Passover Lamb Braised with Garlic and Herbs

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-30 · Updated 2026-04-30

Tender lamb shoulder slowly braised with garlic, rosemary, and thyme, capturing the essence of traditional Passover flavors. This Mediterranean-inspired Passover recipe, ready in about 200 minutes, pairs lamb shoulder, bone-in, olive oil, garlic cloves, smashed for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs lamb shoulder, bone-in
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp lemon zest

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Season 3 lbs lamb shoulder generously with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add lamb and sear on all sides for 4 minutes per side until deeply browned.
3. Step 3: Remove lamb and add 1 large sliced yellow onion, 6 smashed garlic cloves, 3 sprigs rosemary, and 3 sprigs thyme to the pot. Sauté onions until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. Step 4: Return lamb to the pot, add 2 cups water and 1 tsp lemon zest, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer to the oven.
5. Step 5: Braise for 3 hours until lamb is fork-tender and falls apart easily. Remove herbs before serving and spoon pan juices over the meat.