This cozy Lamb Stew features tender pieces of seared lamb and hearty veggies in a delicious, Guinness-infused broth. With a rich, slow-cooked flavor, this one-pan recipe is the epitome of comfort food!
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If you’re a fan of a classic Dutch Oven Beef Stew or Guinness Beef Stew like me, you’re going to love this Lamb Stew recipe.
It’s so comforting, easy to make, and the leftovers are even better the next day!
For more cozy and satisfying stew recipes, be sure to check out my, Cabbage And Sausage Stew, Instant Pot Beef Stew, and Brazilian Fish Stew.
I love this gluten-free Lamb Stew recipe because it’s such a versatile dish – you can add all kinds of veggies and herbs to suit your family’s liking. It’s the perfect recipe to enjoy with your Easter or St. Patrick’s Day spread, or whenever you’re craving a big bowl of comfort!
How To Make Lamb Stew
Ingredients
- Bacon — Feel free to use your favorite type of bacon.
- Lamb — This is where so much of the incredible flavor comes from. You can use either boneless lamb shoulder or boneless lamb leg.
- Seasonings — I keep the seasonings very simple, with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Aromatics — Onion and garlic add quite a bit of depth to the lamb stew.
- Guinness beer — The stout Guinness beer complements the lamb beautifully.
- Tomato paste — The tomato paste adds a rich flavor and color to the stew.
- Vegetables — Chopped carrots and celery make this dish so filling and cozy.
- Fresh herbs — I toss fresh thyme right into the lamb stew and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Sugar — Just a sprinkle of white sugar really helps to balance all the flavors.
- Chicken stock or beef broth — You can use your preferred brand of chicken stock, or make your own chicken broth.
Instructions
Prepare the meat and stew base:
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, brown and crisp the bacon pieces. Then, transfer the bacon to a large bowl, and reserve the bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
- Season the lamb meat cubes with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the lamb into the Dutch oven with the bacon fat over high heat. Sear the lamb on all sides. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, a pinch of salt, and stir until the onions are lightly browned. Then, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour the Guinness beer into the Dutch and use a spatula or a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add everything together, and simmer:
- Add the meat and bacon back to the Dutch oven. Then, add the tomato paste, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs and sugar.
- Add enough chicken broth to cover the meat and veggies and bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the lamb is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
- Once the lamb is tender, remove the cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the stew come to a low boil. Let it simmer until the stew thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Then, you can discard the thyme sprigs and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish and serve:
- Serve with mashed potatoes, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- When preparing the meat and veggies, chop them the same size, so they cook evenly. I aim for about 2-inch chunks for the beef and 1-inch pieces for the carrots and celery.
- To get the best texture on the lamb, brown it over a consistent medium-high heat for a nice, even sear on all sides.
- If you have extra tomato paste, you can freeze it for later! I like to freeze it in small cubes that I can toss into dishes as I need it.
- You don’t need any kind of flour or cornstarch slurry to thicken this lamb stew. The last step of simmering the stew without the lid will allow it to thicken naturally while the flavors develop even further.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. Once cooled (room temperature), place the leftovers in a freezer-safe container with a bit of extra space for the liquid to expand as it freezes.
- To Reheat: Warm leftover lamb stew it in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
What To Serve with Lamb Stew
- Mashed potatoes: Lamb stew is often served over mashed potatoes. Try it with my easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or mashed cauliflower as a low-carb option.
- Fresh bread: Whenever I make lamb stew, I always make bread to go with it just for dipping in the broth. It’s perfect with this beer bread, but would also be great with homemade garlic bread or dinner rolls.
- Roasted veggies: I like to serve roasted veggies on the side. My favorites are these delicious cabbage steaks, but lamb stew is also great with roasted green beans, or this incredible roasted potato salad.
Recipe Variations
- Sub a different protein: Lamb stew is super versatile and equally delicious with other proteins, like beef chuck or venison.
- Add more veggies: I’d go with hearty veggies like mushrooms, turnips, potatoes, green peas (or frozen peas) and cabbage. Use also other kind of herbs like fresh rosemary, bay leaves and so on.
- Slow cooker or Instant Pot: I prefer to make lamb stew in my Dutch oven, but you can also make it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. For expert tips and instructions, see my healthy slow cooker beef stew and Instant Pot chicken stew recipes.
Recommended Tools
- Dutch oven: I like to make this in my cast iron Dutch oven because it gets such a nice sear on the lamb.
- Medium bowl: You’ll need a medium bowl to set the bacon and lamb aside after they’ve browned.
- Sharp knife: I always recommend using sharp kitchen tools – it makes all the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lamb healthier than beef?
While they’re both great sources of high-quality protein, lamb has less marbling of fat than beef. It’s also a great source of iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and amino acids.
What type of lamb is best for lamb stew?
For this recipe, I recommend using lamb shoulder or boneless lamb leg. These cuts are pretty widely available in most grocery stores and become fall-apart-tender when they’re slow-cooked.
Does the Guinness Beer cook off in the lamb stew?
The alcohol in the Guinness will cook off as the stew simmers, but all the delicious, stout flavor will infuse the broth.
More Delicious Lamb Recipes
Lamb Stew
This cozy Lamb Stew features tender pieces of seared lamb and hearty veggies in a delicious, Guinness-infused broth. With a rich, slow-cooked flavor, this one-pan recipe is the epitome of comfort food!
Servings: 8 people
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Ingredients
- 4 slices raw bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 pounds lamb shoulder or boneless lamb leg cut into 2-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups white onions chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 12 ounce can Guinness beer
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2.5 cups carrots chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1.5 cups stalks celery chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock or as needed to cover
- Freshly chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Brown and crisp bacon in a Dutch oven pot over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat, transfer bacon to a large bowl, and reserve bacon fat in the pot.
- Season lamb meat cubes with salt and black pepper to taste. Add lamb into the Dutch oven pot with the bacon fat over high heat, sear all sides of the lamb cubes until browned (about 5 minutes). Ensure not to overcrowd the pot with lamb, as it may steam instead of sear. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times. Transfer lamb to the same bowl you placed the cooked bacon, leaving fat in the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium; add onions and stir until lightly browned, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour beer into the pot. Stir for about 3 minutes until the beer has dissolved any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the meat and bacon back to the pot. Add tomato paste, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, sugar, more salt and black pepper to taste, and enough chicken broth to cover the meat and the veggies.
- Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the lamb is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and, if desired, skim off any excess fat.
- Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the stew come to a low boil. Simmer until the stew slightly thickens, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and top with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Tips
- Chop the meat and veggies into the same sized pieces, so they cook evenly.
- Brown the lamb over a consistent medium-high heat for an even sear on all sides.
- Freeze your leftover tomato paste to use in all kinds of recipes.
- There’s no need for a flour or cornstarch slurry – the stew will thicken as it simmers with the lid off.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1/8 Calories: 348kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 27g Fat: 21g Cholesterol: 11mg Sodium: 527mg Potassium: 344mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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