Pan Seared Lamb Loin With Chimichurri & Roasted Trio Squash Salad With Goat Cheese and Pinenuts
⏲ ~40 min total · prep 20 · cook 20 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 60 min total🔥 4.1g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Nov 2, 2026
Ingredients
- 2 lamb loins (about 1 1/4 lb total), silver skin trimmed
- 1 small delicata squash, halved, seeded, sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons (skin on)
- 1 medium zucchini and 1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/2-inch half-moons
- 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 5 oz baby arugula
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the delicata half-moons with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt on a half-sheet pan and roast 15 minutes — delicata is denser and needs the head start.
- Pile the zucchini and yellow squash onto the same pan, toss everything together, and roast 12-15 minutes more, until the delicata edges caramelize and the summer squash is tender with browned faces. Leave the oven off but keep the squash nearby.
- Make the mint chimichurri while the squash roasts: stir the parsley, mint, garlic, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, 1/3 cup of the olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a small bowl and let it sit at least 15 minutes so the mint mellows.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat 3-4 minutes, shaking often, until golden and smelling like toasted butter — they go from perfect to burnt in under a minute, so stay at the stove.
- Whisk the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice with the Dijon and 1 tbsp olive oil for the vinaigrette.
- Blot the lamb loins very dry and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sear in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat in the remaining 1 tbsp oil, 3-4 minutes per side, turning to brown all faces, to 125-130°F internal for medium-rare.
- Rest the lamb 10 minutes under loose foil — loin is lean and punishing if cut hot.
- Toss the still-warm squash and the arugula with the vinaigrette just until the arugula slumps slightly, and pile onto plates; scatter the goat cheese and pine nuts over.
- Slice the lamb thick, fan it over the salad, and spoon the mint chimichurri down the length of the meat.
Why this recipe works
- Delicata gets the head start The densest squash roasts 15 minutes alone before the zucchini joins. That stagger means everything finishes tender at the same time instead of one being raw and one being mush.
- The chimichurri rests Fifteen minutes of sitting mellows the raw mint and garlic. Made and left alone while the squash roasts, it is ready exactly when the lamb is.
- A lean cut treated right Loin has no fat cap to forgive overcooking. A hard sear, a pull at 125-130°F, and a 10-minute rest are what keep it tender.
Tips for making this recipe well
Stay with the pine nuts
Three to 4 minutes over medium heat, shaking often. They go from golden to burnt in under a minute, and the salad notices.
Blot the lamb dry
Surface moisture steams instead of searing. A dry loin in a hot cast-iron pan browns in 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Skin-on delicata is the point
No peeling. The thin skin roasts tender in the 425°F oven and holds each half-moon together.
Dress the salad warm
Toss the vinaigrette with the still-warm squash and the arugula until the leaves barely slump. Warm squash drinks in dressing; cold squash shrugs it off.
Doneness by the thermometer
The recipe pulls the loins at 125-130°F for medium-rare. If you prefer lamb cooked through, take it toward 145°F, but expect a firmer texture from such a lean cut.
Serving suggestions
Fan the sliced lamb over the dressed salad and spoon the mint chimichurri down the length of the meat, letting it run into the arugula. Scatter the goat cheese and the toasted pine nuts last so they sit on top where they stay distinct. Each plate comes to 4.0 net carbs. The warm squash against the cool, herbed lamb is the part people mention afterward.
Storage and meal prep
Keep the components separate in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The chimichurri holds its color best with plastic pressed to the surface. Sliced lamb eats well cold, straight from the container, and the roasted squash is good at room temperature. Dress the arugula only at serving, since dressed leaves wilt by the next day. The goat cheese and pine nuts keep in their own containers, and a few minutes in a dry skillet wakes the pine nuts back up.
Variations worth trying
- Feta for goat cheese Crumbled feta stands in if that is what the fridge has. It is saltier, so taste the salad before adding more.
- No delicata Use all zucchini and yellow squash and cut the total roast time to 12 to 15 minutes. The salad loses a little sweetness and gains speed.
- Dairy-free Leave off the goat cheese. The chimichurri and the pine nuts carry the salad on their own.
- Grill the lamb The loins take well to a hot grill, same 3 to 4 minutes per side and the same internal temperature. The chimichurri suits smoke.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should lamb loin be?
The recipe pulls the loins at 125-130°F for medium-rare, then rests them 10 minutes. For lamb cooked more thoroughly, 145°F is the target for a whole cut.
Why does the delicata go in first?
It is much denser than zucchini or yellow squash. Fifteen minutes alone softens it so the three squashes finish together.
Can the chimichurri be made ahead?
Yes. It keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated with plastic pressed against the surface, and the 15-minute rest still applies before serving.
My pine nuts burned. What happened?
Medium heat and constant attention are required, since they go past golden in under a minute. Shake the pan often and pull them the moment they smell like toasted butter.
Do I have to peel delicata?
No. The skin is thin, turns tender in the 425°F oven, and holds each half-moon together as it roasts.
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