This Irish lamb stew is loaded with vegetables and melt-in-your-mouth, tender, grass-fed lamb meat for the most amazingly tasty soup ever. The rich broth is incredibly savory and soul-warming. It's the perfect cozy comfort food soup for any day of the year!
Serve with French bread or Irish soda bread. Follow up with a fun St Patrick's Day dessert like Lucky Charms cookies or pistachio pudding cookies.
Jump to:
It may not be much to look at; most stews are somewhat plain in appearance - but this Irish lamb stew is downright heavenly. You're sure to love each and every succulent bite.
This is an excellent meal to enjoy around St. Patrick's Day, but that is equally wonderful any time of the year. If you have never had a lamb stew, you are in for a savory treat.
I love cooking (and eating) classic Irish fare. If you do, too, take a look at my other Irish and Irish-inspired recipes!
🥘 Ingredients
Pick your favorite veggies if you want to add more filling to your stew. Just like most stews, this is a versatile recipe.
- Lamb Stew Meat - 1 ½ lbs of lamb stew meat (or use lamb shoulder or thick-cut shoulder chops, cut into 1 ½ to 2-inch chunks and trimmed of fat).
- All-Purpose Flour - ¼ cup of flour.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
- Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin - divided into 2 portions of 2 tablespoons each).
- Yellow onion - 1 large yellow onion (roughly chopped, about ½ cup - white onion can also be used).
- Parsley - 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley.
- Carrots - 5-6 medium carrots (medium-sized, rough chopped, about 3 cups).
- Celery - 6 ribs celery (rough chopped, about 3 cups).
- Beef Broth - 6 cups of beef broth (use more or less, as needed, to cover your stew ingredients).
- Red Potatoes - 3-4 medium red potatoes (or russet potatoes - chopped).
- Bay Leaves - 2 whole bay leaves; remove them before serving.
- Thyme - 2 sprigs of fresh thyme; remove them before serving.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Irish Lamb Stew
I cook my lamb stew on the stovetop, but I have included the slow cooker and instant pot instructions.
If you finish your lamb stew in the oven, I suggest using a Dutch oven for the best results.
This recipe will make enough stew for about 6 servings.
- Season the meat. In a medium bowl, coat 1 ½ pounds of cut lamb stew meat with flour (start with half the ¼ cup of flour or ⅛ cup) and season with ½ a teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Bring the first 2 tablespoon portion of olive oil to medium-high heat in a large stock pot or heavy-bottomed dish (like a Dutch oven).
- Brown the meat. Brown the floured lamb meat on all sides (dust the browning meat with the remaining flour if you would like your stew broth to be thicker), then remove it from the pot and set it aside. *Do not worry about the browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot; this is the base of a great stew!
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the second 2 tablespoon portion of olive oil into the pot and sweat 1 onion until beginning to get translucent. Add remaining ingredients: 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 5-6 carrots, 6 ribs of celery, 6 cups of broth, potatoes, 2 bay leaves, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Return the seared lamb to the pot, stir, cover, and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer. Once a slow rolling boil is reached, reduce the heat to low and cook at a low simmer for approximately 90 minutes (timing will vary depending on your meat portion, the chunk size, etc.) or until your lamb meat is very tender when forked.
- Serve. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems and serve while hot.
Dutch Oven Instructions (Oven Braised Method)
Follow the directions in the recipe: use an oven-safe dish (preferably a Dutch oven).
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while browning the lamb meat.
- Cover. Once all of the ingredients have been combined, cover your lamb stew and place it in the oven.
- Bake. Bake for about 1 hour or until lamb meat is very tender when forked.
Slow Cooker/Crockpot Instructions
For best results, follow the directions above, including coating the lamb stew meat with flour, seasoning it with salt and pepper, and browning it in a Dutch oven (or frying pan).
- Scrape fond. Transfer browned lamb stew meat to a 6-quart slow cooker, scraping as much of the 'fond' from the bottom of the pan along with the juices from cooking the meat.
- Add ingredients & cook. Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, celery, chopped parsley, bay leaves, sprigs of fresh thyme, and beef broth. Cover and cook on low setting for eight hours.
To skip the pan searing, place flour-coated lamb stew meat in the bottom of the slow cooker (OR sprinkle flour over the lamb meat after it has been placed into the crockpot/slow cooker).
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Instructions
Follow the directions for coating your lamb meat with flour and seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Brown the meat. Set your instant pot to saute and brown the lamb stew meat for about 3-4 minutes.
- Cook. Add 1 cup of the beef broth, stir, and scrape any browned bits into the liquid. Add the remaining beef broth along with the chopped parsley, bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme. Close and seal your instant pot, then cook on high for 30 minutes.
- Finish. Add the remaining ingredients: onion, celery, carrot, and potatoes, then re-seal the instant pot and cook on high for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, let your lamb stew rest for 7-10 minutes. If your lamb meat is not fork tender, return your stew to high pressure for an additional 5 minutes.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Selecting the Right Meat: The type of meat you use significantly influences the outcome of your stew. While many stews are versatile with the meat choice, opting for high-quality stew meat chunks is crucial. Lamb shoulder is ideal for stewing, whereas leg of lamb is better suited for roasting and grilling and may become tough in a stew. Consider using milk lamb or grass-fed lamb for the best results.
- Choosing Lamb Cuts: For further guidance on selecting the best cuts of lamb for your stew, refer to comprehensive guides on lamb, mutton, and goat meat.
- Seasoning Timing: Add seasonings towards the end of the cooking process. This allows the stew's flavors and consistency to develop fully before adjusting the taste.
