Slowly simmered in a red wine sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, and thyme, this simple braised lamb shanks recipe is the perfect make-ahead centerpiece for holidays and dinner parties.
Lamb shank is a cut of meat that comes from the well-exercised lower section of the lamb leg. It’s a tougher, more budget-friendly portion of the lamb, but it is also one of the most flavorful. It greatly rewards patience: Simmer it slowly, and it will become fall-off the bone tender and so deliciously rich.
For this lamb shank recipe, I drew inspiration from classics like Persian Mahiche and Moroccan Tagine for the seasoning blend. Lamb’s richness really shines with warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. As a bonus, it will make your house smell incredible!
If you’d like a stress-free holiday or a dinner party, this easy recipe is your answer. You can make it the night before, it’s nearly impossible to mess up, and it brings all the fancy festive vibes to the party. Serve with something to soak up the delicious sauce, like Lebanese rice, creamy polenta, or cooked orzo pasta.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for this Lamb Shank Recipe
A dry red wine and beef broth make the base of the robust braising sauce. Red wine evaporates as it cooks, adding richness and depth of flavor. (Keep in mind that the alcohol in red wine will cook off, so the sauce will not taste boozy.) Here’s what you’ll need to make this oven-braised lamb shank recipe:
- Lamb shanks: You’ll need 6 lamb shanks, one per person.
- Herbs and spices: Paprika, garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme add an aromatic, cozy quality. Kosher salt and black pepper draw out all the flavor.
- Vegetables: Onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and whole peeled canned tomatoes. (I like San Marzano tomatoes. I find them to be less sour than other whole canned tomatoes.)
- Broth: I love the richness of beef broth, but vegetable broth or chicken stock will also work in a pinch.
- Red wine: I’ve made this recipe with a variety of dry red wines at different price points and did not notice a difference in the flavor. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are two great options. If you don’t use alcohol in your cooking, substitute an equal amount of beef broth.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality extra virgin variety.
How to Cook Lamb Shanks
One tip: while braising lamb shanks is mostly hands-off, you don’t want to skip the searing step. The golden crust makes all the difference, adding depth and texture before the slow braise begins. Here are the steps:
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together 2 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Pat the lamb shanks dry and season all over with the spice mix.
- Prep the veggies. Roughly chop 1 medium yellow onion and 2 celery ribs. Peel and cut 3 large carrots into large pieces. Scrub 1 pound of baby potatoes.
Sear the Lamb and Make the Braising Liquid
- Sear the lamb. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Working in batches, brown 6 lamb shanks until golden on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer to a large tray or bowl for now.
- Saute the veggies. Carefully pour off any excess fat and return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Saute until the vegetables gain some color, 5-7 minutes.
- Make the braising liquid. Add 2 cups red wine and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit, then add 3 cups beef broth, 1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.
Braise the Lamb Shanks
- Oven-braise the lamb. Cover the pot and transfer to the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. (It’s a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
- Serve. Serve the lamb shanks hot on a bed of Lebanese Rice, polenta, or orzo with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Option
You can absolutely make this lamb shanks recipe in your slow cooker! Here is how:
- Sear the lamb shanks: Season and sear the lamb shanks on the stove-top per recipe instructions until a nice brown crust forms on all sides of the lamb.
- Braise the lamb shanks in the slow cooker: Transfer the lamb shanks to a large slow cooker. Add the vegetables, 1 cup of red wine instead of 2, beef broth, and the remaining ingredients. Cover and set the Crockpot to Low for 8 hours or High for 5 to 6 hours or until the lamb shanks are cooked through to tender.
What to Serve with Lamb Shanks
I don’t like to waste any of the delicious red wine sauce, so I love to serve the shanks on top of Lebanese rice, creamy polenta, or cooked orzo pasta.
To kick off a dinner party or special occasion, use a few extra sprigs of rosemary for these blood orange cocktails. Round out the meal with a bright and crisp radicchio salad, which will nicely balance the richness of the lamb. And for dessert, a couple pieces of crispy homemade baklava with hot tea would be just perfect.
More Slow Cooked Lamb Recipes
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Persian Braised Lamb Shanks (Mahiche)
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Easy Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
For the Spice Mix
- 2 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Lamb Shanks
- 6 American lamb shanks
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 pound baby potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 cups dry red wine (I like Merlot)
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 28- ounce can peeled tomatoes
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix all of the Spice Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat the lamb shanks dry and season all over with the spice mix.
- Sear the lamb. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks until golden on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer to a large tray or bowl for now.
- Saute the veggies. Carefully pour off any excess fat and return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Saute until the vegetables gain some color, 5-7 minutes.
