Red Wine Lamb Stew is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chunks of meat, vegetables and a thick delicious sauce.
If you love cooking with wine, this lamb recipe will wow your dinner guests.
Sometimes it is the simple recipes that really pack a punch. This braised meat dish really is easy to prepare. Your dutch oven does all the work.
The combination of lamb and mint is classic for sure. I prefer to use bold spices, garlic, and wine. Think Greek, Moroccan or Indian. For this stew recipe, I used a North African spice blend.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this recipe are at the bottom of this post.
Lamb is such a great ingredient to work with. There are so many delicious ways to prepare it. Irish Stew is always a hit.
Baked Roccan Lamb Rolls are party perfect. The fig dipping sauce it so delicious.
Grilled Kofta Kebabs are great for the bbq. Perfect for lunch or dinner. Your guests will love them.
Moroccan Lamb Meatballs are great as an appetizer. Even better, stuff them into a sub for a great sandwich.
For This Braised Lamb Stew You Will Need:
- lamb
- oil
- onion
- garlic
- dry red wine
- potatoes
- carrots
- peas
- canned diced tomatoes
- seasoning blend
- salt
- pepper
- flour
- water
Recipe Tips
For this recipe, I used a North African (*affiliate) spice blend. Feel free to use seasoning blends of your choice. Some great options would be (*affiliate) Harissa or Moroccan.
What Is the Best Cut of Lamb For Stew
For this recipe, I used a leg of lamb. It is a little lower in fat, and when cooked at a low temperature it becomes very tender. Alternatively, you could use the shoulder.
I like to buy a large leg, especially if you can find it on sale. Cut it into chunks. Keep what you need for this recipe, and portion the rest into freezer bags. Pop in the freezer for use later.
Best Red Wine For Cooking
I like to use a nice dry red wine. It does not have to be expensive. I never cook with a wine I would not drink. After all, you only need 1 cup for this recipe. The rest you can enjoy with your dinner.
How To Make Red Wine Lamb Stew
The most prep work for this dutch oven stew is cutting up the meat and vegetables. I suggest doing it all at once. That way everything will fall into place easily.
While this stew braises in the oven, you have time to do other things. I love making this on a Sunday afternoon. I can read a book and sip on a glass of wine while dinner cooks in the oven.
Since I used a dutch oven, there are no extra pots and pans to deal with. Alternatively, you can use a frying pan and casserole dish to cook this recipe. See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
- Trim the lamb, and cut into chunks. Set aside.
- Dice the onion and place in a bowl.
- Cut the carrots and potatoes into bite-size pieces. If you are using baby potatoes, no need to peel them.
- Heat the oil in the dutch oven, or frying pan.
- Add the lamb in batches to sear. Set all cooked meat off to the side
- Next, you will cook the onions and garlic.
- Add the flour and wine to make the sauce base.
- Add the tomatoes to the base, along with the water.
- Put the seared meat into the sauce and place it in the oven.
- In about an hour, add the carrots and potatoes. Return to the oven to cook for an additional hour.
- Add the peas, and coof for 30 minutes.
Dinner is ready. Ladle into bowls, grab some bread or biscuits and ENJOY!
What Is Braising
Braising is a very simple cooking method. You first brown the chunks of meat in oil to sear in the juices. Then you add the meat to a liquid in a tightly covered pot or casserole dish and cook it long and slow. This can be done either on the stovetop or in the oven.
Best Dutch Oven
There are lots of great options when it comes to choosing dutch ovens.
I LOVE Le Creuset products and have several different pieces in my kitchen. For this recipe, I used (*affiliate) my Round French Oven. It works like a charm. The meat turns out tender and delicious.
Bonus, since it can be used both on the stove and in the oven, I only have 1 pot to wash!
I hope you give this Red Wine Lamb Stew a try. Perfect for Sunday dinner. Elegant enough for entertaining.
Leftovers are great for another meal (or two) during the week. The ultimate comfort food is simple and delicious.
Looking For More Ways To Cook With Wine
- Homemade Onion Gravy is the BEST steak topping ever.
- Asparagus Soup is the perfect start to any meal.
- Spicy Beluga Pasta Sauce is a great meatless alternative to the traditional classic.
- Red Wine Marinated Prime Rib is company-worthy.
- Chicken Chasseur is another delicious one-pot dinner.
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This recipe has been updated from the original publication to include new photos and information.
Red Wine Lamb Stew Dutch Oven Method
Ingredients
- 2 pounds leg of lamb (trimmed and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (your choice)
- 4 ounces onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 pounds potatoes (cut into chunks)
- 12 ounces carrots (cut into sliced)
- 10 ounces peas (fresh or frozen)
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 3 tsp Alhambra Merguez seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F.I used a cast iron dutch oven to cook the entire stew in from start to finish. You may choose to use a frying pan and casserole dish.
- Heat the dutch oven over med-high heat (or your frying pan) and 1 tbsp of oil.
- Add the lamb (in a couple of batches) and brown on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. This should take about 20 minutes.
- When all the meat is done, add the remaining oil to the pot. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the salt, pepper and Merguez seasoning to the pot and mix well.
