Simple & delicious Instant Pot Lamb Stew with chickpeas and fragrant Middle Eastern spices- a fast, flavorful, wholesome meal that can be made in an Instant Pot!
The ego loves being “offended”. ~Eckart Tolle
Here’s a recipe for Instant Pot Lamb Stew with chickpeas and fragrant Middle Eastern spices that will warm you to your bones. It takes 15 minutes of hands-on time before finishing off in an Instant Pot using the pressure cooker setting.
This can also be made on the stovetop, then finished in the oven, but know it will take twice as long. Whichever way you choose to go, the flavors will satisfy. Serve the stew over basmati rice, or everyday quinoa, or if going grain-free, try our cauliflower rice.
Why You’ll Love This!
- Invigorating Middle Eastern flavor! Cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and chili flakes come together harmoniously to create rich, complex, and warm flavor.
- Only 15 minutes of hands-on cooking. This recipe requires minimal prep time before cooking in the Instant Pot for 50 minutes. Your home will smell amazing as the dish stews and becomes rich with flavor!
- Comforting and wholesome. This warm and cozy dish is perfect for cold nights. It is full of nourishing ingredients, warm spices, and aromatic flavors. It’s meaty and satiating and will fill you up after a long day.
- Can be enjoyed in so many ways. Serve over rice, quinoa, couscous, or riced cauliflower. Add a side of warm pita bread or roasted cauliflower. There are so many delicious ways to present this stew.
- Leftovers taste even better! Make this in advance and enjoy leftovers on a busy weeknight. This stew tastes amazing after the flavors have had even more time to blend together.
Instant Pot Lamb Stew Video
This is one of my favorite lamb stew recipes because of the complex and fragrant Middle Eastern spices! If Middle Eastern Spices are not your thing, this simple Irish Lamb Stew would work great in the Instant Pot too!
Lamb Stew Ingredients
- Lamb stew meat: Use lamb shoulder, lamb leg, or lamb shank cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes. The lamb meat provides a hearty and savory flavor to the stew. It becomes tender and flavorful after cooking.
- Olive oil, butter, or ghee: This fat is used for browning the lamb meat and adds richness to the stew.
- Onion: Adds a sweet and slightly tangy flavor to the stew. It also contributes to the overall texture of the dish.
- Garlic cloves: Adds a pungent and aromatic flavor to the stew. It enhances the savory profile of the dish.
- Spices: Cumin provides warm and earthy flavor, coriander adds a citrusy and slightly sweet taste, turmeric brings in vibrant yellow color and a mildly earth and slightly bitter taste, cinnamon adds warmth and sweetness, and chili flakes add a spicy kick.
- Tomato paste: Adds a rich, tangy flavor and helps to thicken the stew.
- Apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar): Adds a tangy and slightly acidic taste to balance the richness of the stew.
- Honey or brown sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps to balance the flavors in the stew.
- Chicken stock or broth: Forms the liquid base of the stew and adds depth of flavor. It helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with the other ingredients. You can also use beef broth.
- Chickpeas: Provide a creamy and nutty texture to the stew. They also add protein and fiber.
- Raisins, dried apricots, or dried currants: Add pops of sweetness and chewiness to the stew. They provide a nice contrast to the savory flavors.
What is the Best Meat Cut for Lamb Stew?
This recipe is designed for “tougher” cuts of lamb that need longer cooking times to tenderize. Please don’t waste already tender lamb chops or lamb loin on this recipe. Beef stew meat or even goat make good substitutions too!
Use lamb stew meat- cut from lamb shoulder, leg, or shanks. also good options. I’ve opted for local, sustainably raised American lamb, which is meatier and milder in flavor than imported lamb. It’s also fresher, having traveled far fewer miles to get here.
How to Make Instant Pot Lamb Stew
Sauté. Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to the Sauté function. Heat the butter or oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the lamb, garlic, salt and all the spices and saute for 5 more minutes until fragrant. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, honey, stock, chickpeas and raisins and stir until combined, scraping up any browned bits.
Pressure cook. Cover and set the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) to pressure cook setting for 50 minutes on normal/high. Naturally release.
Release. Let the pressure release and give a stir. The lamb will be tender and break apart easily. If you prefer it less juicy, return to the saute function and cook off some of the liquid. (Note that it will thicken a bit as it sits).
Taste and adjust. Adjust seasonings to taste. If it is too sweet, add a few drops more vinegar. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
How to make Lamb Stew on the Stove top
- Alternatively, you can cook this on the stovetop in an oven-proof Dutch oven.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Brown the onions in the ghee or butter over medium-high heat, then add the garlic, lamb, salt, black pepper, and spices, cooking for 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining ingredients – all except the raisins, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering covered, on low heat, until lamb is tender, about 1 ½ hours, adding more liquid as necessary.
