Lamb Stew with Vegetables
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Cozy up with a bowl of Guinness-spiked lamb stew—each spoonful promises succulent meat, hearty broth, and pure comfort.
St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect occasion to indulge in some hearty Irish cooking. One of my favorites is this lamb stew, which is similar to my #1 most popular recipe, Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes, but with a distinctly Irish twist. It features tender, seared lamb that’s slowly cooked in a broth enriched with Guinness, giving it a unique, malty depth. Vegetables are added at just the right moment, ensuring they remain vibrant and tender-crisp. Paired with my Cheddar soda bread, this lamb stew makes a hearty and comforting meal that’s perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or for warming up any day.
“Delicious! I doubled the recipe and made it for a crowd of friends all from Ireland the weekend before St Patrick’s Day…No leftovers, unfortunately!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Lamb Stew With Vegetables
- Lamb Shoulder: This is the main protein and flavor base of your stew. It’s rich in flavor and becomes fork-tender when cooked slowly over low heat.
- Onions and Garlic: These aromatics add depth and a foundation of flavor, creating a savory backdrop for the stew.
- Tomato Paste: Concentrated tomato paste adds umami, richness, and a slight acidity that enhances the overall taste and color of the stew.
- Flour: Used to thicken the stew, giving it a hearty and satisfying texture.
- Guinness: Adds a unique, malty depth and a hint of bitterness that complements the lamb beautifully.
- Beef Broth: Provides the liquid base for the stew, contributing to its richness and depth of flavor.
- Bay Leaf and Fresh Rosemary: These herbs infuse the stew with aromatic and earthy notes.
- Carrots and Baby Yukon Potatoes: These vegetables add sweetness, texture, and nutritional value, making the stew more filling and balanced.
- Peas: Added towards the end of cooking, peas provide a pop of color, sweetness, and freshness to contrast the rich and savory flavors of the stew.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in three batches, adding one more tablespoon of oil for each batch. Do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a brown crust before turning with tongs. It should take 5-8 minutes per batch.
Transfer the browned meat to large bowl and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water to the pot.
Cook until the onions are soft, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan, about 5 minutes. The add the tomato paste.
Cook a few minutes more.
Add the lamb with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with flour.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely mixed in, 1to 2 minutes. Add the Guinness, beef broth, water, bay leaf, rosemary sprig and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for one hour and twenty minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes to the stew.
Cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked and the meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If serving right away, add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! Lamb stew can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and reheated gently on the stovetop. Just be sure to add the peas right before serving so they stay fresh. The broth may thicken in the fridge, so thin it with a bit of water or beef broth when reheating, if necessary.
Yes, the stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, leave out the potatoes, if possible, as they do not freeze well. When ready to serve, you can cook some potatoes separately and then either mix them into the stew or serve them alongside it.
Lamb shoulder is the best choice. Avoid using leg of lamb since it’s better suited for roasting or grilling and doesn’t become tender in stew. Ask your butcher to remove as much excess fat as possible, or trim it yourself at home. I
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Lamb Stew with Vegetables
Cozy up with a bowl of Guinness-spiked lamb stew—each spoonful promises succulent meat, hearty broth, and pure comfort.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder, well-trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1½-inch
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Guinness
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water, plus 2 tablespoons more for cooking onions and garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
- 1 cup frozen green peas
Instructions
- Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in three batches, adding one more tablespoon of oil for each batch. Do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a brown crust before turning with tongs. It should take 5-8 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to large bowl and set aside.
- Add the onions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of water to the pot. Cook until the onions are soft, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of pan, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes more.
- Add the lamb with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely mixed in, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the Guinness, beef broth, water, bay leaf, rosemary sprig and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for one hour and twenty minutes.
- Add the carrots and potatoes to the stew, then cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked and the meat is very tender, 30-40 minutes. (Be sure to stir a few times to prevent vegetables from sticking to bottom.)
- Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If serving right away, add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are warmed through. Otherwise, let the stew cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat gently on the stovetop and add the peas right before serving.
- Make Ahead: This stew can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Wait to add the peas until right before serving so they maintain their freshness and vibrant green color. Reheat the stew gently on the stovetop. The stew may thicken in the fridge, so add a bit of water or broth if necessary when reheating.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, leave out the potatoes, if possible, as they do not freeze well. When ready to serve, you can cook some potatoes separately and then either mix them into the stew or serve them alongside it.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 789
- Fat: 52g
- Saturated fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Sugar: 9g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 42g
- Sodium: 1242mg
- Cholesterol: 150mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Please add prep time at the top of the recipe to help me find what to cook as a “simple stew” shouldn’t take 2 hours to prepare.
Daniel, Sorry to hear that the stew took more time than you expected. I could see that being frustrating on a busy weeknight. If you liked the stew enough to make again, it can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and reheated gently on the stovetop.
Hello! I have a question. I want to make this for Sunday dinner tomorrow but I don’t have any Guinness on hand. I have Smithwicks Red Ale and some Dry Hard Cider from a local brewery. I know that using either of these will change the flavor profile of the dish, but which do you think would work better? (Not really keen on running to store during Covid times, especially for 1 thing).
Thanks!
Hi Nicole, I think the red ale would work really well. Enjoy!
My husband loves this dish– thick and hearty– a manly stew. Definitely putting this on the winter rotation.
Thanks, My favourite recipe website.
That’s so nice to read, Gary. Thank you!
My family absolutely loved this. Thank you for giving us a wonderful recipe that can be added to our family favorites list!
Just made this for friends last night. It was a huge hit! Only had Murphy’s stout, but it worked great. There was a very subtle sweetness which worked fantastically well with this stew! Saving this recipe!
THAT WAS THE BEST THING I’VE EVER EATEN
Is the weight of lamb after trimming?
Hi Louis, That is the weight before trimming. Enjoy 🙂
Lamb stews are a big thing in England due to having amazing lamb. And this one is a winner. I used Guinness and a homemade beef stock, which gave it a great flavour in addition to the lovely lamb shoulder. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use Negra Modelo instead of Guiness
Hi Barbara, Yes, that should work fine.
Just made this, and it’s absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!!! 🙂
I made this meal with beef because I couldn’t get lamb in my area. I was extremely disappointed with the taste. I want to try making it again when I can get lamb from another part of town, because of all the positive reviews. I thought with the garlic, onion, bay leaf and tomato paste I would have devoured every bite but that was NOT the case. I think it was the beer that did it in for me. I’m so disappointed and hesitant to try it a second time although I really want to.
What to do with leftover lamb. I did a lamb shoulder. Ideas would be welcome ..I have enough for 4 people!!!
Hi Mary, How about kabobs? You can use my yogurt marinade from this recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/middle-eastern-chicken-kebabs.html
I tried this recipe today. Loved it!
I’d like to oven cook this stew in an enameled, cast iron, dutch oven.
What would you suggest for cooking time at 325 degrees F?
When would you put the potatoes in? At the same 30 minute point?
Thanks
Hi Bob, I think the cook time will be about the same; I’d stick to the times indicated in the recipe. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
For St. Patrick’s Day I made your Guinness Lamb Stew with Vegetables and my family went wild! Your instructions were so easy my 20-year-old daughter started it while I was at work and my 17-year-old-son picked up when he got home and I came in as the relief pitcher to finish it off. Simply wonderful!
I made this Irish Stew on St. Patrick’s Day. I halved the recipe and it came out fine.
I substituted cauliflower for potatoes to cut back on the carb in-take. My guests and I thought the soup turned out really well. I will use additional salt and pepper next time.
Thank you thank you thank you a thousand times over for this recipe. Being married to a Boston Irish man, I am usually subjected to corned beef and cabbage every March. I can’t even stand the smell of that, let alone the taste. So I was so happy to see a recipe that gave me an alternative to make for St Paddy’s Day this year. My husband is not normally a fan of beef stew but when I told him this was a lamb stew, he got excited.
