Persian Lamb Stew

By Lucy Parissi

4.70 from 20 votes

, Updated Nov 25, 2024

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This fragrant lamb recipe is packed with so much flavour! Melt in the mouth cubes of lamb simmered with fragrant spices, ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses – my take on Persian Lamb Stew. Easy to make on the hob, Instant Pot or slow cooker – serve with golden rice for a feast of a meal. In collaboration with PGI Welsh Lamb.

You will also love my Moroccan Lamb Tagine and Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate Molasses

Festive cooking usually revolves around the usual suspects: turkey, beef and pork roasts. Why not take a break from the same old and make this Persian lamb stew? Your taste buds will thank you! 

After some initial prep you can sit back and enjoy a glass of wine while your kitchen fills with a mouthwatering aroma… Seriously folks this is SO GOOD! Take a look at the recipe video and step by step tutorial to see how its done.

Which lamb cut is best for stews?

The long slow cooking time suits cuts like lamb shoulder, neck or leg. I chose Welsh lamb shoulder for the best tasting lamb stew. 

Welsh lamb is one of the few meats in Europe to be granted PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status by the European Commission. This recognises that the lamb’s undeniable quality is derived by the landscape it is produced.

All Welsh lamb products are fully traceable – born and reared in Wales and even traced back to the farm on which they were raised. 

Persian Stew Ingredients

This recipe is usually made with chicken (Pomegranate Chicken – Fesenjan) but the long cooking time and spices are perfect for lamb. This is, quite possibly, THE most flavorful lamb recipe ever plus gluten free and can be dairy free too if you replace the butter with more olive oil.

You will need a casserole dish with a lid for this recipe (Dutch Oven) but you can also make it in a CrockPot or the Instant Pot.

• Diced lamb: I used Welsh lamb shoulder, cut into chunky cubes and trimmed of any large pieces of fat
• Walnuts: an unusual ingredient in a stew recipe but TRUST ME this works. Make sure your walnuts are fresh 
• Onions and garlic
• Spices: ground cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and nutmeg (very Christmassy) plus one cinnamon stick
• Orange peel
• Pomegranate molasses
• Honey
• Dried cranberries (or dried sour cherries) 
• Chicken stock (broth) from a stock cube is fine
• Pomegranate seeds to garnish
• Mint and parsley to garnish

How to make lamb stew

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

STEP 1. Toast your walnuts for maximum flavour… You can do this in the same casserole dish you make the stew in or in the oven. Either way watch them like a hawk lest they burn. Once the walnuts start colouring transfer them to a mini chopper and grind to a fine powder.

STEP 2. Heat olive oil and butter in your casserole until butter starts foaming. Add the onions, cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them color or catch.

STEP 3. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel, cooking for a minute or two.

STEP 4. Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits in the pan.

STEP 5. Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and honey. Add the dried cranberries stirring to combine.

STEP 6. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

STEP 7. Add the ground walnuts, stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook on very low heat for about an hour. Open the casserole and give the stew a good stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure the walnuts are not sticking. By the end of your cooking time most of the liquid will have cooked down and the stew will be thick and glossy brown.

STEP 8. Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint. Scatter jewel-like pomegranate seeds over the stew and serve.

Instant Pot instructions

STEP 1. Select ‘Sauté’ on a 6L Instant Pot and toast the walnuts for a few minutes, stirring. Use a slotted spoon to remove the walnuts and then grind them to a fine powder.

STEP 2. Add the butter and oil and heat until butter starts foaming. Cancel Sauté then adjust to lowest heat setting. Cook the onions until very soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick.

STEP 3. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel. 

STEP 4. Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits.

STEP 5. Add the pomegranate molasses, honey, dried cranberries and chicken stock. Stir in the ground walnuts.

STEP 6. Cover and set vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and allow for 10 minute natural release before manually releasing the steam.

STEP 7. Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Follow steps 1-6 of the hob method or follow steps in your slow cooker if it allows for searing. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 6. Avoid opening the cooker to check on the stew! 

Fragrant golden rice

I like to serve this stew with golden rice – a visually striking combination that also tastes amazing! You can also serve it with plain rice or steamed couscous. 

My husband maintains he ‘can’t make rice’ and he is right… This method ensures perfectly fluffy rice with separate grains. I have allowed 450g (2 cups) of rice which should serve 4-6.

STEP 1. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a lidded pot. If making golden rice then stir in half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, 5 whole cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick and a bay leaf. Stir to allow the spices to infuse the butter.

STEP 2. Add white basmati rice (no need to rinse) to the pot and stir to coat in the fragrant butter. Add hot vegetable stock (or water) double the volume of the rice. It should start simmering straight away. Stir once then cover the pot tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting. Leave to cook for 10 minutes without opening the pot.

STEP 4. Remove the lid and check the rice – almost all of the liquid should have been absorbed. Stir once with a gentle folding action. Take the pot off the heat, cover with the lid and leave for another ten minutes for soft fluffy rice. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cardamom pods. Season to taste and serve.

