Lamb Stew Recipe
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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

This lamb stew is loaded with hearty, healthy ingredients. This lamb stew recipe is simple (a one-pot meal!) The lengthy simmering time in the oven makes the tender lamb morsels and vegetables just melt in your mouth.
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.**
Recipe Notes
*We used the wine "Soft Red" by Ste Chappell. A Pinot Noir would also work well.
** For reduced fat stew, spoon out any excess oil from the surface when it comes out of the oven.
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!
I made this for the first time yesterday… absolutely delicious!
Thank you Natasha.
I’m glad you loved it, Barbara! Thanks for your great feedback.
Lamb lovers delight! Great recipe! However, I did not have bacon so substituted with rosemary infused olive oil. Guests raved!
Sounds great, Brian. I’m so glad you enjoyed this lamb stew recipe!
Any tips for making this in a slow cooker?
Hi Suzanne, I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker, but one of my readers, Mariya, offered some good insights. 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 stumbled across this recipe – thanks to lockdown restrictions here in Ireland, we’ve been cooking a lot more (not allowed to travel more than 5kilometres, so at home cooking it is!). All this to say, I had no idea what size a 5quart dutch oven was, so I just used my medium one. Whoops! Once I added the wine, I realized I had no room for the rest of the goodies. Even so, after letting the wine cook down (and a tiny bit of it drained), I was able to get everything in. Turned out great! Even with an almost 50/50 share of wine and broth! ha!
Awesome, glad you enjoyed makeing this recipe, Therese!
Hi Therese, also in Ireland about to make this. Hang in there! We’ll get there in the end. Have a wonderful Christmas
This recipe ROCKS! Only change I made was to transfer everything to the slow cooker — low and slow for 12 hours. Next time, an extra half pound of lamb.
Awesome, glad you loved this recipe, Phil!
This was so good. Followed recipe as is. Will share with friends.
I’m happy to know that you loved it! Thank you for your great review, Brenda.
Mine is in the oven now. Will it freeze well?
Hi Brenda, haven’t tested with freezing this recipe to advise but here is what one of our readers wrote to advise ” I’ve made this several times and always freeze portions! Just a reminder, potato doesn’t freeze well as it goes all weird and floury in a very inedible way, so for the second batch I used sweet potato so I could freeze without chucking out thawed tatties.” I hope that helps.
The best stew I have ever had! Great flavors and aroma, everything was done to perfection. I followed the recipe exactly, but I did add a tablespoon of corn starch for the last 45minutes in the oven, because it seemed a little thin. Turned out fabulous!
Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful feedback with me John! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Can i check do i need to wash the meat in salt and lime juice? I tried the lamb stew by the smell of the lamb is too strong. Please advise
Rhank you
Hi Anne, we followed the recipe as written and we loved it. If that is your preference and you happen to try it I would love to know how you like it.
Wow the aroma from the stove with the deglazing drew my daughter into the kitchen! I highly recommend Using the bacon and mushrooms. Made this for after work Monday but had to sample and this is Delicious!
Hello Tracy. Glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for your great feedback.
Did something similar, fantastic with potato or champ / colcannon dumplings.
Champ / colcannon is an Irish potato and cabbage mash.
Great way to use leftovers
Mines on the boil now and it looks a serious bit of kit!!
Lowered the temp and going to cook for 5-6 hours. Excited!!
I hope you love this recipe, Paul!
Absolutely wonderful! I did stray from the recipe a tiny bit by replacing tomato paste with a tin of chopped tomatoes and using higher concentration (but less quantity) beef stock. Everyone agreed that this was the best stew ever!
Love it! Thanks for sharing your experience and good comments with us, Kristina. We appreciate it!
I have used this recipe multiple times now and I love it. It’s quite easy to follow and it’s delicious.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world!
You’re welcome, Kathleen! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can I used baby potatoes
Hi! I imagine baby potatoes may work, although without experimenting I’m unable to advise on time or method.
I used baby potatoes and pierced them first before adding them to the stew. They came out wonderful as did the stew. A real favorite in my house and I have shared your recipe with friends. It is definitely something to share because it is a real joy to see, smell and taste!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Delishous! I had to make some changed based on what we had on hand (no bacon), but it turned out great and was easy to make. I recommend adding other veggies too- I put butternut squash in and it was great. I also added a pepper in and it gave it a nice subdtle heat.
