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This is the best lamb stew recipe, packed with tender pieces of lamb, savory potatoes and carrots, and a rich, comforting broth with fresh herbs. It’s a wholesome, warming, hearty stew perfect for chilly weather!

stew on spoon with rosemary sprig.

This classic lamb stew is thickened with mashed potatoes instead of the typical Irish soda bread, which creates a delightfully smooth and well-balanced broth filled with tender lamb pieces, potatoes, and carrots generously seasoned with fresh rosemary and thyme.

Like with this lemon chicken recipe, dutch oven beef stew or chicken with shallots, I brown the lamb in batches before cooking the vegetables. This develops a richer broth and a more flavorful dish.

Why You Will Love This Easy Lamb Stew

  • It’s hearty. This flavorful lamb stew is packed with comforting, filling ingredients that will make this recipe a staple during the winter months.
  • It’s deeply flavorful. Rich lamb, savory root vegetables, and fresh thyme and rosemary combine in this delicious stew for a meal packed with flavor.
  • The texture is perfect. Slowly cooking these ingredients produces the most tender lamb and vegetables. You’ll love this recipe for its velvety texture. It will melt in your mouth!

Professional Tips For Making The Best Lamb Stew Recipe

  • Taste for seasoning as you go. Be sure to season with salt and pepper as you cook the meal and test every component of the dish before serving. This is the best way to improve your home cooking skills.
  • Be patient. Lamb can take some time to cook down to a nice and tender texture. Leave yourself plenty of time to allow the lamb to slowly cook. The results are worth the wait!
  • Don’t skip the browning. Browning the lamb is key to developing flavor in this dish. It is important to both pat the lamb dry and brown it well before adding the rest of the ingredients to the pot.
scooping lamb stew in black ladle.
shaved parmesan on top of soup in white bowl.
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Ingredients

lamb stew ingredients on marble.
  • Lamb: I like to use lamb stew meat for this recipe. This meat is typically cut from leg of lamb or lamb shoulder and is quite tough unless you cook it low and slow for many hours.
  • Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best for this recipe. You will be using it to coat the lamb before browning. If you are looking for a gluten-free option, try using rice flour or millet flour.
  • Pepper
  • Salt
  • Rosemary: Adding fresh rosemary to this dish brings fresh, floral, piney notes to the stew that make the flavor balanced and interesting in every bite.
  • Olive Oil
  • Butter
  • Onion: I prefer using a yellow onion in this recipe. A sweet onion would be another good option. 
  • White Wine: Using a dry white wine is best here. Choose something you would like to drink, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. You can also omit it. 
  • Carrots: Use medium-sized carrots for this recipe. Because you are dicing the carrots, rather than slicing them, it will be easier to create uniform cuts if the carrots are medium-sized rather than small.
  • Potatoes: I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. The waxy quality of these potatoes is the perfect texture for lamb stew. You can also use russet potatoes or red potatoes if Yukon gold are unavailable.
  • Thyme: Fresh thyme adds another note of freshness and lightness to this dish. If you don’t have fresh thyme, dried thyme is another option. I would use about half of the amount of fresh thyme if you are using dried.
  • Water: You’ll need at least a quart and a half of fresh, cold water for this recipe. Using water instead of broth or stock for this recipe allows the lamb to more fully flavor the final dish. You’ll notice this is a different approach than my Italian Sausage Soup!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Traditional Irish Stew: Add Guinness instead of white wine for a traditional Irish lamb stew recipe. Use the beer to deglaze the pot before adding the vegetables for a rich, earthy flavor. Serve with some 100% Whole Wheat Bread!
  • Slow Cooker: To make this a slow cooker recipe, brown the lamb in a pot on the stovetop, deglaze with white wine, sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, then add all of the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
  • Pressure Cooker: This recipe can be made in the Instant Pot as well. After browning the meat in the pressure cooker on sauté mode, deglaze with white wine, sauté the vegetables for about 30 seconds, then add the remaining ingredients, place the lid on the pot, and cook on the stew function for about 40 minutes. 
  • More Veggies: Try adding a variety of vegetables to this stew and see what you like best. Root vegetables like parsnip or sweet potato would do well in this recipe, as would aromatics like celery and garlic.

How to Make Lamb Stew with Vegetables

Use these instructions to make the perfect lamb stew every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Mix flour, pepper, salt & chopped rosemary together in a large bowl. Rinse and pat dry your meat – cut into small cubes, no larger than ¾ inch across. Toss meat in flour mixture to coat.

It’s important to season the lamb with salt and pepper before browning it so that every component of the dish imparts flavor.

Step 2: Brown the lamb in 3 batches (or more) in a large Dutch oven in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Start with 1 and add as needed between batches. Remove meat and cover once it is browned. 

Work in batches to allow for proper browning. Leaving space between the pieces of meat keeps it from steaming. Brown at least 3 sides of the meat. I turn the meat in a clockwise rotation. By the time I am done flipping or placing the meat down, the first piece is generally brown and ready to turn. 

Step 3: Add butter to pan and melt. Sauté onion for 2 minutes or until it has just started to become translucent around the edges. Add wine to deglaze the pan. Allow the wine to boil for a moment and then begin scraping up the browned bits. 

lamb cubed and coated with flour in bowl.
browning lamb in dutch oven.
sauteing onions and adding wine.

Step 4: Add meat, accumulated juices, and veggies back to the pot. Add water just to cover. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, reduce to a simmer.

Step 5: Cook, covered, 2 hours. 

You will want to remove any skin that accumulates on the top of the liquid with the back of a dry metal spoon.

Step 6: Microwave potatoes on high for 3 minutes or until soft. Mash with a fork and add to the pot, stirring to mix. 

adding water to stew pot.
mashing potatoes on plate.