- Make the braising liquid. Add the red wine and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit, then add the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- Oven-braise the lamb. Cover the pot and transfer to the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours. (It’s a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
- Serve. Serve the lamb shanks hot on a bed of rice or orzo with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Slow cooker lamb shanks: Follow the recipe instructions for seasoning and browning the lamb. Transfer the lamb to a large slow cooker. Add the vegetables, then add 1 cup wine (instead of 2), broth, and remaining ingredients. Cover the slow cooker. Set on Low and cook for 8 hours or on High and cook for 5 to 6 hours or until the shanks are fully cooked to fall-apart tender.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat lamb and vegetables in a 350 degrees F heated oven in an oven-safe pot for about 30 minutes. If the sauce has reduced too much, add a little more beef broth.
Nutrition
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Amazing
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hello
I am using my instant pot/pressure cooker a lot these days. This looks like a perfect candidate. Just concerned about the volume of liquids and cooking time. Can you advise? Looks amazing!! And hubby and teen boys LOVES lamb shanks.
Cheers
Leah
I don’t have a dutch oven, but I doin have a slow cooker. Could I do this in that and cook low for (approx) 8hrs instead?
Apologies– just saw your note further down in recipe about slow cookers! Great – can’t wait til try!
enjoy!
Yes! Please see notes above.
Hi. My original question was about an instant pot/pressure cooker. As opposed to a slow cook. Any.tips
I have not personally tried this in an Instant Pot, but you may be able to find some answers in the instructional manual that came along with your Instant Pot.
Hi Suzy, can you recommend a wine for this recipe? This sounds delicious and I want to get it right.
Hi, Ally! A full-bodied red wine would work well here. I’d try a Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks!
I just made this for my family and we LOVED it. Awesome recipe! Best part was that it was easy to prepare.
I have followed your other recipes as well and they are all great. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed this one.
Let’s start off by saying I’m a terrible lamb cooker!
My husband came home with lamb shanks and asked me to cook it, immediately I googled recipes and thank the heavens above I came across this recipe. Let me tell you my family devoured this meal! My whole house smelled amazing while it was cooking, a really delicious meal!!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Merima, I am so glad you happened upon this recipe! It’s a family favorite here too! so glad you enjoyed it.
Planning to make this tomorrow! What kind of Spanish paprika did you use? Smoked? Sweet? Thanks so much!
Hello, Christy. Apologies that I just saw this question. Sweet Spanish paprika is what is used here (I believe we’ve linked to it). If a different kind is used, then we typically qualify that by sharing “smoked” or “hot.”
Hi, Can I use a leg of lamb with this recipe?
You can use the same spices etc. Mary, but I would adjust your cooking time.
This recipe looks fantastic! I will be trying it this week.
How large of a Dutch oven would you use for 6 lamb shanks?
Greg
Hi Greg! This one used here is 7-qt oval Dutch oven like this: https://amzn.to/2KztIJ1
Awesome! Thanks.
Hi, I’m not a big fan of cinnamon in savoury foods, especially in lamb, is there a substitute I could use? Same goes with the nutmeg.
Thanks
Hi Michele, you can omit cinnamon and adjust the remaining spices to compensate. Enjoy!
I have always been intimidated by the thought of cooking lamb but after success with ALL of your recipes I have tried I decided to make this braised lamb shank recipe. It did not disappoint. Very easy to assemble, made the house smell wonderful and tasted amazing. Husband and son agree. Thanks so much…love your recipes and the weekly meal ideas!
Megan, thank you so much for sharing! Makes my day to know that my recipes are working for your family. Thank you.
I have made lamb shanks many times and this is the best recipe ever. Five stars. My family loved it.
Love hearing this, David! Thank you!
Suzy,
Awesome lamb shank recipe !!
Love the cinnamon and nutmeg, subtle yet the taste comes through just enough. I’m Greek so I am definitely well versed on lamb dishes, and this is one of the best I’ve ever had. Definitely the best I’ve ever made.
Thanks !!
Stan, this means a ton to me! Thank you for sharing!
Hello, could you give an approximation of how large the shanks in this recipe are? I just bought a shank weighing 3 lbs and 6 of those would seem to require an industrial style pot!
Hello, Fahd. The average lamb shank in my area weighs something between 12 ounces to just over 1 pound.
Hi Suzi I’m a good cook and I’ve done this lamb shanks before as my own recipe and I don’t. Mind to have some of your recipes as they look fabulous .
Thanks, Nayla! Enjoy!
Could I use short ribs for this recipe? We don’t eat lamb or veal but the recipe looks delish!