Lamb Stew Recipe

This lamb stew recipe is hearty and delicious after braising low and slow in the oven. A classic stew with tender lamb, rich gravy with carrots, potatoes, onions, and herbs. Simple to make - only 9 ingredients. YES, please!

Recipe Video

You'll ❤️ Classic Lamb Stew

"This lamb stew recipe is my all time favorite stew! The lamb is super tender and the gravy turns out perfect EVERY time." 🙂 -Kori

Time Tested Classic

This stew recipe is time-tested and well-loved. With only 9 simple ingredients you can't go wrong. Don't have time to braise it? Make it an Instant Pot Lamb Stew. 🙂 Or, throw it all in your slow cooker.

Comfort Food

There is nothing like sitting down to a warm bowl of lamb stew on a chilly night! The evening I made this stew recipe, my family and I had just sat down at the table to eat - and it started gently snowing. A nice cozy moment enjoyed together. 🙂

Healthy

A homemade healthy stew recipe that you can feel good about serving your family.

• This stew is dairy-free, and has no added sugar. Keep in mind that the vegetables do contain their own natual sugar.
• Make it gluten free, Whole30, and paleo by eliminating the flour thickener altogether, or use an alternative thickener that will work for the plan you are following.

How To Serve

The beauty of this classic lamb stew is that it's a meal in one, so you don't need to very much. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Garnish with fresh parsley or chives.
• Serve it with a side of crusty bread, rolls, or breadsticks.
• If you want more vegetables I suggest a simple green salad with a favorite salad dressing - catalina french dressing, blue cheese, italian dressing, or thousand island.
• One of my boys loves it with sour cream (or creme fraiche) and a little grated cheese on top. It's good!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this lamb stew recipe:

See the recipe card for exact quantities. 🙂

• Leg of Lamb, Lamb Shoulder, or Lamb Stew Meat - I used a semi-boneless leg of lamb, then cut off the lamb meat for use in soups and stews. I then saved the bone for lamb stock! You can also buy lamb stew meat already cut up which is a time saver.
• Onion - I used a yellow onion but you could certainly use whatever you have on hand.
• Carrots
• Celery
• Potatoes - use a starchy potato (russet, yukon gold, etc.) as it helps to thicken the sauce.
• Beef Stock or Lamb Stock - either lamb or beef broth or stock will work. I alternate depending upon what I have on hand. You can also use a low-sodium beef broth if you are watching your salt intake.
• Flour - used as a thickener, but you could eliminate the flour if you choose.
• Thyme - dried or fresh is perfectly acceptible. 1 teaspoon of dried equals 1 tablespoon of fresh.
• Parsley - fresh is best for the color and freshness it brings to this dish.
• Kosher Salt - this is the brand of salt I use in practically all recipes (not baking though). Each salt is slightly different so you may need to adjust at the end.
• Ground Black Pepper

Equipment

Equipment and tools needed to make this lamb stew recipe:

• 4 to 6-quart Dutch Oven
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Mixing Spoon
• Ladle
• Whisk - for whisking the flour and pot juices together.
• Small Bowl

Variations

Here are a few ways you can vary or make substitutions to your Lamb Stew Recipe:

• Add bacon! Cook 8 ounces of chopped bacon until done. Remove from pot and set aside. Drain some of the grease but leave about 2 tablespoons. Omit the olive oil and caramelize the carrots and onions in the bacon grease.
• Make this lamb stew in your Instant Pot, or you can make slow cooker lamb by adding all the ingredients to your slow cooker. Slow cook until vegetables and lamb are tender.
• You can make this stew with beef or veal - or a combination if that's all your have on hand. Keep in mind however, that lamb meat has a very distinctive rich taste so by changing the meat you will have a different tasting stew - still good of course, but it won't be lamb. 🙂
• Love beer? Substitute 8 to 12 ounces of stout beer for some of the beef broth.
• Add extra vegetables such as peas, mushrooms, cabbage, or even canned diced tomatoes.
• For a little more brightness and tang you could add in a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. A tablespoon of tomato paste would give the stew more tang and also act as thickener.
• Want it spicer? Add some red pepper flakes or a diced hot pepper (remove seeds first).
• Use different herbs - fresh or dried. My rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of fresh for every 1 teaspoon of dried in a recipe. My favorite herbs in this stew are marjoram, rosemary, herbs de Provence blend, and Italian seasoning blends.
• Use baby potatoes (red, gold, or purple) instead of the usual yukon golds, russet, or idaho potatoes.

Instructions

Here's how to make this lamb stew recipe:

For complete instructions, please see the printable recipe card below.

Season Lamb

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

Season lamb with salt and pepper and set aside.

Pin

Caramelize Vegetables

Preheat olive oil in an ovenproof dutch oven.

Add carrots and onions and saute until almost tender, and you get some golden brown (caramelization).

Pin

Make A Slurry

Add flour and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the stock and stir. Bring to a simmer, then turn off.

Pin

Add Remaining Ingredients

Add lamb, potatoes, and thyme to the pot.

Pin

Braise In Oven

Cover with a tight lid and bake in the oven until lamb and potatoes are tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.

Garnish and Serve

Adjust salt and pepper if needed and garnish with fresh parsley.

Pin

Top Tips

• While searing the lamb, and carmelizing the vegetables gives this dish added flavor and richness - if you are in a hurry you can skip this step. Add lamb, vegetables, flour, salt, and pepper and stir all together. Add stock and remaining ingredients then braise in the oven.
• Flour is used as a thickener in this dish. If you can't eat flour or prefer stew that isn't as thick omit it from the recipe.

FAQs

What is the best cut of meat for lamb stew?

The best cut of meat for lamb stew is a leg of lamb or lamb shoulder. You can also buy lamb stew meat already cut into cubes, which is convenient.

Buy a bone-in leg of lamb and cut the meat into 1-inch pieces for later use in soups, casseroles, and stews. Don't forget to save the lamb bone and make your own homemade lamb stock! Freeze any meat (you can also freeze the bone) you will not use immediately in freezer-safe bags in 1-pound portions.

How do you store leftovers?

To store leftovers, let the stew cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. See reheating and freezing instructions below.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes, you've got two options. One, you can prepare the stew in its entirety then reheat the day you want to serve it. You can also freeze it; see notes below. Two, you can pre-prep the lamb by cutting it into cubes. Then, chop and dice all the vegetables so everything is ready to go when it's time to cook it.

How long will this stew keep?

Lamb stew will keep up to four days if stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Can you freeze this lamb stew?

Yes, you can freeze lamb stew. To freeze it, let it cool completely after cooking, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

The thaw, remove the stew from the freezer 24 to 48 hours before you want to cook it. Remove it well in advance - a large portion of stew can take a couple of days to thaw properly.

How do you reheat stew?

Here is what you need to do to reheat your stew:

Microwave: Using a microwave-safe dish, cover a stew serving and reheat on 50% power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The exact time depends upon the power of your microwave.

Stovetop: Place the stew in a saucepan, cover, and reheat over low heat, frequently stirring so that it doesn't stick.

📖 The recipe.

More Lamb Recipes

Looking for more recipes with lamb? Check these out:

• Lamb Stew Instant Pot
• Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb Recipe
• Pressure Cooker Leg of Lamb
• Hearty Lamb Meatball Soup Recipe
• Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie
• How To Cook a Boneless Leg of Lamb
• The Best Greek Burger (Gyro Burger)
• Lamb Mince Shepherd's Pie