Instant Pot Irish Lamb Stew

Hearty, cozy, and oh so delicious, this Instant Pot Irish Lamb Stew is a perfect one pot dinner! And because it’s so simple to make, it’s great for a weeknight dinner or your St. Patrick’s Day celebration!

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Irish Traditions

Kiss me, I’m Irish! Okay, no, don’t. But I am Irish. My grandma was born in County Mayo, and grandpa was born County Cork. They moved America in the early 1960’s, raised their family here, and some of my fondest memories were celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at their home.

So this and every St. Patrick’s Day, I love to celebrate my Irish heritage! One of the most popular St. Patrick’s Day recipes is corned beef & cabbage, and for obvious reasons. It’s absolutely delicious! But my grandmother always insisted that her family never actually had corned beef in Ireland… and definitely not for St. Patrick’s Day. Instead, they ate stew!

So today I’m making a big, cozy pot of Irish Lamb Stew… in my Instant Pot! The meat is tender, the broth is savory and luscious, and the vegetables are hearty. I add just a bit of Guinness to add deep, bitter flavor.

The whole house smells amazing when it’s cooking. My kids were basically drooling, waiting for it to finish cooking (don’t worry, I gave them something to do). It’s just an all around wonderful wintertime meal.

Instant Pot Cooking

And here’s why I love making it in my Instant Pot: Normally stew would need to simmer on the stovetop or slow cooker for a few hours to get lamb shoulder super tender. No more! This whole meal comes together in under an hour, but it taste just like it’s been simmering all day.

The Instant Pot allows you to both brown and then cook the meat, making it so unbelievably tender that you can shred it into the pieces with a spoon.

And I have to mention that the vegetables are soft but not mush. It can be hard to walk that line with Instant Pot cooking, but I like my vegetables with some life in them! Honestly, nobody like mushy veggies.

You may also like: Instant Pot Pot Roast, Italian Lamb Meatballs.

Ingredients

Lamb Stew Meat or Lamb Shoulder cut into bite sized pieces. Lamb shoulder becomes wonderfully tender in stews and braises. I prefer to get it pre-cut from my favorite butcher, because I’m always excited to get to take a shortcut, but both ways work great.

*If you don’t like lamb, you can make this stew with beef chuck roast.

Produce: Baby potatoes, onion, carrots, green peas (I use frozen), and fresh thyme. The root vegetables add earthy flavor and make the stew more hearty. The peas add a touch of bright, fresh sweetness.

Beef Stock: There are many different bone broths to choose from.

Guinness. Stout beer is unmistakably Irish, rich and deep in flavor, and so adding a bit to your stew totally takes it to another level! Don’t worry, it’s safe to cook with beer this way in your Instant Pot!

*If you don’t have stout on hand, you can substitute red wine.
*If you’re following Whole30 or otherwise avoiding alcohol, you can simply skip the Guinness and substitute a little more broth.

Pantry: Oil, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and arrowroot powder. You can omit the arrowroot and substitute flour, if that works better for you.

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Step by Step Instructions

Now I’m walking you through the steps to make this savory Instant Pot Irish Stew! Don’t worry, I’ve got instructions to make it in a slow cooker too! Just see below.

Brown the meat. Pat the pieces of lamb with a few paper towels to dry them. Sprinkle with arrowroot powder and a bit of salt and pepper.

Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the oil. In batches, add the meat to the Instant Pot, and let it cook for about 2 minutes per side. Set it aside on a plate.

Cook in the Instant Pot. Add the onions to the Instant Pot, and saute for a few minutes. Add the Guinness (if using) to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom.

Pour in the broth. Add the carrots, potatoes, and seasonings. Cover and turn to high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release.

Finish and Serve. Once the pressure has completely released, open the lid. Stir in the green peas and allow them to cook with the stew for a few minutes.

Optionally, you thicken the broth by making a slurry. Whisk more arrowroot powder with about 1/4 cup of the broth in a small dish, then stir that into the stew. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and allow the stew to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with fresh thyme, and season with a little salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker Adaptation

Brown the pieces of meat in a large stock pot over medium heat. Remove the lamb pieces and set them aside. Saute the onions in the same pot, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with the beer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits.

Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Pour the onion and beer mixture onto the meat. Add the potatoes, carrots, seasonings. Cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-7 hours. Stir in the peas. Make a slurry, then stir that into the cooked stew and allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Season and serve!

Storing leftovers: Once the Lamb Stew has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container or zip top bag and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezing leftovers: This stew freezes beautifully! Allow the stew to cool completely, then transfer it to a zip top freezer bag. Squeeze all the air out of the bag, then store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Defrost by setting the bag on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.

More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

• Irish Farmhouse Vegetable Soup
• Corned Beef & Cabbage

Making this recipe? I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.