Cooked it up on Sunday, following the recipe almost to a T. The lamb shoulder I bought at the supermarket turned out to be on the bone…is this normal? Your recipe didn’t mention bones. I couldn’t get that much meat off the bones so we ended up getting an 8 oz center cut lamb steak for the meat. But my husband had the genius idea to use the lamb bones to make a lamb broth to use in place of the beef broth. So we added the lamb bones, an onion and water to a pot and boiled up what turned out to be delicious lamb broth. We ended up needing 1 cup of the beef broth but I think this definitely added an extra bit of lamb richness to the stew.
The stew came out brilliantly. Loved it and am actually making it for my 91-year-old Dad this weekend. He’s really excited about it because he’s always talked about how when his Mom was growing up in County Mayo Ireland, they’d have lamb on St Paddy’s Day because they didn’t have corned beef on the farm. I’m excited to give him a little taste of what his Mom had on the holiday.
planning a st. Patty’s day themed dinner on Saturday with friends and I think this looks absolutely delish! and my Irish husband wants me to make it for the dinner. do you think it is “dinner party worth”? what sides or apps would you recomend to go along with this?
Hi Karen, I absolutely think it is dinner party worthy 🙂 You could serve it with my Roasted Beet Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette, Cheddar Soda Bread and French Green Beans with Shallots. For dessert, the Irish Cream Tiramisu or Bailey Cheesecake Brownies would be good.
This was our St. Patrick’s Day dinner and received rave reviews! This one is now a keeper in our house. We like mashed potatoes, so I swapped the potatoes in the recipe out with parsnips (not sure that’s very Irish). Thanks, Jenn!
Any hints on adapting this for a slow cooker? Thank you!
Hi Angela, It will work but you’d still need to go through all of the initial steps like searing the meat on the stovetop, so not sure it’s worth it.
My question is can I use lamb neck for this recipe and can I use a slow cooker?
Thanks
Hi Kate, Sorry for the late reply. I do think lamb neck will work but not sure it makes sense to use a slow cooker, as you’d still need to go through all of the initial steps, like searing the meat, on the stovetop.
Hi, this recipe looks absolutely amazing….will be making this for a party. I was wondering if there’s anything I can use to substitute the beef broth with as there are some people who don’t eat beef. Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can use chicken broth.
I followed the “spirit” of this recipe but substituted with what I had on hand. First, I replaced the lamb for beef chuck. Second, instead of Guinness, I used Founder’s Breakfast Stout (“Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout”). All else was as described in the recipe (browned the meat, sprinkled with flour, added peas just before serving…) It turned out amazing. I made it one night and served it the next. Next time, I’ll make some soda bread to go with it. Five stars!
Question – I have never made your lamb stew, but would like too make it ahead and freeze for a family St. Patrick’s Day party in six weeks. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Molly, For the most part, the stew freezes beautifully — just omit the potatoes, as they do not freeze well. You can boil some potatoes separately when you defrost the stew and either add them in or serve them on the side. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, I’m getting ready to make this delicious stew for the second time, doubling the recipe this time for guests. (I assume I double everything, including the liquids. Please correct me if that’s not right). I noticed Whole Foods has bags of multi-colored baby potatoes (so cute and pretty) and wonder if you think those would work well in this dish. Or do I need to stay with the white yukon type?
Hi Jane, Yes, it’s fine to just double all of the ingredients. I think the multi-colored potatoes will work, although I’m not sure you’ll be able to appreciate them once they are in the stew. Hope everyone enjoys!
I made this for my family over the holidays and it was oh so delicious! I didn’t have as much lamb as the recipe called for, but it was tasty nevertheless.
