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!
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.