That’s just awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi Ariana, when you say you added a “pepper” do you mean a red pepper? Or some kind of chile? Am making this on Friday, thank you!
Fantastic stew. Just like I used to make years ago, glad I found your recipe and popped down and got a nice red to use and enjoy with the meal. Thank you I had forgotten a couple of things, bacon and mushrooms lol. Keep on cooking Natasha 🙂
So great to hear that you enjoyed this stew recipe, Linda. That’s alright – you can add those ingredients the next time you make it again. It will be much more delicious!
This is the most flavorful Lamb stew I have ever eaten.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I have to say this is one tasty Lamb Stew Natasha! Wow! Delicious 😋 . I actually had some left over for the next day and just finished it with my wife and we both agree that the favours are even tastier the next day. Look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Fantastic! Thanks for your great review, Stephen. So happy to know that you and your wife enjoyed it even the next day!
Delicious recipe. We happened to come across some lamb stew meat, so that’s what I used for this. Didn’t have yellow potatoes but used red. The lamb came out SUPER TENDER!!! Cleanup was easy, the cooking process did not generate a lot of dishes. I’m not usually a stew fan but we will definitely be having this recipe again in the future!
Excellent feedback! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Aimee. I am so glad you loved this recipe with lamb stew meat too!
Made it today with home grown lamb and fresh herbs. Tasted really good. Left it simmering on the stove rather than finishing it in the oven. Thanks for the recipe.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Andrew.
Would this be able to work in a sloww cooker if so how should i tweak the recipe with time and temperature in the slow cooker etc?
Hi Claire, I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker but one of my readers, Mariya, offered some good insights. 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 usually don’t eat lamb, but I decided to treat my family to some comfort food in very cold weather. What a delicious recipe! Not rich at all. Served on white rice. Yummy. Thanks Natasha for this recipe. It’s a keeper.
You’re welcome, Loren! Isn’t the flavor amazing! I’m glad you enjoyed that!
You won’t believe it – I forgot when purchasing ingredients that this was a Lamb recipe & I purchased Beef Shin. So…. followed the recipe exactly as given. It worked & was delicious! Thank you.
Next time I’ll do the Lamb…..
I’m so glad this worked with beef! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
This is amazing recipe, my husband and I loved it. This is a keeper for us.
Thank you for making it available.
My pleasure! I hope you and your husband will love every recipe that you will try.
Can I use leftover lamb roast for this recipe? If so, when should I add it?
I haven’t tested that with leftover lamb to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I made this stew for the family yesterday but had to leave the mushrooms out as the family won’t eat them. Stunning; everyone loved it.
Thanks so much for an easy and delicious autumn/winter meal.
If you have suggestions as to mushroom alternatives that would be great.
Andy in Sydney
Thanks for your great feedback, Andy. You can try zucchini or or eggplant?
Hi Natasha,
Can I make this with ground lamb?
Thanks!
Masha
Hi Masha, I haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how you liked it.
Do you think this would work In a pressure cooker/instant pot? If so any tips to adapt it? Thanks
Hi Iggy, I honestly have not tested that in an instant pot so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that recipe
I made it last night in my instant pot but reduced stock to 2 cups. High pressure 45 min NPR, it was PERFECT!
I love it! Thanks for sharing that with us, Sharon.
I tried it twice with the Phillips multicooker using the pressure cooking mode. I replaced beef broth with chicken stock. First time, I added the tomato paste, but 2nd round I omitted it with no significant difference in taste. Without evaporation of the liquid, the stew was pretty soupy when cooked but I managed to solve that with the ‘sauce thickening’ function which basically helped the excess liquid evaporate. This is the most wonderful stew recipe ever! I didn’t know I could make such delicious stew.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Shirley! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
I made this in my instant pot, minus the mushrooms since I didnt have any, and it was great. My mom is 90 and barely eats anything but she ate a good portion of this delicious stew. I thickened things up a tad with a slurry of water and flour, after the pressure cooking…with the pot on SAUTE. It was terrific!
Hi Teri, that is fantastic that you were able to make instant pot lamb stew. Can you share more about your process and instant pot settings since I’m certain others will be curious. Thank you and Happy New Year!
What are the freeze and reheat methods for this dish?
Hi Winni, I haven’t tested with freezing this recipe to advise but here is what one of our readers wrote to advise ” I’ve made this several times and always freeze portions! Just a reminder, potato doesn’t freeze well as it goes all weird and floury in a very inedible way, so for the second batch I used sweet potato so I could freeze without chucking out thawed tatties.” I hope that helps.