Step 7: Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Add rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pot, pushing them down into the liquid. Cook lamb stew for an additional hour at least. 

I tied my rosemary and thyme springs together with kitchen twine. This is called a bouquet garnis. This makes it easier to remove the herbs after cooking and before serving. You can see this in the Step 8 photo below.

Step 8: I simmered mine for 4, which gives plenty of time for the meat to break down and become soft. You could cook it for less time but you may sacrifice the texture.

adding mashed potatoes to lamb stew as thickener.
adding bouquet garnis to stew.

If your stew is not thick enough, you can cook it uncovered for the last hour. I did.

Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip

After adding the microwaved potatoes, I highly recommend allowing your stew to simmer for another 4 hours. This will give the protein in the meat plenty of time to break down and become tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store leftover lamb stew?

Store leftover lamb stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also freeze this stew for up to 4 months.

What cut of lamb is best for stew?

I recommend using lamb stew meat. This is pieces of cubed lamb meat that are cut from the leg or shoulder. Meat from the shoulder tends to be fattier, while leg meat is leaner. Both offer amazing flavor.

How do you reheat lamb stew?

Add the leftover lamb stew to a stockpot. Place it over medium heat. Bring the stew up to a boil and down to a simmer before serving, ensuring all of the ingredients are heated through.

Can you double this recipe?

Absolutely! You can double the recipe by scrolling down to the recipe card below. Select the “2x” or “3x” buttons to automatically update the ingredients to a double or triple batch of the recipe.

lamb stew tablescape.

If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!

lamb stew on spoon.
5 from 1 ratings

Lamb Stew

This is the best lamb stew recipe, packed with tender pieces of lamb, savory potatoes and carrots, and a rich, comforting broth with fresh herbs. It's a wholesome, warming, hearty stew perfect for chilly weather!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Mix flour, pepper, salt & chopped rosemary together in a large bowl. Rinse and pat dry your meat – cut into small cubes, no larger than ¾ inch across. Toss meat in flour mixture to coat.
  • Brown the lamb in 3 batches (or more) in a large Dutch oven in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Start with 1 and add as needed between batches. Remove meat and cover once it is browned.
  • Add butter to pan and melt. Saute onion for 2 minutes or until it has just started to become translucent around the edges. Add wine to deglaze the pan. Allow the wine to boil for a moment and then begin scraping up the browned bits.
  • Add meat, accumulated juices, and veggies back to the pot. Add water just to cover. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, reduce to a simmer.
  • Cook, covered, 2 hours.
  • Microwave potatoes on high for 3 minutes or until soft. Mash with a fork and add to the pot, stirring to mix.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Add rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pot, pushing them down into the liquid. If desired, tie the sprigs together with kitchen twine to make them easier to remove before serving. Cook lamb stew for an additional hour at least.
  • I simmered mine for 4, which gives plenty of time for the meat to break down and become soft. You could cook it for less time but you may sacrifice the texture.

Notes

Flavor Tips – Don’t skip the browning. Browning the lamb is key to developing flavor in this dish. It is important to both pat the lamb dry and brown it well before adding the rest of the ingredients to the pot.
Variations Slow Cooker: To make this a slow cooker recipe, brown the lamb in a pot on the stovetop, deglaze with white wine, sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, then add all of the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Storage – Store leftover lamb stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also freeze this stew for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 1352mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5215IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 419
Like this? Leave a comment below!

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional hearty lamb stew recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed stew recipes, or try this Dutch Oven Pot Roast next!

A hearty Rosemary Lamb Stew recipe to warm you up this winter! Filling and healthy!
A hearty Rosemary Lamb Stew recipe to warm you up this winter! Filling and healthy!

Hi, I’m Chef Lindsey!

I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert!

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14 Comments

  1. I love stew. It is just so comfy. Not to mention not difficult to make. Add to that the fact that there are always leftovers (because stew is always a huge pot) which is great for lunches. Ok, I’m ready to make me some stew.
    Oh, and wasn’t it Rachael Ray who coined the term “Stoup”. Maybe David (above) and your hubby could buy into that.

  2. This stew does look hearty, perfect for a cold day! Love the use of thyme, goes great with lamb. Also – genius idea to thicken it with mashed potatoes 🙂 Pinned!

  3. Wait…does it get cold in Atlanta? Anything less than 65° is good enough for me! Now that we live in the frozen tundra, I have a new-found love of soup and stew. (Yes, stew must be thick. Or else it’s soup. Soup is not stew. Stew is not soup. Ah, but I digress.) You know what I would like? I would like a bowl of this stew waiting for me whenever I come in from shoveling snow. Can we make that happen? Thanks! Also, Merry Christmas, Lindsey!! I hope NZ is treating you well. 🙂 Also, you should hide your china plates. I heard that Taz doesn’t like them.

    1. Haha! You’ve been away so long that you’ve forgotten! It does get cold! It was in the 40’s when we left. It’s all relative. 🙂 It seems as if you and my husband could trade off places on the stew vs soup soapbox! lol! I’ll send you some lamb stew from the capital of world lamb production…you’ll get it sometime next month…I cannot vouch for the edibility! 😉

  4. Perfect Winter Time Stew, totally pinning for enjoying later on!

    Happy holidays! Have a great one and eat lots of cookies! 🙂

  5. I could totally go for a bowl of this stew right now, Lindsey! It looks like the perfect comfort food! I’ve never made a stew with lamb in it before, so I’m loving this. Sounds so rich and filling! Pinned!

    1. Thanks, Gayle! Oh I love lamb stew!!! It just tastes a touch more hearty than beef and the meat is so tender! Thanks for the pin!