Beef usually hogs the spotlight when it comes to stews, but there are plenty of other meats that can star in this quintessential cold-weather comfort food. Pork, chicken, and, in this recipe, lamb (a big favorite of my younger son Charlie).

This rich meat also takes very well to many kinds of flavor combos. Here, some very accessible Mediterranean-inspired supporting ingredients turn the lamb into a truly delicious stew. If you are a chickpea lover, feel free to add a second can.

This hearty and warming stew is just calling for some crusty bread, couscous, or pan con tomate.

This Instant Pot Mediterranean Lamb Stew recipe is lush and homey, exactly what you want to see bubbling away on a cold winter night.

Using an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker for Stew

The recipe below has instructions for making the lamb stew in an Instant Pot, which is clearly THE appliance of the decade. The Instant Pot is a plug-in pot that performs as a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, a rice cooker, a yogurt maker, and a few other impressive cooking tools. In this case, you will first be utilizing the sauté function, then the pressure cooker function to cook a tender stew in much less time than it would take otherwise. An instant pot stew is a beautiful thing.

Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can also make this Mediterranean Lamb Stew in a slow cooker or a crock pot, and a slow cooker lamb stew is also a beautiful thing. Just brown the meat in the slow cooker if it has a sauté function first. Or, if not, brown it and sauté the vegetables in a pot on the stove, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.

Ingredients

• Flour – To thicken the stew.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.
• Lamb shoulder – Lamb shoulder or lamb stew meat is the best cut to just fall apart on your fork.
• Olive oil – For sautéing.
• Leeks, carrots, and celery – Leeks offer a more subtle oniony flavor, and these three ingredients come together to create a mirepoix, the aromatic base for the stew.
• Fennel – For a very subtle anise or licorice-like flavor.
• Dried rosemary – For earthy, herbaceous, and aromatic notes.
• Brandy or cognac – Adds a wonderful depth of flavor.
• Diced or crushed tomatoes – You can use either diced or crushed tomatoes, but if you are looking for a thicker stew, crushed tomatoes are the better option.
• Chickpeas – Drained and rinsed well.
• Beef broth – Beef broth enhances all the flavors and offers a rich depth.
• Bay leaf – For depth of flavor.
• Fresh parsley – Perks up the earthiness of the stew.

Variations

If you don’t have brandy, you are good to add a healthy glug of red wine instead.

How to Make Instant Pot Mediterranean Lamb Stew

1. Prepare the lamb: Combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the lamb meat and toss to coat the lamb.
2. Sauté the meat: In the Instant Pot, use the sauté function, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sauté the lamb until it is brown on at least a few of the sides of the cubes. Remove the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon.
3. Combine all the ingredients: Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and fennel to the Instant Pot and sauté without the lid on until everything is slightly tender. Stir in the rosemary, brandy, tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, bay leaf, and lamb and stir to combine.
4. Cook: Close and lock the lid. Set to high pressure for 45 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, press Cancel. Let the pressure come down slowly for 30 minutes. Release the sealing valve, remove the lid, and serve hot in bowls, with parsley sprinkled over the stew.

Making the Stew on the Stove

If you don’t have an Instant Pot or a slow cooker, no worries! You can do all of the sautéing in a pot on the stove, and then add the other ingredients as directed and cook the stew, covered, over low heat for about 3 hours until the meat is tender. Give it an occasional stir to make sure the stew doesn’t stick to the bottom. If you prefer to put it into a 300-degree oven after all of the ingredients have been combined, that works, too — this should also take about 3 hours. Give that a stir if you think of it every once in a while.

So, whether you approach this lamb stew recipe old-school style, new-school, or somewhere in the middle, the cooler days approaching promise to be very flavorful.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.

What to Serve With Mediterranean Lamb Stew

Herb Mashed Potatoes

How to Cook Perfect Farro on the Stove

Endive, Arugula and Orange Salad

More Lamb Recipes

(Because we do love lamb in my house.)

• Lemon-Garlic Semi-Boneless Leg of Lamb
• Lamb Satay
• Lamb Stew with White Wine, Orange, and Fennel
• Lamb Kofte with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
• Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs

More Stew Recipes

• Apple Cider Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Barbecue Beer Beef Stew
• Provencal Fish Stew
• Scallop Stew
• Moroccan Lamb and Butternut Squash Stew