I had gotten some local raised lamb chunks and had no idea what I was going to make with it, then I found this recipe and we absolutely loved it. Easy, and delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Lexi! Thank you for that wonderful review!
I made this for my girlfriend who loves lamb stew. This was the first time I’ve ever made stew and it was surprisingly simple and my girlfriend absolutely loved it.
Would recommend this recipe to everyone
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Alasdair!
Tried this and it came out perfect. The left overs Tasted even better The next day. Many thanks. Adan. Uk
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Would leaving the mushrooms out completely change the taste of this? If so, is there an acceptable substitute for the mushrooms? Thanks in advance!
Hi Suzanne, I always make it with the mushrooms but my readers have reported good results omitting the mushrooms. Diane wrote: “This is the best beef stew I have ever made. My husband agrees but prefers that I leave out the mushrooms. But I also throw in some frozen peas instead.” I hope that helps.
Hi, this recipe looks great, going to try it soon.
I don’t own an oven-safe dutch oven / casserole pot. After cooking on the stove, can I transfer the stew to a casserole dish covered with foil, and place in oven to complete cooking for the required time?
Thank so much
Nasrin
Hi Nasrin, yes that would work, but you can also leave it simmering on low heat on the stove, just check on it periodically so it doesn’t scorch at the bottom.
Followed your recipe to a T and now I don’t know why I had not made this before . So delicious and hearty. Simple & easy to follow instructions that produce amazing results! I’m definitely going to add this dish to my Winter repertoire. Thx Nat
That is so awesome to hear Darren! Thanks for giving this recipe excellent feedback.
Hi Natasha,
Can you make this recipe with lamb shoulder?
Karena
That should work too, Karena. Please share with us how it goes.
I had some frozen lamb stew meat from my farm box and had to adapt this recipe for things I had on hand. Subbed the red wine with half natural cranberry juice and half beef broth, used sweet and yellow potatoes, and didn’t have bacon (so sad). Added chopped kale in the last 40 minutes in the oven. This is the most amazingly tender and hearty stews I’ve ever made. 20/10 stars.
Thank you for sharing those tips and changes with us Brittainy!
I often substitute red wine for natural cranberry juice in the morning.
Perfect….laughed out loud
Omg This came out amazing!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I just made this . The flavors are absolutely delicious. When it came out of the oven it was a bit thick. I put a bit more beef broth in it. Perfect! It goes with a variety of red wines.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Is there a substitute for the bay leaves or can it go without ?
Hi Helen, you can omit the bay leaves and it will still taste great.
I just bought my first dutch oven, and this recipe was my trial run. It was so good, and really pretty easy (I highly recommend cutting everything up beforehand), and the flavour was so rich. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you, Natasha!
Love it! So great to hear that you loved the end result, Jen. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natasha,
This recipe became a family favorite after my first attempt making this for them! We have added some other vegetables over time in the last six month such as celery extra garlic. Sometimes in a pinch I have even had to substitute good wine for cooking wine and it still was a crowd pleaser. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Phuong!
Just made this today. I’ve made many stews and soups in the past. This was my first lamb stew and the first stew in a oven cooked Dutch oven. Excellent.!!! Thank you.
Great to hear that your first lamb stew was a success! I hope you love every recipe that you try.
Wow. Absolutely best lamb stew. Made enough to last 3 days. Every bite tasted as good as it did on day 1. Glad I didn’t have to share
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sharon!
Hi Natasha, Easter blessings to you. I am getting ready to start the lamb stew and wanted to know. I only have a pound of lamb stew meat should I cut the recipe or leave as is? Thanks.
Hi Karen, I think it should still work well with less meat. You might add salt to taste though with less meat.
Dziekuje Natasha, this was great. I used fresh thyme, this is an awesome recipe, absolutely amazing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Martin!
Made this today in the pressure cooker. It was amazingly delicious! I halved the recipe, I didn’t have fresh bay leaves so I used dried ones. After cooking it was pretty soupy die to the lack of evaporation in the pressure cooker but it was still delicious. I thicken the sauce for my leftovers tomorrow. Will definitely make this again!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Shirley. I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe!
Yup. This was phenomenal. Bookmarked this recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free “1 for 1 Flour” and served it with their recipe for Biscuits (with 1 cup of cheddar cheese added to biscuits). Amazing.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Steph!
