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
Meat and Poultry
Persian Braised Lamb Shanks (Mahiche)
Moroccan and Tunisian
Easy Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
Visit Our Shop.
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
Build Your Own Spice Bundle
Stock your spice cabinet with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean! The more you buy, the more you save!
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Thanks it came up so delicious
Glad you enjoyed it, Amer!
Hi there
So happy to come across this recipe – it’s in the oven as I write as a matter if fact. What I’m wondering is – if I need to add more liquid what do I actually use to do that without spoiling the flavour?
Would I use extra Beef broth ? Hoping my question might be answered before I need to take the action haha
Hi, Katrina. A little more broth would work.
Just a tip: Whenever you need to add extra liquid to a recipe, use more of your original liquid.
Thanks for sharing, Sonya!
About how many lbs of lamb shank would this be. My butcher has small shanks and very large ones.
Hello, Rahma! The average lamb shank in my area weighs something between 12 ounces to just over 1 pound. Hope that helps!
Amazing recipe. Everybody loves it.delicious, amazing recipe. Everybody loved it.
Do you have to use a Dutch oven pot or is there an alternative (besides a slow cooker)? I don’t own either yet.
Hi, Ana! A dutch oven is recommended, but you can use another large pot with a lid as long as it is stovetop AND oven safe.
I wanted to cook lamb chops but the grocery store sold lot. Only lamb shank was available, so I Googled recipes. This one came up. This recipe was easy to follow and the end result was amazing.
I cooked this meal for my family on Valentine Day. The lamb was fall off the bone tender and the vegetables were seasoned to perfection. I will be adding this recipe to my cooking rotation.
Yay! I love hearing that! Thanks so much!
Cant wait to try this recipe! Can lamb shoulder cuts be used instead of shanks? Thank you!
Hi, Jen! Yes, you can use shoulder chops here.Depending on the size of the shoulder chops, I think it’ll actually take a similar amount of time. Enjoy!
I…love…flavor…
This recipe is, by far, the BEST I have ever tasted. I live in a food Mecca..Houston. I have had lamb.
This recipe is full of rich, beautiful flavor. I enjoyed making this {and my wife and I enjoyed eating this}. Many of my friends don’t realize that lamb is mostly cheaper than beef and more flavorful.
I have never used a spice rub before I sear the lamb shanks…I will always do this from now on. Your recipe is great!
I look forward to your e-cookbook (I just subscribed) and your food blog.
Thank you so very much for this recipe.
Much respect..,Jeff in Houston
Thank you for the kind words, Jeff! And welcome to The Mediterranean Dish :). I can’t wait to hear what else you try!
I am very interested in this recipe for my wife’s birthday. How many people will 6 lamb shanks serve?
Hi, Robert! A lamb shank will typically serve 1-2 people, depending on the size.
So I’ve made this before using lamb shanks, this time I’m using lamb thighs.
Is that ok or do I need a tougher meat?
Is the cooking time the same?
This recipe should work with lamb thighs/leg of lamb. The cooking time should pretty much be the same. Here’s another recipe you could use as a guide: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/greek-boneless-leg-of-lamb-slow-cooker/
This sounds delicious! Is this something I can make in advance the night before and reheat? Or will this negatively impact the flavour?
Sure! I think that would be fine. When you are ready to eat, just warm through over medium heat, adding a little liquid if needed.
Enjoyed every bit of your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Great.
Thank you so much, Minnie!
Just had for dinner, delicious….. I added packet of lamb shank powder to tomatoes and added to sauce …
Delicious!
The liquid doesn’t reduce in the oven for me, although you mention above it reducing by a third. With the lid on the Dutch oven creating a seal, I’m not sure how it would. Should I leave the lid off or partly open to vent the steam so the liquid reduces?
Sure! If you can’t get the liquid to reduce otherwise, I would try leaving the lid partially open.
Hi! I am making this for my mom for Mother’s Day along with your Lebanese Rice and a cucumber/red onion mint salad. I was wondering for the peeled tomatoes does it matter if they’re crushed, diced, chopped, or whole? Thanks!
Hi, Rhonda! I use whole peeled tomatoes from a can in this one.
I would appreciate if you could provide procedure using tagine instead 🙂
At this point, I will not be able to offer this option. I do not own a tagine pot.