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!
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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!
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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.
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.
- Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Sprinkle flour over the onions and garlic and stir. Cook for 1 minute.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Yes, you can make the stew without alcohol. Add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar for extra flavor.
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.
Yes. Place browned lamb and all other ingredients in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
Guinness loses its alcohol when cooked, keeping the flavor but not the alcohol. This makes it safe for everyone to enjoy.
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.
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Printable Recipe
Irish Lamb Stew With Guinness
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5-2 pounds lamb shoulder or leg of lamb cut in 1.5-inch chunks use fresh lamb or leftover lamb
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large onions diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth or lamb stock
- 1 can Guinness 12 oz.
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary
- 4 large carrots roughly chopped
- 1½ pounds potatoes roughly chopped
- 3 stalks celery roughly chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add lamb and brown on all sides. In the same pot, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs and bay leaves and discard.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, and celery to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours, or until the lamb is tender.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Serve hot with Irish soda bread on the side.
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Notes
- Trim fat from the lamb so the meat isn't too fatty.
- Don't skip browning the lamp.
- 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 to release all the flavorful bits.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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