Can I do this in slow cooker instead
of oven?
I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker but one of my readers, Mariya, offered some good insights. 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!
Looks good! Any idea of the settings and time I should use for a slow cooker?
Hi Tara, I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker but one of my readers, Mariya, offered some good insights. 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!
Thanks, I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I made the Lamb Stew for my son’s 24th birthday dinner and it turned out EXCELLENT.
Thank you.
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us and for giving this recipe a great review!
Hello! This sounds great, but my old cast iron pot has no lid. Do you think aluminum foil will work?
Hi Richard. That may work although I haven’t tested that. Do you have a lid from another pot that may fit your pot?
Yes, actually. This old pot belonged to my parents, and I found a lid at the store that fits perfect when I use it on the stove, but it’s glass and I can see a rubber seal between the glass and stainless steel rim. Not sure if it’s oven safe.
Perhaps I’ll try the crockpot method…..
It’s a Calphalon lid from BB and Beyond. It may work
Here is an article about lid replacement options. Very helpful!
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.myrecipes.com/cooking-method/what-to-substitute-pot-lid%3famp=true
Thanks!!
This was awesome! And I was surprised at how easy it was to make. I don’t usually like wines in stews, but I felt like giving this a try. It’s great!
Thank you for the great review and feedback, Caroline. I’m so happy that you loved this recipe!
Hi Natasha , starting watching a lot of your videos made your Apple pie! Best apple pie I ever made the filling was the best.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing that with us, your comments are appreciated.
Hello.
Is it possible to make this recipe in the slow cooker?
Can you help me?
Thanks.
Marta
Hi Marta, I haven’t tried this in a slow cooker but one of my readers, Mariya, offered some good insights. 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!
Thanks Natasha.
I have to try.
Marta
You’re welcome Marta.
Delicious tasty and comforting dinner on a dreary rainy Sunday.
(Seconds were had!)
Easy to make, in fact made mostly second stage in a slow cooker,
Thanks Natasha!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Paul. Thank you for that great feedback!
Clearly, this is Julia Child’s recipe for Beef Bourguignon, but with lamb, and taking out a lot of the extra steps that don’t change the flavor. OMG – WOW – incredibly, amazingly, memorably wonderful!!! This has now become my go to recipe for lamb, even though I love curry so much and had some really great curry recipes!! This has displaced all my stewed lamb recipes for top of the heap. Great Job, and THANKS!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe Faye! Thank you for that amazing review!
Awesome!
I don’t often comment on recipes but this turned out amazing. Will definitely be doing this again.
That’s so great Gerard!! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
So yummy! We found lamb stew meat reduced and froze it for a bit – had to try your recipe and it is awesome. Thank you
You’re welcome, Karen! Thank you for that 5 STAR review!
I see the calorie count but what is the serving size please?
Hi Max, This recipe makes 8 servings. The serving size will be about 1.5 cups or so. I hope that helps.
We made this recipe and love it. One issue we did have is that the stew itself (broth & veggies) taste too much of beef and not enough of lamb. We were thinking about substituting chicken broth for some or all of beef broth. Thoughts/suggestions?
Hi David, we thought the beef broth had richer flavor and better color but chicken broth would also work well.
I think we may try half beef half chicken next time, and also heavily brown some lamb scraps for fond, to see if we can get a more lamb-flavored broth. Thanks.
That sounds delicious! I hope you love that combination!
Hi,
I’m hoping to make this recipe today (New Year’s Eve!), but just realized I don’t have a dutch oven that’s big enough. Can I cook it on the stovetop in a soup pot instead? Or any other suggestions for how to cook in the oven – would a roasting pan work? Thank you!
Hi Shannon, I haven’t tried it that way but it should work! Several of our readers have reported success using stovetop only. Enjoy!
You can certainly cook this or any other stew on the stovetop if that’s what you’re looking to do. Most other recipes recommend cooking the recipe on low for 1-2 hours, upwards of 2 1/2. The average seems to be 1 1/2 hours. This recipe reheats very nicely, so don’t be afraid to cook it 3 hours before it needs to be done. First you follow the recipe as instructions say, bring it to a boil (as it says to), and then turn it to low to simmer on the stovetop instead of putting it in the oven. If you are using more delicate and easy to cook veggies (like peas and corn), consider cooking the dish out for 40-50 minutes before adding those delicate veggies into the mix for the remainder of time.
