This Thai Lamb Larb Recipe is made by cooking ground lamb and tossing into a bowl of cucumber, scallions, cilantro, mint, and Thai basil.
This is a keto, paleo friendly recipe with strong bold flavors that come together perfectly. Something about the flavor of lamb paired with the fish sauce and the plethora of herbs gets me going. The first time I tried Lamb Larb was when I went to Thailand, although this recipe is originally from Laos and Cambodia. It is a traditional meat salad that can be made with pork, fish, chicken, duck, or beef. There are not vegetarian versions using mushrooms and tofu. Larb uses a ton of herbs like cilantro, scallions and mint. You can serve larb with rice or lettuce to wrap the mixture in. There are so many different variations, like serving with crunchy peanuts or some with raw meat with blood.
This meal is a perfect weeknight I love these types of low carb dinners, like these Lettuce Wraps. If you like this recipe, feel free to try my Fennel Red Onion Salad and my Air Fryer Bok Choy.
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What is Larb?
Thai lamb larb is a traditional Thai salad made with ground lamb, mixed with a spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet dressing, and served over lettuce leaves. It is a popular dish in Thailand and is often served as a main course or as an appetizer.
The dish typically includes a mix of fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, and basil, along with chopped shallots, garlic, and chili peppers. The dressing is made with a combination of lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste, which adds a sweet and sour flavor to the dish. The ground lamb is cooked with the spices and dressing, giving it a fragrant and savory taste.
Larb is often considered a healthy dish, as it is low in carbohydrates and high in protein, and is a good source of iron and other essential nutrients. It is also gluten-free, making it a good option for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
Lamb Larb Ingredients
- Red onion
- Lemongrass
- Garlic
- Thai chili
- Cilantro
- Ground lamb
- Cucumber
- Scallions
- Mint
- Basil
- Fish sauce
- Limes
See recipe card for quantities for Lamb Larb.
How to serve larb?
Thai lamb larb is traditionally served as a salad, with the ground lamb mixture placed on a bed of lettuce leaves, and topped with fresh herbs and sliced red onions. Here are some tips for serving Thai lamb larb:
- Serve with lettuce leaves: To serve, arrange lettuce leaves on a platter or individual plates, and spoon the lamb mixture on top.
- Add fresh herbs: Sprinkle fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, and basil over the top of the lamb mixture. This adds extra flavor and freshness to the dish.
- Top with sliced onions: Add sliced red onions to the top of the lamb mixture for a pop of color and flavor.
- Offer extra lime wedges: Provide extra lime wedges on the side for people to squeeze over their lamb larb. This helps to brighten the flavor and adds a citrusy tang.
- Serve with sticky rice: Thai lamb larb is often served with sticky rice, which helps to balance out the spiciness of the dish. You can serve the sticky rice on the side, or place a scoop of rice on the plate next to the lamb mixture.
- Add extra chili flakes: If you like your lamb larb extra spicy, offer extra chili flakes on the side for people to sprinkle on top.
- Serve as an appetizer or main course: Thai lamb larb can be served as a light appetizer, or as a main course with the addition of more vegetables, such as cucumbers or cherry tomatoes.
How to make Larb Recipe
In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add oil and wait for it to shimmer. Add the diced red onion, garlic, Thai chili, lemongrass, and cilantro stems and cook until the garlic is onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the ground lamb and cook all the way through, about 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking the ground lamb apart with a wooden spoon.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, and salt. Add the sliced onion in cold water. This will take the bitter taste away.
Strain the sliced red onion. In a large bowl, add the ground lamb mixture, cucumber, scallions, cilantro leaves, mint, and Thai basil. Pour the fish sauce mixture over everything. Toss the salad to combine.
Hint: You can even serve the mixture into a lettuce for a wrap.
How to serve Thai Larb
Thai lamb larb is traditionally served warm or at room temperature. The ground lamb mixture is typically cooked in a wok or frying pan and served immediately, often with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs to help cool down the spiciness. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge and eat them cold or reheated the next day.
Substitutions
Lemon grass: Lemon grass is super important but if you do not have access to them, you can use the white part of scallions or green onion.
Lamb: Larbs can actually be made with any kind of meat, but I will always root for ground lamb. You cook ground lamb just as you would ground beef. Instead of lamb, you can use beef, pork, chicken, duck, tofu or mushrooms.
Herbs: There are so many different herbs that come into play when making a larb. The biggest player combination is the scallions, mint and cilantro combination.
Lamb Larb Recipe Variations
Larb is a popular Thai salad made with ground meat, typically chicken, pork, or beef, and mixed with herbs, spices, and other flavorful ingredients. Lamb larb is a delicious variation on this classic dish, and there are many ways to make it. Here are a few recipe variations to try:
- Classic Chicken Larb: In a hot wok or pan, cook ground chicken until browned. Add finely chopped shallots, lemongrass, garlic, and chili peppers and cook until fragrant. Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and stir until combined. Serve with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs for wrapping.
