Irish Lamb Stew With Guinness

This Irish Lamb Stew With Guinness is full of rich flavors and packed with tender lamb, potatoes, carrots, celery, and Guinness. Serve it with a side of Irish Soda Bread for a delicious meal!

A hearty bowl of Irish Lamb Stew, richly colored with tender chunks of lamb, carrots, and potatoes, simmered in a thick, savory Guinness broth, served alongside a slice of freshly baked, crusty Irish soda bread on a rustic wooden table.

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Planning your St. Patrick's Day menu? I always make this Guinness Lamb Stew. I first had lamb stew in a lively Irish pub in downtown Chicago, and I fell in love with it instantly.

Each spoonful was a blend of tender lamb, earthy vegetables, and the unmistakable depth of Guinness. It was pure comfort in a bowl.

Now, every time I make this stew, it reminds me of that day. And this stew is my way of bringing a piece of Irish tradition to the table, especially on a day that celebrates everything Irish. Try my Easy Irish Cottage Pie next!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The broth is rich and flavorful.
It has a deep flavor thanks to the Guinness.
The alcohol in the Guinness cooks off so the whole family can eat it.
Simmer it in one pot on the stove or in a slow cooker.
A great way to use leftover lamb.

Recipe Ingredients

It looks like you need a lot of ingredients for this hearty Irish stew, but you don't. Just basic stew-making items.

Fresh ingredients laid out on a wooden surface, ready for cooking: chunks of lamb shoulder, a bottle of Guinness, whole carrots, potatoes, fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme, a bulb of garlic, and a yellow onion, to create a flavorful Irish Lamb Stew.

Ingredient Notes

Lamb shoulder or leg of lamb. You can use fresh lamb, lamb stew meat, or leftover lamb. I used leftover Smoked Leg Of Lamb and cut it into 1.5-inch chunks.
Vegetables. I used onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, celery, and frozen peas. You can also use squash or parsnips.
Broth. Make the rich broth with beef broth or lamb stock, Guinness, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
Seasonings. I seasoned the stew with salt, black pepper, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. If you don't have fresh herbs, use dry herbs instead.

See the printable recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How To Make Irish Lamb Stew With Guinness

Step-By-Step Instructions

Cut the lamb into bite-sized chunks.
Heat olive oil or bacon fat in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chunks of lamb and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown lamb chunks on all sides.
Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute for about 5 minutes until softened.

Bite-sized chunks of lamb in a cast iron skillet, browning in olive oil.

Chopped onion and garlic added to a cast iron skillet with the lamb chunks to cook until softened.

Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic and stir. Cook for 1 minute.

Tomato paste added to the lamb and onion in a skillet.

Flour sprinkled over top of the onion and lamb mixture in a cast iron skillet.

Stir in the beef stock and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
Add one can of Guinness beer and the Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Add two bay leaves and a sprig of fresh thyme, rosemary, or both. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

A can of Guinness draught being poured into the Dutch oven to make the flavorful broth.

Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary added to the stew to simmer in the Dutch oven.

Remove the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
Add potatoes, carrots, and celery and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender. Stir the stew occasionally.

The potatoes, carrots, and celery added to the Dutch oven with the stew mixture.

The vegetables after they have simmered in the stew.

Add the frozen peas and simmer for 10 minutes more.
Serve the Irish Lamb Stew with Guinness immediately, but be careful, it's hot! Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with a side of Irish soda bread or crusty bread.

The frozen peas added to the lamb stew mixture in a Dutch oven.

The Guinness lamb stew in a Dutch oven at the end of the cooking time.

What To Serve With Guinness Lamb Stew

Serve with Authentic Irish Soda Bread, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, or a simple green salad on the side.

It also goes great with Homemade Biscuits With No Milk, Fluffy Air Buns, and Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil.

And for dessert, make Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Layer Cake or Slow Cooker Baileys Chocolate Fudge.

Expert Tips

Trim fat from the lamb so the meat isn't too fatty.
Don't skip browning the lamb.
Cut the vegetables into large chunks so they don't get mushy.
Use fresh rosemary and thyme for the best flavor.
Be patient. Simmering your stew for 1.5 hours makes the lamb incredibly tender.
Stir the stew occasionally, and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful brown bits.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store leftover Guinness stew in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze the stew in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Variations

Vegetables: Add parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes.

Beef: If you are not a fan of lamb, use beef to make Guinness beef stew instead. Leftover Smoked Chuck Roast is also delicious.

Vegetarian: Replace the lamb with mushrooms, lentils, pearl barley, or chickpeas, and use vegetable broth.

Spicy: Add a bit of heat with chopped jalapenos or red pepper flakes.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this stew without alcohol?

Yes, you can make the stew without alcohol. Add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar for extra flavor.

How can I thicken the stew?

If you want your stew thicker or don't want to use flour, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the stew and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

Can I make this Irish lamb stew recipe in a slow cooker?

Yes. Place browned lamb and all other ingredients in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.

Is this stew suitable for children, given it contains Guinness?

Guinness loses its alcohol when cooked, keeping the flavor but not the alcohol. This makes it safe for everyone to enjoy.

Can I prepare this stew ahead of time?

Yes. Make it as directed, let it cool, and store in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water or beef broth to thin it if it is too thick.