Slow-Cooked Lamb Tagine with Apricot and Almonds

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

A fragrant North African-inspired lamb tagine slow-cooked with apricots, toasted almonds, and warm spices for tender, richly flavored meat. This Mediterranean-inspired lamb recipe, ready in about 200 minutes, pairs lamb shoulder, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 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

• 2 lbs, cut into 2-inch pieces lamb shoulder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup, halved dried apricots
• 1/3 cup, chopped toasted almonds
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp, divided black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season 2 lbs lamb shoulder pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Brown lamb in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply caramelized; set aside.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to medium and add 1 large diced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot, sauté for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp turmeric; cook spices for 1 minute until aromatic.
4. Step 4: Return lamb to pot and pour in 2 cups chicken broth, scraping browned bits from bottom. Add 1 cup halved dried apricots, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours until lamb is fork-tender.
5. Step 5: Stir in 1 tbsp honey and 1/3 cup toasted chopped almonds just before serving. Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and serve warm with couscous or flatbread.