Tips and FAQS

– Can I make this recipe without the walnuts? For an authentic Persian stew the walnuts are a must. But I would hate for you to lose out on this tasty recipe if you are allergic or dislike walnuts. Simply leave them out and consider adding one can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained instead.

– How long will this recipe keep? You can store in the fridge for up to three days. Don’t add any garnishes if you intend to store, add them when serving.

– Can I freeze this stew? It freezes beautifully! Leave out any garnishes then freeze in portions once it has cooled down completely. Defrost in the fridge overnight or using a microwave.

You might need to add a little water when reheating as the stew will be quite thick. Always make sure that food is piping hot all the way through before serving.

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4.70 from 20 votes

Persian Lamb Stew

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

This Welsh lamb stew recipe is packed with so much flavour! Melt in the mouth cubes of lamb simmered with fragrant spices, ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses – my take on Persian Lamb Stew. Easy to make on the hob, Instant Pot or slow cooker.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

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Video

Ingredients

For the stew

• ▢ 130 g (1 cup) walnuts
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 onions , finely diced
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves , minced
• ▢ ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ tsp ground cumin
• ▢ ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
• ▢ Small piece orange peel
• ▢ 900 g (2 pounds) diced lamb shoulder , fat trimmed
• ▢ 90 g (¾ cup) dried cranberries
• ▢ 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• ▢ 2 tbsp honey
• ▢ 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock or broth
• ▢ 1 tbsp chopped parsley to garnish
• ▢ 1 tbsp chopped mint to garnish

For the rice

• ▢ 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 450 g (2 cups) basmati rice
• ▢ 5 cardamom pods
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ ½ cinnamon stick
• ▢ ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ 950 ml (4 cups) hot vegetable stock or water

Instructions 

Lamb stew on the hob

• Toast your walnuts for maximum flavor… You can do this in the same casserole dish you make the stew in or in the oven. Either way watch them like a hawk lest they burn. Once the walnuts start toasting transfer them to a mini chopper and grind to a fine powder.
  130 g (1 cup) walnuts
• Heat olive oil and butter in your casserole until butter starts foaming. Add the onions, cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them color or catch.
  2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 onions
• Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel, cooking for a minute or two.
  3 garlic cloves, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 cinnamon stick, Small piece orange peel
• Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits in the pan.
  900 g (2 pounds) diced lamb shoulder
• Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and honey. Add the dried cranberries, stirring to combine. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
  90 g (¾ cup) dried cranberries, 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 2 tbsp honey, 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• Add the ground walnuts, stir to combine then cover the pot and cook on very low heat for about an hour. Open the casserole and give the stew a good stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure the walnuts are not sticking. By the the of your cooking time most of the liquid will have cooked down and the stew will be thick and glossy brown.
• Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint. Scatter jewel-like pomegranate seeds over the stew and serve.
  1 tbsp chopped parsley to garnish, 1 tbsp chopped mint to garnish

Instant Pot lamb Stew

• Select ‘Sauté’ and toast the walnuts for a few minutes, stirring. Use a slotted spoon to remove the walnuts and then grind them to a fine powder.
• Add the butter and oil and heat until butter starts foaming. Cancel Sauté then adjust to lowest heat setting. Cook the onions until very soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick.
• Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel.
• Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits.
• Add the pomegranate molasses, honey, dried cranberries and chicken stock. Stir in the ground walnuts.
• Cover and set vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and allow for 10 minute natural release before manually releasing the steam.
• Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds.

Slow Cooker Lamb Stew

• Follow steps 1-6 of the hob method then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 6. Avoid opening the cooker to check on the stew!

Golden Rice

• Heat a tablespoon of butter in a lidded pot. If making golden rice then stir in the ground turmeric, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, salt and a bay leaf. Stir to allow the spices to infuse the butter.
  1 tbsp unsalted butter, 5 cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf, ½ cinnamon stick, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp salt
• Add the rice (no need to rinse) to the pot and stir to coat in the fragrant butter.
  450 g (2 cups) basmati rice
• Add hot vegetable stock (or water) it should start simmering straight away. Stir once then cover the pot tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting. Leave to cook for 10 minutes without opening the pot.
  950 ml (4 cups) hot vegetable stock
• Remove the lid and check the rice – almost all of the liquid should have been absorbed. Stir once with a gentle folding action.
• Take the pot off the heat, cover with the lid and leave for another ten minutes for soft fluffy rice. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods. Season to taste and serve.

Notes

Lamb Stew Tips and FAQS

• Can I make this recipe without the walnuts? For an authentic Persian stew the walnuts are a must. But I would hate for you to lose out on this tasty recipe if you are allergic or dislike walnuts. Simply leave them out and consider adding one can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained instead.
• How long will this recipe keep? You can store in the fridge for up to three days. Don’t add any garnishes if you intend to store, add them when serving.
• Can I freeze this stew? It freezes beautifully! Leave out any garnishes then freeze in portions once it has cooled down completely. Defrost in the fridge overnight or using a microwave. You might need to add a little water when reheating as the stew will be quite thick. Always make sure that food is piping hot all the way through before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 1565kcal | Carbohydrates: 140g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 82g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 47021mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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