Barbara ‘Babs’ Costello’s Pesto Rack of Lamb Is an Easy Easter Main While Still Being ‘Really Special’ (Exclusive)

“The beauty of this recipe is there is no last-minute craziness, so you get to keep your sanity and enjoy your own party!” says the Brunch with Babs star

Hosting Easter doesn’t have to be stressful — just listen to Barbara Costello.

Her Pesto Rack of Lamb is “easy to prep ahead of time,” says the content creator known as Brunch with Babs to her 8 million TikTok and Instagram followers. “You can marinate the lamb ahead of time, and then just throw it on the grill.”

The grandmother of nine adds that the pesto (which doubles as a marinade and a sauce) can be made even earlier. “Store it with a coating of olive oil to avoid any oxidation,” she says.

The finished dish “has a delicious, crispy grilled coating, but the inside of the lamb is tender and juicy. That combination makes it really special,” Costello tells PEOPLE of the recipe included in her new cookbook Every Day With Babs.

“I’m Lebanese and Italian, so for me and my family, Easter was always lamb and lamb means spring,” she says. “It’s served with a beautiful side salad and has all of those spring colors that we love.”

Best of all, “there is no last-minute craziness, so you get to keep your sanity and enjoy your own party!”

Barbara Costello’s Pesto Rack of Lamb with Tomato-Mozzarella Salad

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed 

¾ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts, divided 

2¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 tsp. black pepper, divided

2 racks of lamb (about 3 lb. total), frenched 

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 

2 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved, or 3 to 4 large (about 1 ¼ lb. total) ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces 

4 mini cucumbers, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 1 ½ cups)

8 oz. mini mozzarella balls, halved 

1. Pulse basil, Parmesan, garlic, ½ cup of the olive oil, ½ cup of the pine nuts, ¾ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper in a food processor until a paste forms, about 12 pulses. Cover pesto, and refrigerate until ready to use. 

2. Pat lamb dry, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Coat with ¼ cup pesto. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours. Place remaining pesto in an airtight container, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; cover and refrigerate. 

3. Preheat a gas grill to medium (350°F to 400°F) on 1 side, or push hot coals to 1 side of a charcoal grill. Place lamb, meat side down, on greased grates on lit side of grill; cook, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes, transferring lamb to unlit side as needed if flare-ups occur. Once browned, transfer lamb to unlit side of grill; cook, covered, meat side up, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of lamb registers 125°F for medium-rare, 8 to 12 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer lamb to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

4. Stir together vinegar, ¼ cup reserved pesto and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Stir in tomatoes, cucumbers, mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup pine nuts. 

5. Slice lamb racks between bones into individual chops. Serve lamb and salad with remaining pesto alongside for drizzling.

Serves: 6
Active time: 35 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 35 minutes