Thank you for this suggestion! Midway through making this beautiful recipe, I read I needed to put the stew in the oven. Dred- my oven is broken! Your reply helped ease my spirits!
I always have the same problem with other dishes! I don’t have any oven safe pans or pots, so when it tells me to stick it in the oven, I have to either put it on the cookie sheet or do it on the stovetop. xD Glad I could help, hope it was in time.
Made it tonight! modified once I realized that we actually did not have any mushrooms. We really loved it. Served with rice and a green salad
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Karen!
This recipe is awesome! My son is a fussy eater but he asked for more. So delicious. Thank you Natasha!
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
hi, is there any substitution for the wine as I can’t use wine? or bacon? so sorry.
Hi Linda, it still should work just using more broth. The wine does give this lamb stew rich flavor so it wouldn’t taste quite the same and may need additional seasoning to compensate.
Natasha, Initially I was nervous abt making such a dish, but boy oh boy am I glad I did!!
Can you say OMG, this dish is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
I used a tawny port and the fact that the dish didn’t last an hour magnifies this! This hearty and delectable stew will definitely be a staple for the colder months!
THANK YOU NATASHA!
#FIVE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Winning
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!!
Thank you for the recipe! Can this recipe work without bacon?
Hi Sima, it would still work without the bacon, you could just use a light (not extra virgin) olive oil to saute the lamb instead. It may need slightly more salt if omitting the bacon.
Hi Natasha, I notice some discrepancies in the ingredient conversions you offer from US customary to metric. Weights convert but volume and length do not. I know it’s an auto conversion but a web technician or a human eye might like to go over your recipes for the benefit of your international visitors. Yummy recipe by the way!
Hi Matthew, which ingredient are you having trouble with in this list so I can address it. We currently have liquid measurements converting to mililiters and ingredients that are measured by weight (dry ingredients) in grams.
I’m not actually having trouble, thank you Natasha. I brought up the ingredient conversions for reasons of consistency. The conversion misses “4 medium carrots 10 oz” for example, while successfully converting “4 oz bacon” to “113.4 g bacon.” But the bacon “chopped into 1/4″ strips” is not converted to 6.25mm strips. And a human wouldn’t be quite so exact in converting the bacon strip anyway. A human would round off the metric bacon strip to 6mm. And I noticed under instructions… “In a 5Qt dutch oven” is not converted. Again, neither of these things are particularly important. However, if your website offers a metric conversion, it would be consistent to convert all measurements. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy your lamb stew and follow your recipes with pleasure.
Natasha. What can I substitute the bacon with? We eat only clean food.
Hi Natasha, it would still work without the bacon, you could just use a light (not extra virgin) olive oil to saute the lamb instead. It may need slightly more salt if omitting the bacon.
Depending on what you mean by clean, there are alternatives to replace that salty smokey meaty flavor. Other meat options include pancetta, prosciutto, smoked sausage, smoked ham, Canadian bacon. The last 3 might not fit this recipe though.. There are also plenty of veggie fake bacon alternatives, but you should be sure to search how good of substitutes they really are beforehand. Or just use a bit more salt and some sort of replacement for the fat like a touch of lard? Lard is a good option because fat is not nearly as bad for you as sugars, meaning you get some great flavor without sacrificing health.
Thank you for sharing!
So you are suddenly flummoxed by your own food choices and have to reach out for help. Really? Please just give up on the silly self-righteous food point-scoring and just have some nice oranges straight from the tree.
I used a meaty lamb neck (don’t eat pig) for the meat, but it was fatty so I roasted it in the oven to melt the fat then used two tablespoons of the fat for sautéing the onions and garlic. I used white wine instead of red (didn’t have red at home). Also, I used fresh thyme at the end with the chopped parsley. I skipped flouring the meat since the lamb neck was roasted in the oven. The nutrition information with the original recipe is extremely high in sodium, I think eliminating the bacon drastically reduces the sodium.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I am reading comments before making this recipe, noticed someone was concerned about bacon, due to it being unclean, (understood & agreed.) We striv to refrain from that which God has deemed unclean for eating, (He knows how He made things and why they should not be consumed.) Fortunately, we are still able to enjoy bacon, (not as pork,) but as turkey or beef, (the latter being our preference.) Hope this helps.
Made this three times now, it’s a complete win. I cannot find substantiated advice on how the alcohol in the wine cooks off, can you help? Feeding this to my kids (it’s completely kid friendly), my littlest is only 7 months though. What do you think? Am I helping to develop a fantastic palate or should I skip this ingredient?