- Alternatively, you could cover and place in the oven and bake for 2 hours, adding the raisins about an hour or 1 ½ hours into the baking time. After two hours, the lamb will be very tender. If you like a little more browning, give a quick broil to the pot uncovered.
What to serve with Lamb Stew?
- Basmati rice
- The Best Quinoa!
- Couscous
- Grain-Free Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous
- Cauliflower rice
- Simple Homemade Pita Bread
- Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley
FAQs
Yes, absolutely, it will get even more delicious as the flavors meld.
It’s important to let the instant pot come to pressure, cook, and naturally release. The natural pressure release will result in the most tender texture.
To retain the rich flavor of the stew, pressure cooking is best.
Yes! In this recipe the lamb sautés for 5 minutes with the spices and aromatics before pressure cooking.
Yes! Veggies like carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga or celeriac are wonderful options. Even potato would make a delicious and hearty addition.
Storage & Freezing
Lamb stew will keep in the fridge up to 4 days. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can freeze this recipe for up to 6 months. Remove from the freezer to thaw in the fridge when ready to eat. Perfect for busy weeknights!
Instant Pot Lamb Stew infused with Middle Eastern Spices….a fast and easy weeknight dinner that requires only 15 minutes of hands-on time before letting the Instant Pot work its magic.
We hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Lamb Stew Recipe!
Cheers, friends.
More Recipes you may enjoy!
Instant Pot Lamb stew
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Description
Simple & delicious Instant Pot Lamb Stew with chickpeas and fragrant Middle Eastern spices- a fast, flavorful, wholesome meal that can be made in an Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or ghee
- 1 ½ –1 ¾ pounds lamb stew meat ( shoulder, leg or shank) cut onto 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 onion, diced
- 4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin ( or use 1 teaspoon ground, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric,
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes ( Aleppo Chili flakes are nice) and more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 1–2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 x 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup raisins or dried apricots (chopped), or even dried currants
Serve with cooked quinoa, couscous or basmati rice & garnish with fresh Italian parsley or cilantro leaves and extra chili flakes.
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on and set it to the Sauté function. Heat the butter or oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the lamb, garlic, salt and all the spices and saute for 5 more minutes until fragrant. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, honey, stock, chickpeas and raisins and stir until combined.
- Cover and set the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) to pressure cook setting for 50 minutes on normal/high. Naturally release.
- Let the pressure release and give a stir. The lamb will be tender and break apart easily. If you prefer it less juicy, return to saute function and cook off some of the liquid. ( Note that it will thicken a bit as it sits).
- Adjust seasonings to taste. If too sweet, add a few drops more vinegar.
- Serve over quinoa, rice or couscous with some fresh cilantro or parsley. The leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.
Notes
Alternatively, you can cook this on the stovetop in a oven-proof dutch oven. Preheat the oven to 325. Brown the onions in the ghee or butter then add the garlic, lamb, salt and spices, cooking for 5 -6 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients – all except the raisins, and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven and bake 2 hours, adding the raisins about an hour or 1 ½ hours into the baking time.
After two hours the lamb will be very tender. If you like a little more browning, give a quick broil to the pot uncovered.
LAMB: This recipe is designed for “tougher” cuts of lamb- shoulder, leg, etc., that need longer cooking times to tenderize. Please don’t waste already tender lamb chops or lamb loin on this recipe. You can also use beef stew meat or even goat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 33.3 g
- Sodium: 299.7 mg
- Fat: 20.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.7 g
- Fiber: 7.7 g
- Protein: 47.2 g
- Cholesterol: 113.1 mg
Can I cook the Quinoa at the same at the same time?
Cook it on the stove top – NOT in the Instant Pot! Yes, at the same time.
This was so yummy! I didn’t have any tomato paste, so I just used three tablespoons of marinara sauce and I sautéed at the end to thicken it a tiny bit. The broth was incredibly flavourful. Served with rice polenta – perfect side dish to soak up the juices.
Hi Jess, thanks for sharing how you adapted! Great job!!!
This was SO GOOD! I followed recipe perfectly and let some of liquid cook off so it got thicker, which i loved, and also salted the meat and let it sit for a bit before cooking. My only complaint is that there is not more of it! The depth of flavor was just amazing . Will be a repeat in our house during these cold months!
This is DELICIOUS!
I added the chickpeas and apricots at the end as I didn’t want them to lose their texture. Otherwise perfect! I also topped it off with fig glaze and yogurt. Some cucumber salsa would be good too.
I made this for my husband last night. I don’t eat meat so I personally cant comment on their taste. But let me tell you…my husband could not stop raving about them. According to him its the best thing I have made in the instant pot. He’s not a fan of dried fruits so I omitted the raisins and apricots and cut back the brown sugar and ACV. . Thank you.
