Spiced Lamb Shoulder Stew with Root Vegetables
A slow-cooked stew featuring tender lamb shoulder simmered with aromatic spices and hearty root vegetables for a comforting, rich dish. This Middle Eastern-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 140 minutes, pairs lamb shoulder, carrots, parsnips for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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 1.5-inch chunks lamb shoulder
- 2 medium, peeled and diced carrots
- 2 medium, peeled and diced parsnips
- 1 large, chopped onion
- 4, minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish fresh parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 lbs lamb shoulder chunks and brown on all sides for 5-7 minutes until caramelized. Remove lamb and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 large chopped onion and 4 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp ground coriander, and 1 cinnamon stick, cooking for 1 minute until spices release aroma.
- Step 4: Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Step 5: Return the lamb to the pot along with 2 diced carrots and 2 diced parsnips. Pour in 4 cups beef broth, season with 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
- Step 6: Bring stew to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer gently for 2 hours until lamb is very tender and vegetables are soft.
- Step 7: Remove cinnamon stick, adjust seasoning, and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley before serving.








