This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
The lamb morsels in this Lamb Stew just melt in your mouth and so do the potatoes. This recipe is uncomplicated (a one-pot meal!) and it simmers in the oven for awhile so every bite is completely delicious. The lengthy (and care free) baking time creates a most satisfying broth consistency. Even if you have no clue what the old days were like, this lamb stew will take you there!
My 2 and 8-year old kiddos both loved this lamb stew (which shocked me because they love their usuals like Mom’s meatball soup and borscht). They both asked for refills! I was beaming of course because this lamb stew recipe is loaded with healthy ingredients and my family was was gobbling it up with such satisfaction. It’s a winner, especially for special occasions, like Easter!
Ingredients for Lamb Stew Recipe:
This hearty lamb stew is a meal in itself and so satisfying! This lamb stew recipe is a close relative to our beef stew recipe (a reader favorite!). We turned it into a one-pot recipe so it is easier and a little heartier with more potatoes. We also experimented making it gluten free and we were all so impressed with the results.
Gluten Free Substitution: I have tested this with this gluten free flour and it worked wonderfully.
How to Make Easy Lamb Stew:
1. In a large dutch oven pot, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
2. While bacon cooks, season trimmed and chopped lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour. Toss to combine and coat the meat in flour. Cook the lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 minutes per side) then remove to the same plate with bacon.
3. Add diced onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add thickly sliced mushrooms, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes uncovered. Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.
4. Return bacon and lamb back to the pot then add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Add potatoes and carrots then stir to combine (potatoes should be mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then cover with lid and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hour and 45 minutes. When done, potatoes will be easily pierced and lamb will be very tender. For a lower fat stew, spoon out any excess oil at the surface of the stew.
Serve with soft crusty bread to soak up that broth which is loaded with amazing flavor!
Explore our Most Popular Stew Recipes:
- Beef, Rice and Tomato Stew (Kharcho)
- Red Borscht (a beef and beet stew)
- If you love lamb, don’t miss our Lamb Chops
Lamb Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 oz bacon, (4 strips, chopped into 1/4" strips)
- 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 Tbsp sea salt for the lamb plus 1 tsp for stew
- 1 tsp black pepper for lamb plus 1/2 tsp for stew
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour*
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups good red wine, *
- 1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 lbs small yellow potatoes, halved or quartered into 1" pieces
- 4 medium carrots, 10 oz, peeled and cut into 1/2" thick pieces
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- In a 5Qt dutch oven, saute chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and fat released. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a large plate.
- While bacon cooks, season lamb pieces with 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat. Cook lamb in 2 batches in hot bacon grease over medium heat until browned (3-4 min per side) then transfer to the plate with bacon.
- Add diced onion and sauté 2 min. Add garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, scraping the bottom to deglaze. Add sliced mushrooms, bring to simmer then cook uncovered 10 min. Preheat Oven to 325˚F.
- Return bacon and lamb to pot and add 4 cups broth, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Stir in potatoes and carrots, making sure potatoes are mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a boil then COVER and carefully transfer to preheated oven at 325˚F for 1 hr and 45 min. When done, potatoes and lamb will be very tender.**
Notes
** For reduced fat stew, spoon out any excess oil from the surface when it comes out of the oven.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Q: Are you cooking up any special Easter recipes?
Is lamb typically on the menu for you? I’d love to hear about your Easter dinner traditions!
Made this again last night. SO delicious 🙂 It’s become a favorite in our house! (I reduce the amount of salt used, because I use powdered bouillon cubes for the beef broth). This week, I meal-prepped it with couscous for my work lunches, with plenty left over for a full dinner and a few lunches for my son as well!
Can this be made in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker? What would change if so?
Hi Brenda, while I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker, here is a note from one of my viewers. She wrote: “I always make my beef stew in the slow cooker- it should work with lamb also. At step 4- transfer everything into the slow cooker and set it to high until it starts boiling and then put it on low until the meat is tender and potatoes cooked.” I hope that helps!
Just made this lamb stew this evening and we all loved it. Prepared it exactly as written. Both lamb and potatoes were tender (size of your potatoes matters). Good, if somewhat mellow, flavor. We had leftovers and I’m looking forward to seeing how flavors develop overnight. Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
All my grocery store had was butterflied leg of lamb. Would that work for this recipe?
Hi Anna! Yes, that will work. I hope you love the recipe.
I have made this recipe many many times. It’s always amazing, however, this time I substituted fresh parsnips from my garden for the potatoes and WOW. I will never make this with potatoes again.
OMGOODNESS made this dish replace beacon with lamb fat and cranberry juice then red wine ( didn’t have either one) also didn’t have mushrooms so omitted them but this dish is delicious my girls loved it as did I it’s in my roof or sure
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Elaine!
Can this be done in the slow cooker? If so, is it just seal lamb and shove the rest in?
Hi Hay! Here is a note from one of my viewers. She wrote: “I always make my beef stew in the slow cooker- it should work with lamb also. At step 4- transfer everything into the slow cooker and set it to high until it starts boiling and then put it on low until the meat is tender and potatoes cooked.” I hope that helps!
I have some lamb leg steak. Would that work for this stew? I was advised to use a cheaper cut, and I know that fattier cuts work best for braising. Need advice.
Hi Joyce. Yes, it can work but it is a leaner meat for it will be drier.
I did this on the stove ..exactly like this but just on the stove ..amazing
I made this last week, I added leek. It was absolutely delicious. I’d like to make it again using beef, will this Work?
Hi Anne! Yes, you can use beef. I also have a recipe for Beef Stew Recipe here.
This turned out so delicious! I roasted celeriac and parsnips roasting them in the oven with the carrots. I tossed them all in avocado oil and a little mustard before roasting. I also cut up some zucchini and fennel and added that to the stew just before putting it all in the oven for that last hour and 45 minutes. This is the best lamb stew I have ever made.
Fantastic. I had to use Lamb Shank, which was quite difficult to cut (was only cut available at the time). I was finally able to add lamb shoulder. It was well worth the extra effort. Excellent flavor. I served it at a wine dinner over jasmine rice and paired it with a Ballentine Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. Was a perfect combination and well received by all.
Great recipe. I usually cook it for 90 minutes.
Love this easy recipe. Made it as directed and it was perfect
hank you for the recipe. I’ve made this dish twice so far, and my one-and-a-half men loved it.
Super stew deep colour and amazing taste loved it.
This is soooo good! I make it at least once a month. Thank you for all of your recipes!!!
I’m so glad you loved it, Kim! Thank you.
I’ve been wanting to try lamb stew for awhile now. And decided to use your recipe. I would just like to say the flavors are amazing and it turned out simply delicious…thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Tina!
Could this recipe be done with a 6qt soup pot unfortunately at the moment I do not have a Dutch oven.
Hi I Rachel! That should be fine. I would finish it on the stovetop instead of the oven, at low heat, keep it covered and let it simmer gently for the same amount of time. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning on the bottom.