- Stir in the flour, mix well, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the wine. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits, and smooth out any lumps from the flour. Cook for about 3 minutes, just to cook out some of the alcohol.
- Add the water, tomatoes (and juice) and bring to a boil. Stir to make sure there are no lumps. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Add the lamb, mix, cover and place in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and return to oven. Cook for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and add the peas. Cover and return to oven. Cook for 30 minutes, or until veggies are nice and tender.
- Ladle stew into bowls.ENJOY!!
Donna
This dish is just bursting with flavor, and the sauce is so thick and comforting – just perfect for a cold winters day, especially when I get to have a glass of the wine I am cooking with while I cook!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Oh…cooking with wine is the best. You must enjoy some during the process for sure.
Dana
This is such a cozy recipe and is the silver lining to the still grey and chilly weather. But! Gotta take advantage of it and gobble up all of these belly-warming stews now! I feel like this is one I’ll just want to keep coming back to.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is one of our favourites for sure. ENJOY!
Debra
OOh….adding this to our Passover menu. Lamb is a traditional food eaten on the holiday…I”ll just have to swap out the flour, but otherwise it’s perfect…and those moroccan flavors…YUM.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
You could always try cornstarch for the thickening agent in this delicious lamb stew.
Tracy
Comfort food is often simple, isn’t it? And I’m always looking for new (but easy) ways to serve lamb since we have a half in the freezer. Pinning for later! Thank you!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Enjoy…this is one lamb recipe we love in our house.
Marisa Franca
I’m craving something that will warm me from the inside out!! It’s been raining for two days and I’m chilled and just can’t get warm. The lamb stew sounds like it would do the trick. the Moroccan spices that are going on there would certainly but a zing in my dreary day. We love lamb but don’t often use it in anything other than a roast. That’s got to change.
Homemade & Yummy
It has been so hot here…..today we finally got a break. I actually have a sweatshirt on LOL. I know come the comfort food season, this will be happening again.
Abra
I love a lamb stew, looks amazing!
Homemade & Yummy
It is so good….even better the next day.
Whitney Bond
I love lamb and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
Lamb is so good….and this is so tasty.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
I love lamb and simply do not have it often enough! This looks and sounds so tasty! Popping over from #recipeoftheweek x
Homemade & Yummy
Lamb is so delicious. Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look.
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
I love these slow braised dishes! Bring on the dutch oven!
Homemade & Yummy
Totally love my dutch ovens. I have 2!!
susan | the wimpy vegetarian
This looks so perfect as I look outside at all the snow! My family would love it, and a lot of the other dishes on the *menu* sound wonderful too!
Homemade & Yummy
Lots of great recipes in this collection for sure.
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Those seasonings sound good!
Homemade & Yummy
So delicious.
Julia (@imagelicious)
I love the idea of a stew for a weeknight Valentine’s Day meal – so much easier than standing by the stove and cooking steaks to order. Instead you get to prepare earlier in the day and then just sit, sip a glass of wine and let your significant other serve this delicious stew!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I agree with you 100%. Stew is easier than most people think. It takes a bit of work at the beginning, but then the oven does all the work. It is very enjoyable to sit back and relax with wine while dinner cooks. Your significant other and serve…and do the dishes too!!
All That I'm Eating
This sounds so tasty. I could see myself making a double batch of this to have leftovers after the weekend!
Homemade & Yummy
Oh you bet…that is a GREAT idea!!
Amanda
We never had lamb growing up, and the times I tried it, it just didn’t work for me. But I do love this recipe and will try it with a different meat. Moroccan flavors are some of my favorites. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
I totally understand. I did not like it the first time I tried it either. It wasn’t until I started cooking it myself that I began to enjoy it.
debi at Life Currents
I don’t think we usually do much of anything for Valentine’s day. Maybe make a special dinner, but we certainly don’t go out. Too many people & too expensive. Your stew looks like the perfect answer.
Homemade & Yummy
It is much more enjoyable to spend the time at home…I totally agree.
Ali @ Home & Plate
What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I love lamb but usually eat it in chop form. Love the idea of using lamb in stew. And the rest of the roundup looks delicious too. Especially the blackberry mousse. YUM!
Homemade & Yummy
It was a fun collaboration. Lots there to choose from for sure.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
I love lamb any way I can get it! This stew looks and sounds AMAZING – so much flavor packed into one bowl!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes it sure is one flavourful dish.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
We never go out for Valentines Day because the restaurants are too crowded, the menus are too expensive and I’m happier opening a good bottle of wine and celebrating at home… with a home cooked meal – like this beautiful stew! Lamb is one of my go-tos, definitely want to try!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes eating at home is so much more enjoyable and relaxing…not to mention affordable too.
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery
This looks amazing – I enjoy lamb, but I’ve only roasted legs of lamb at home. I like the idea of a lamb stew, and the red wine addition makes it worthy of a special occasion or date night.
Homemade & Yummy
Leg of lamb works great in this stew.
Leah
I love all the flavor in this stew, it just sounds so warm and comforting! We don’t go out for Valentine’s either, so I totally agree with you on that!
Homemade & Yummy
It is a great comfort food dish anytime of the year…but works great for special times too.