Slow-Cooked Spiced Lamb Shanks

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

A deeply flavorful and tender dish that requires patience and care, embodying the serious commitment to slow cooking for maximum depth of flavor. This Middle Eastern-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 510 minutes, pairs lamb shanks, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 4, 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

• 4, trimmed of excess fat lamb shanks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, chopped onion
• 2, diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 4 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat 4 lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks for 3 minutes per side until browned, then transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large onion, chopped, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Pour in 1/2 cup red wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Step 5: Add the wine mixture to the slow cooker along with 1 cup beef broth and 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
6. Step 6: Remove the lamb shanks and bay leaves. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce.
7. Step 7: Stir in 1/4 cup fresh parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
8. Step 8: Serve the lamb shanks with the sauce over mashed potatoes or couscous.