Slow-Cooked Lamb with Date and Tamarind Sauce

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

Tender lamb slow-cooked to perfection, served with a tangy date and tamarind sauce that balances sweet and sour notes. This middle eastern-inspired lamb ready in about 205 minutes blends bone-in lamb shoulder, olive oil, large, sliced onion into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. 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 bone-in lamb shoulder
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, sliced onion
• 5, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 10, chopped pitted dates
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Brown 2 lbs bone-in lamb shoulder on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, until golden and caramelized. Remove lamb and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 large sliced onion and 5 minced garlic cloves, sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp ground coriander, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon; cook for 1 minute until spices release aroma.
4. Step 4: Add 3 tbsp tamarind paste, 10 chopped pitted dates, and 2 cups vegetable broth; stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
5. Step 5: Return the browned lamb shoulder to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours until meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
6. Step 6: Remove lamb from the pot and set aside. Place the pot with sauce on stovetop over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
7. Step 7: Season sauce with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Slice or shred the lamb and serve topped with sauce and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.