Stellar recipe! My husband says its the best stew he’s had in his whole life! (And he’s old.) I made it almost as written with the exceptions that I increased the Guinness to 2 Cups and decreased the broth to 2. And I doubled the amount of bay leaves and Rosemary. I would repeat this again the same way. Jenn, you’ve made me love cooking again!
So glad it turned out, Jane!
Do you recommend peeling the potatoes? It looks from the photos as if they’re peeled, but I like keeping vegetable skins on as much as possible as I was told a lot of nutrients are in the skins. Just wondering if it would work if I left them on or if the skins might peel off anyway in the cooking process and might ruin the texture somehow. Can’t wait to make this tonight!
Hi Jane, This recipe calls for baby potatoes, which don’t need to be peeled. But even if you use regular potatoes, it’s fine if you want to leave on the skin 🙂
Thanks, Jenn. Not quite sure I got baby ones. The tiny ones I saw at Whole Foods were in mulitcolors, so I opted for “baby-ish” ones that were white. I’ll try using them unpeeled and cutting into quarters since I think they’re slightly larger than the ones you specified.
I can’t wait to try this out! Do you have any suggestions for a non-alcoholic substitution for the Guinness?
Hi Christine, You can replace the beer with more beef broth — it will still be delicious.
Wow. My first time making lamb stew and it came out So amazing. I’m done looking for other recipes!
I’m in the process of making the stew now but I’m not exactly following your recipe; I’m just here for ideas. I don’t get why you’re against a bone in leg. Rotisseried a leg for easter this past Sunday and I made a stock from the bone and leavings and it tastes phenomenal. I’d rather have lamb stock than beef stock as it adds something that beef stock can’t. Granted this is just a way for me to utilize the leftovers, but nothing beats good old bone marrow while preparing stock. Thank you!
Yum! Was better than my moms! Love the photos too.
The Guinness and Lamb Stew was delicious. Reminded us of Ireland.
This is one of our favorites. I have been a follower of your blog post for two – three years now and love every recipe I’ve tried!
Fantastic! I used a belgian style ale. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a T. The family could not stop raving about how delicious this was, and the lamb was incredibly tender. Thank you for a great recipe.
Made this last night and served it tonight. Delish! Cleaned out the pot. The lamb was incredibly tender. Will make this again!
Yet another winner!! 🙂
This was a great dish. Very rich tasting. Everyone came back for seconds.
made this recipe “college edition”. So beef instead of lamb and pabst blue ribbon instead of guinness. Still amazing!
This is great. I have made it several times.
This looks great!!
I somehow forgot the main ingredient. The Guinness. But I made the stew anyway and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
Made my day. So Miles gets the lost beer. What a sweet fact he has.
Too funny, Niya! I’m glad to know the recipe is very forgiving!
Jen,
How about a corn beef and cabbage recipe for Saturday?
Hi Keith! Make this – it’s so much better 🙂
Is this something that can be adapted to be made in the slow cooker?
Hi Daryl, I think a slow cooker would work fine.
I think a slow cooker would work fine, Just be sure to brown the meat first.
This looks wonderful! Great pics too, especially the one with Miles. Talk about self-restraint! My dogs would never be able to do that!
I love Lamb, grew up on it. This looks like a wonderful stew & being that we are still having quite chilly weather I think I’ll make it soon.
Thanks for sending it to us.
We are cut from the same cloth…taking the pic with Miles is something I would totally do. Cant wait to make this saturday for the family! as always, thanks for sharing.
YUM YUM YUM!!! (I had the honor of tasting this, made by the chef herself, and it is TO DIE FOR!) with all of your great step by step photos, I should be able to replicate this at home. Love seeing Miles!!
This looks absolutely delicious! And what a perfect dish for St. Patty’s (although it feels more like spring/summer where I am, and making stew right now seems a bit odd).
Thanks for sharing the photo of your dog! He looks so well behaved with that delicious bowl of stew sitting right next to him. I adore labs, such sweethearts.
Thanks Cynthia, He has his crazy moments (he’s a lab after all!) but most the time he’s an angel.