“It’s completely kid friendly” from a taste perspective! Passed with flying colors with my toddler
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
Hi Jo, It still should work just using more broth if you are concerned. The wine does give this lamb stew rich flavor so it wouldn’t taste quite the same and may need additional seasoning to compensate.
Cooking off alcohol content takes much longer than we think. There will almost always be some remaining alcohol. With a dish like this that cooks for hours, the content could be as little as 5%, but for children that young it is not advised. You can try substitutes for the wine like grape juice with a splash of vinegar; this will help to keep the flavor profile and the dash of vinegar will cut down on the sweetness of the juice. Or just use more broth with vinegar to supplement the lack of acidity with a ratio of (1 cup of broth+1tbps vinegar):1 cup wine.
I usually use a mix of mushroom broth (I use it as a substitute because I cannot eat beef) and balsamic vinegar if I cook for people who don’t consume alcohol (same proportions as in Erin’s comment).
This was delicious! I omitted the bacon (I don’t eat it) and the onion (I can’t eat them). I was trying to replicate a recipe I’d made while living in India years ago – I didn’t have any idea what cut of lamb I’d used there. I found this recipe while trying to see whether I could use leg of lamb in stew. I used curry powder and a little cinnamon in place of the thyme and bay leaves, used cilantro instead of parsley and used a small can of tomato sauce instead of the paste. I also used a lot of vegetable in addition to the carrots, mushrooms and potatoes – a red pepper, a sweet potato, green beans, peas and spinach and added chopped dried apricots. But the technique and measurements were your recipe. So good!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review
I can’t believe how delicious this recipe is. I halved it but other than that,followed the recipe exactly.
The liquid cooks down to a lovely gravy. What a surprise when I took off the lid!
Thank you for sharing that awesome review with us, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Sorry do you have a wine free recipe
Hi Ann, it still should work just using more broth. The wine does give this lamb stew rich flavor so it wouldn’t taste quite the same and may need additional seasoning to compensate.
Because the recipe is for a stew and stews, by nature, intend to slow cook and tenderize the meat, using broth with a dash of vinegar is the recommended substitute. The rule is 1 teaspoon vinegar for every cup of broth you are subbing for the wine. You would use white vinegar to replace the loss of acidity the wine would have provided.
1) Do all the same stuff but without the wine.
2) substitute using something else you do like. Cordial?
It still should work just using more broth if you are concerned with using wine. The wine does give this lamb stew rich flavor so it wouldn’t taste quite the same and may need additional seasoning to compensate.
Hi Natasha, we just made this recipe exactly like you said and I have to tell you this is delicious. Definitely a keeper. Thank you.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Alla!
I really don’t think I have enough words to praise this recipe. It’s just come out the oven and I had to write this review immediately. I honestly didn’t think I was capable of making something this delicious! I made mine in a smaller portion to the recipe, my wine of choice was a Merlot and I added some pearl barley (only because I had originally planned to make soup and the barley had been soaking overnight). This recipe is definitely a keeper and just in time for those winter nights!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Paula!
hey Natasha can I cook it in instant pot?
Hi Anna, I honestly have not tested that in an instant pot so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that recipe
Great recipe. My husband loves it. I’m now making it for a friend get together and I’m sure it’ll be a big hit.
Have you considered the recipe with pearl onions? They work great in stews in addition to the normal type of onion you’re using. I buy the ones for cocktails as they are kept in vinegar, run them under some water quickly to reduce the vinegar content, and then the bit of vinegar left in them adds some nice flavoring to the stew. :0
Hi Erin, I haven’t tested this with Pearl onions but I imagine that will be delicious!!
Made this today – was a winner!!! Thank you! Served it with green beans, polenta & a dollop of creme fraiche.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Can i substitude red wine for red wine winegar a nd how much?
Hi Victoria, I haven’t tried that but it might taste too strong and acidic with vinegar instead of wine.
Great looking dish and sounds fairly easy to make. Any suggestions on what to serve it with other than soft crusty bread? Planning to prepare it this weekend 👍🏼.
Hi Sunil, lamb stew is a very hearty meal in itself which is why we usually serve it with just bread but you could serve lamb stew before any meal as a starter, or you could also serve it with a fresh green salad, also sauerkraut or pickles are a nice match and it’s also great over mashed potatoes.
WAS DELICIOUS . AS ALWAYS
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!