So good to hear- thanks! I am so glad he enjoyed it!!!!
This was so so good. I left out the sugar altogether and just added more raisins.
Great recipe, great taste and easy!
Only thing, I did not put sugar or honey. It is a North-american thing to put sugar in every recipe!
amazing!
Made this recipe as written and it was fabulous! I used the maximum amount of garlic, honey and dried apricots and served it over middle eastern style rice with the vermicelli noodles in it. . It reminded me of a lamb dish I once had at an Ethiopian restaurant. Even the sometimes picky granddaughter ate it. It will indeed become a regular in my household!
So happy to hear this…thanks for sharing!
First recipe for my new pressure cooker and definitely a success.
It took a bit of working out to convert the volumes into metric but it was definitely worth it! The steps were straightforward and easy to follow, even for a novice.
It is now bookmarked and added to my go-to recipes. Many thanks!!
So great to hear! Glad you enjoyed it and took the time to convert the recipe!
What do you think of using boneless leg of lamb instead of lamb stew meat? After all who knows what really goes into stew meat! Do I need to adjust the time in the pressure cooker? A hour seems so long!
Judy! Leg of lamb will work fine! As well as Lamb shoulder. Cut it into chunks. It will need the full hour.
Is there a way I could use ground lamb vs. shoulder? Thank you.
Honestly, I would not recommend. Would totally change it.
I love lamb, and I’m always looking for ways to make it in an Instant Pot. Due to some poor planning on my part, I did not have chickpeas on hand, so I left them out. And since I was leaving them out, I decided to use the lamb shoulder chops whole—bones, fat and all. I used currants. Otherwise, I made this as written. Oh my heavens, it was sublime! I served with orzo, naan bread and power greens sauteed with garlic. Will definitely bookmark this recipe, and next time I’ll remember to buy chickpeas.
This was delicious!! So glad I found this, very easy and couldn’t believe I had made something so yummy myself. My boyfriend was so impressed and scarfed it down in seconds! The only thing I left out was coriander and dried currants. Unfortunately, I didn’t have either of these on hand but I will make absolutely sure I do for next time, still terrific without! Served over quinoa with a glass of red and felt so healthy and clean. All of the spices, as well as meat falling off the bones, really gave it a 5-star taste! The next time I have dinner guests, I will use this dish and add a side of hummus or baba ganoush with baked pita. Thank you, Sylvia!!
My mother grew up in Iran, the daughter of missionaries, and has always loved a lamb and apricot stew. I made this (with apricots, obviously) for her and her dinner guests last night and it was absolutely delicious. Even my husband, who generally says he doesn’t like fruit and meat together, raved about it. My local farmer was out of lamb stew meat but sold me some shanks which worked just fine. I made the recipe as printed except for omitting the chickpeas (which would have been fine, I’m sure, but not something she was used to) and adding some chopped fresh mint. Thank you.
This was really great. I used only half the cinnamon though. I’m not so into overly cinnamon meat dishes. Anyway, it was PERFECT. I live with two “middle eastern” men that thanked me at least 35 times for making it.
Made this tonight in my instant pot! So easy and so delicious! So happy I found your site and your recipe!
Yay, I’m so happy you found it too!! Thanks for the comment and review.
I made this for dinner yesterday, it was a hit! We loved it! The recipe was extremely easy to follow along and the steps weren’t many yet it was so so flavorful. Thank you!
Oh good! Im so glad you enjoyed it!
I think it taste great, no cooker though. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmvb5_9lQeI/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ipoyoikiuhyx
Love it! thanks and glad you liked it!
Amazing. I doubled the recipe because I had to feed a lot of people, and it turned out perfectly. Everyone loved it! I will definitely be making the again! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Really delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, except I used Craisins instead of raisins because that’s all I had. Wonderful middle eastern flavors, sweet, mildly spicy, with cinnamon. Definitely recommended.
So glad you liked it, thanks!!!
Absolutely loved this!! Made it for my boyfriend to take to work for a world food tasting day, and it went down a storm.
Can’t wait to make it again just for us! It’s absolutely perfect for me, with the right balance of heat, acid and sweet. Love it!
Thank you so much for an outstanding recipe 🙂
If I double this recipe would I need to up the cooking time, or would it remain the same? Also would I double the liquid as well? Thanks!
Emma, my guess is cooking time would be similar, maybe add 5 more minutes. I would double the liquid to be safe. I’ve never tried doubling it so I’m guessing here….please leave feedback if you do double this, it would be helpful to know!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent!
awesome! so glad yo liked it!
This was outstanding! Thank you so much for sharing. I was nervous about adding the raisins since I don’t care for them, so I didn’t include them. However, I will definitely try the recipe again and give them a shot.