper and asiago or parmesan cheese to taste
7. Bread crumbs or fresh spinach are also very delicious mixed in
8. Enjoy!

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I hope this recipe inspires you to try something new with an underutilized cut of meat! There's something so satisfying about taking a cut that might otherwise go to waste and transforming it into a meal your family devours.

What's an unusual cut you'd like to learn how to utilize? Let me know in the comments below!