- Mint Lamb Larb: Cook ground lamb as in the classic recipe, but add a handful of chopped fresh mint leaves and cilantro to the mix. Serve with lettuce leaves and sliced cucumber for a refreshing twist.
- Spicy Lamb Larb: For a spicy version of lamb larb, use extra chili peppers in the recipe and add a spoonful of chili paste or sriracha sauce to the mix. Serve with a side of sticky rice to balance out the heat.
Check out this pickled onion recipe here.
Equipment
To make a lamb larb recipe, you will need a few pieces of basic kitchen equipment:
- Wok or pan: You'll need a wok or large pan to cook the ground lamb and other ingredients. I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality. Get yourself a discount by clicking here!
- Wooden spoon or spatula: A wooden spoon or spatula is ideal for stirring and mixing the ingredients in the wok or pan.
- Cutting board and knife: You'll need a cutting board and a sharp knife to chop the herbs, shallots, lemongrass, garlic, and chili peppers.
- Measuring spoons: You'll need measuring spoons to measure the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar.
- Serving platter and lettuce leaves: Once the lamb larb is cooked, you'll want to transfer it to a serving platter and arrange it with lettuce leaves for wrapping.
How to store Larb
Lamb larb is best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them properly to keep them safe to eat. Here are some tips for storing lamb larb:
- Refrigerate promptly: After cooking, cool the lamb larb to room temperature and then refrigerate it in an airtight container within two hours. This will help prevent bacteria growth.
- Store in the refrigerator: Keep the lamb larb in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40°F or below. Store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, such as the back of the bottom shelf.
- Consume within 3 days: For best quality and safety, consume the lamb larb within three days of cooking. Discard any leftovers that have been sitting in the refrigerator for longer than three days.
- Reheat thoroughly: When reheating the lamb larb, make sure to heat it to an internal temperature of at least 165°F to kill any bacteria that may have grown.
- Do not freeze: While you can freeze cooked lamb, the texture of the herbs and vegetables in lamb larb can be affected by freezing and thawing. It is best to consume the lamb larb fresh or within three days of cooking.
Thai Larb Recipe Top tips
Here are some top tips for making delicious lamb larb:
- Use fresh herbs and ingredients: Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and Thai basil, as well as fresh shallots, lemongrass, and chili peppers, will give your lamb larb a bright and aromatic flavor.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste: Taste the lamb larb mixture as you go and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more lime juice for acidity, fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or chili peppers for heat.
- Serve with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs: Arrange the lamb larb on a platter with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, and Thai basil. The lettuce leaves make a great vessel for scooping up the meat mixture, and the herbs add freshness and flavor.
- Pair with sticky rice and cucumber slices: Serve the lamb larb with sticky rice and sliced cucumber for a balanced and satisfying meal.
- Let the lamb rest: Allow the cooked lamb to rest for a few minutes before adding it to the herb and spice mixture. This will help the meat absorb the flavors and prevent it from becoming too dry.
- Don't overcook the lamb: Ground lamb cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Cook it until it is browned and cooked through, but still juicy.
Lamb Larb Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
This Lamb Larb is made by cooking ground lamb and tossing into a bowl of cucumber, scallions, cilantro, mint, and Thai basil.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
- 3 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped thai chili
- 1 tablespoon cilantro stems, chopped
- 1 pound ground lamb
- ¼ sliced red onion, sitting in cold water
- 2 cups cucumber
- 3 scallions, chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ cup chopped mint
- ½ cup chopped Thai basil (or regular basil)
- Sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4–5 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, and salt. Add the sliced onion in cold water. This will take the bitter taste away.
- In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add oil and wait for it to shimmer. Add the diced red onion, garlic, Thai chili, lemongrass, and cilantro stems and cook until the garlic is onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground lamb and cook all the way through, about 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking the ground lamb apart with a wooden spoon.
- Strain the sliced red onion. In a large bowl, add the ground lamb mixture, cucumber, scallions, cilantro leaves, mint, and Thai basil. Pour the fish sauce mixture over everything. Toss the salad to combine.
Notes
- Use fresh herbs and ingredients: Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and Thai basil, as well as fresh shallots, lemongrass, and chili peppers, will give your lamb larb a bright and aromatic flavor.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste: Taste the lamb larb mixture as you go and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more lime juice for acidity, fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or chili peppers for heat.
- Serve with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs: Arrange the lamb larb on a platter with lettuce leaves and fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, and Thai basil. The lettuce leaves make a great vessel for scooping up the meat mixture, and the herbs add freshness and flavor.
- Pair with sticky rice and cucumber slices: Serve the lamb larb with sticky rice and sliced cucumber for a balanced and satisfying meal.
- Let the lamb rest: Allow the cooked lamb to rest for a few minutes before adding it to the herb and spice mixture. This will help the meat absorb the flavors and prevent it from becoming too dry.
- Don't overcook the lamb: Ground lamb cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Cook it until it is browned and cooked through, but still juicy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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