- Thickening the Stew: To thicken the stew, prepare a slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Mix until smooth, then gradually whisk it into the stew. Repeat the process as necessary to achieve the thickness you desire.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
You may store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 5 days.
You may freeze your stew in an airtight plastic container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat stew in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat until sufficiently hot.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Lamb or mutton is the preferred meat for an authentic Irish stew.
The flour used to coat the stew meat should help thicken your stew. As it is made on this page, this stew will have a medium thickness. For a thicker stew, you could also let the stew simmer on the stovetop for 5-10 additional minutes with the lid off. Or, you could mash 1 or 2 of the potatoes and mix them in.
Yes! Once the stew has cooled, place it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. It will keep well frozen for 3 months. Longer than that, and the meat and veggies will start to become mushy.
😋 More Tasty Irish Recipes
- Irish Nachos - Irish nachos are made with thinly sliced potatoes in place of chips!
- Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting - This Irish oatmeal cake with caramel pecan frosting is full of fabulous fall flavors!
- Irish Apple Cake - A moist apple cake with a heavenly vanilla custard drizzled over the top.
- Potato Leek Soup - This warm and cozy potato soup is perfect for cool weather!
- Apple Blackberry Crumble - This sweet and fruity apple blackberry crumble is just calling for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Irish Coffee - A sweet coffee with a kick thanks to Irish whiskey!
A huge THANK YOU to our local farm, Maple Hill Garden, Collin personally delivered the half a lamb used in this recipe!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Irish Lamb Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs lamb stew meat (or use lamb shoulder or thick cut shoulder chops, cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch chunks and trimmed of fat)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin - divided into 2 portions of 2 tablespoon each)
- 1 large yellow onion (rough chopped)
- 2 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
- 5-6 carrots (medium sized, rough chopped)
- 6 ribs celery (rough chopped)
- 6 cups beef broth (use more or less, as needed to cover your stew ingredients)
- 3-4 medium red potatoes (or russet potatoes - chopped)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, coat your cut lamb stew meat with flour (start with half the ¼ cup of flour) and season with salt and pepper. Bring the first 2 tablespoon portion of the olive oil to medium high heat in a large stock pot or heavy bottomed dish (like a dutch oven).
- Brown the floured lamb meat on all sides (dust the browning meat with the remaining flour if you would like your stew broth to be thicker), then remove from the pot and set aside. *Do not worry about the browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pot, this is the base of a great stew!
- Add the second portion of 2 tablespoons olive oil into the pot and sweat the onion until beginning to get translucent. Add remaining ingredients: chopped parsley, carrots, celery, broth, potatoes, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme. Return the seared lamb to the pot, stir, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Once a slow rolling boil is reached, reduce the heat to low and cook at a low simmer for approximately 90 minutes (timing will vary depending on your meat portion, the chunk size, etc.) or until your lamb meat is very tender when forked.
- Remove bay leaves and thyme stems before serving.
- Other vegetables that would be a wonderful addition: turnips, parsnips, fennel, leek, shallot, or peas.
Oven (Oven Braised) Instructions
- *To make your Irish Lamb Stew in the oven (oven braised method), follow the directions in the recipe: use an oven safe dish (preferably a dutch oven), preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while browning the lamb meat.
- Once all of the ingredients have been combined, cover your lamb stew and place in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour, or until lamb meat is very tender when forked.
Slow Cooker & Crock Pot Instructions
- **To make your Irish Lamb Stew in a slow cooker or crock pot, for best results follow the directions including coating the lamb with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, and browned in a dutch oven (or frying pan). Transfer browned lamb stew meat to your 6 quart slow cooker, scraping as much of the 'fond' from the bottom of the pan along with the juices from cooking the meat.
- Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, celery, chopped parsley, bay leaves, sprigs of fresh thyme, and beef broth. Cover and cook on low setting for eight hours.
- To skip the pan searing, place flour coated lamb stew meat in the bottom of the slow cooker (OR sprinkle flour over the lamb meat after it has been placed into the slow cooker).
Instant Pot & Pressure Cooker Instructions
- ***To make your Irish Lamb Stew in an instant pot or pressure cooker, follow the directions for coating your lamb meat with flour and seasoning with salt and pepper. Set your instant pot to saute and brown the lamb stew meat, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the beef broth, stir and scrape any browned bits into the liquid. Add the remaining beef broth along with the chopped parsley, bay leaves, and sprigs of fresh thyme. Close and seal your instant pot, then cook on high for 30 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients: onion, celery, carrot, and potatoes, then re-seal the instant pot and cook on high for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, let your lamb stew rest 7-10 minutes.
- If your lamb meat is not fork tender, return your stew to high pressure for an additional 5 minutes.
Notes
- Your choice of meat will impact your results! Most stews are forgiving of what meats you choose. In this case, your stew meat chunks should be of good quality, preferably lamb shoulder (leg of lamb is best suited for roasting and grilling, but will be tough when used as lamb stew meat). Milk lamb or grass-fed lamb is also recommended.
- Read more about lamb meat and selecting your lamb cuts on my lamb, mutton, and goat guide!
- I always suggest adding your seasoning toward the end of the cooking time, as your flavor and consistency have had a chance to come together.
- To thicken your stew before serving add a slurry of all-purpose flour and cold water toward the end of the cooking time. Use 1 tablespoon of each and mix until smooth, then whisk into your stew. Repeat as needed until your desired consistency has been reached.
Liz says
Best Irish stew I've ever had. Thank you so much for the recipe!