Name: Hearty Irish-Style Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 ½ lb lamb shoulder (cubed); 4 slices bacon (sliced into 1-inch pieces); 2 onions (cut into chunks); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot or other flour); 1 ½ lb Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cubed); 6 small to medium carrots (sliced into 1 to 2-inch pieces); 1 turnip (peeled and cubed); 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tsp dried thyme; 0 kosher salt and ground black pepper (to taste), to taste; 0 fresh thyme or parsley (for garnish)

Hearty Irish-Style Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

This one-pot lamb stew is comforting and hearty, with tender chunks of lamb, crispy bacon, and sweet root vegetables bathed in a savory broth.

Prep15 min

Cook2h

Total2h 15m

DifficultyEasy

Servings6

This is the kind of stew that warms you from the inside out — tender lamb, soft potatoes, and carrots and turnip that melt in your mouth, all in a deeply flavorful broth.

It’s incredibly easy to make, and the long simmering gives you meat that falls apart and vegetables that are perfectly tender. Serve it with crusty bread to mop up every last drop.

Method

Season the lamb: Pat the lamb cubes dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
Cook the bacon: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Sear the lamb: Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides in the bacon fat. Remove to a plate.
Sauté the onion: Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Pour in the red wine vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until the onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes.
Combine and thicken: Return the lamb to the pot. Sprinkle the cornstarch over everything and stir until dissolved.
Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and add the dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 1 hour.
Add vegetables: Stir in the potatoes, carrots, turnip, and the reserved bacon. Continue to cook, covered partially, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Serve: Ladle the stew into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme or fresh parsley if desired.

💡 Tips

For even richer flavor, you can substitute lamb broth for chicken broth.
If the stew seems too thin at the end, mix a little extra cornstarch with cold water and stir in, then simmer a few more minutes.
Leftovers taste even better the next day — store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Inspired by a recipe from Downshiftology

Hearty Irish-Style Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

Ingredients

Method

💡 Tips

You may also like

Hearty Black-Eyed Pea Stew with Swiss Chard and Dill

Instant Pot Ground Turkey Soup with Winter Vegetables

Creamy Miso Corn & Potato Chowder

Spiced Turkey & Tortilla Soup