Hearty Irish Stew Recipe: A Comfort Food Love Letter

Winter Blues? This Irish Stew Recipe Will Save You – I have a confession to make: I went most of my adult life thinking Irish stew was just a generic term for anything vaguely stewish coming out of Ireland.

Irish Stew

Lumina Liu

This Irish stew features tender lamb, whole wheat, and a variety of vegetables. These include shallots, carrots, turnips, celeriac, and charlotte potatoes. They're all simmered in a flavorful broth made with white wine and herbs.

4.8 from 156 votes

Prep Time 30 Minutes

Cook Time 2 Hours

Total Time 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 485 calories kcal

Ingredients

 

• 300g whole wheat (soaked overnight in water)
• 2kg lamb loin chops (cut into 3cm cubes)
• 120ml olive oil
• 24 skinned shallots
• 4 large carrots
• 2 turnips
• 1 celeriac
• 350g charlotte potatoes
• 150ml white wine
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs oregano
• 450ml chicken stock

Instructions

 

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Drain and rinse the soaked wheat, put it in a medium pan with lots of water, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour, until cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. Season the lamb with a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Put one tablespoon of oil in a large, deep sauté pan for which you have a lid; place on a medium-high heat. Add some of the lamb – don't overcrowd the pan – and sear for four minutes on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, and repeat with the remaining lamb, adding oil as needed.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots and fry for four minutes, until caramelised. Tip these into the lamb bowl.
4. Repeat with the remaining vegetables until they are all nice and brown, adding more oil as you need it.
5. Once all the vegetables are seared and removed from the pan, add the wine along with the sugar, herbs, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Boil on a high heat for about three minutes.
6. Tip the lamb, vegetables and whole wheat back into the pot, and add the stock. Cover and boil for five minutes, then transfer to the oven for an hour and a half.
7. Remove the stew from the oven and check the liquid; if there is a lot, remove the lid and boil for a few minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 485.00 caloriesFat: 28.00 gCarbohydrates: 32.00 gCholesterol: 98.00 mgFiber: 5.00 gProtein: 29.00 gSaturated Fat: 9.00 g

Keyword Irish stew, lamb stew, traditional Irish food, whole wheat stew, comfort food, hearty meal, Irish cuisine, meat dish

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Like when someone says “Italian pasta” but doesn’t specify which of the 500+ pasta shapes they mean.

Forgive me, Ireland! It wasn’t until my friend Maeve brought me back from my culinary ignorance that I learned Irish stew is actually a specific, glorious thing with a rich history and even richer flavor.

The Winter That Almost Broke Me (But This Stew Saved Me)

Last February, during that particularly bleak stretch of winter when the charm of snow has worn off and spring feels like a distant memory rather than an approaching reality, I found myself in a cooking rut.

You know the one—where you’ve made the same five dinners in rotation for so long that your family starts giving you those looks across the dinner table.

The ones that say “if we have pasta with jarred sauce one more time, we might stage a coup.

It was during this culinary low point that I decided to tackle Irish stew recipe, a dish I’d never made before but seemed like the perfect antidote to both the weather outside and my kitchen ennui.

And friends, this isn’t just any stew—it’s a transformation in a pot, a warm hug after a long day, and honestly, the kind of dish that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together even when your laundry has been sitting in the dryer for three days. (No? Just me?)

The Real Deal: What Makes Irish Stew Special

Traditional Irish stew recipe has humble origins—it was born of necessity, using what was available to Irish farmers: tough cuts of lamb or mutton, potatoes, onions, and maybe a carrot or two if you were fancy.

The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity and in how it transforms these basic ingredients through low, slow cooking into something truly spectacular.

What sets this particular Irish stew recipe apart is the addition of whole wheat, which might not be strictly traditional but adds a wonderful nutty texture and heartiness that I’ve come to crave.

There’s also a lovely mix of root vegetables beyond the classic potatoes—turnips, celeriac, and carrots that become meltingly tender after their time in the oven.

The Ingredients That Make This Irish Stew Shine

Before we dive into the cooking process, let’s talk about what you’ll need. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list—most of these are straightforward staples:

• 300g whole wheat, soaked overnight in water (worth the planning, I promise)
• 2kg lamb loin chops, cut into 3cm cubes
• 120ml olive oil
• 24 skinned shallots (yes, twenty-four—trust me on this)
• 4 large carrots
• 2 turnips
• 1 celeriac
• 350g charlotte potatoes (or any waxy potato)
• 150ml white wine
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs oregano
• 450ml chicken stock

The Process: Patience Is Your Secret Ingredient

When I first made this Irish stew recipe, I almost skipped the step of searing the meat and vegetables separately. I was tired, it was already 5:30, and I briefly considered the “dump everything in a pot” approach.

But I’m here to tell you: don’t skip the browning.

Those extra 15-20 minutes make the difference between a good stew and a stew that makes you want to call your mother and tell her you’ve finally figured out adulthood.

Step 1: Prepare the Wheat

Heat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Drain and rinse your soaked wheat, then put it in a medium pan with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour, until cooked through but still with a bit of chew. Drain and set aside.

I’ll admit, the first time I made this, I wondered if this step was worth it. It is! The wheat adds a delightful textural element that sets this Irish stew recipe apart from others I’ve tried.

Step 2: Brown the Meat

Season your lamb cubes with a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. In a large, deep sauté pan (one with a lid that can go in the oven), heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.

Working in batches—crowding is the enemy of browning—sear the lamb for about four minutes on all sides until it develops a beautiful crust. Transfer the browned pieces to a bowl and continue with the remaining lamb, adding more oil as needed.

The first time I made this, I tried to rush this step and crammed too much meat in the pan. The result? Steamed rather than seared meat. Learn from my mistakes!

Step 3: Caramelize Those Vegetables

Lower the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots and fry for four minutes until they start to caramelize.

Move them to the lamb bowl, then repeat with the remaining vegetables—carrots, turnips, celeriac, and potatoes—until they’re all nicely browned, adding more oil as necessary.

This is the part where your kitchen starts to smell like heaven, and family members might wander in asking what’s for dinner. Feel free to act nonchalant, as if you casually whip up masterpieces like this Irish stew recipe all the time.

Step 4: Deglaze and Build the Stew

Once all your vegetables are seared and set aside, add the wine along with the sugar, thyme, oregano, a teaspoon of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper to the empty pan.

Boil on high heat for about three minutes, scraping up all those flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the lamb, vegetables, and cooked wheat to the pot, and pour in the chicken stock. Cover and boil for five minutes, then transfer to the oven for an hour and a half.

During this time, your home will fill with an aroma so comforting you might find yourself inexplicably thinking about wool sweaters and fireplaces even if it’s 80 degrees outside.

Step 5: Final Touches

After the stew has cooked for an hour and a half, take it out of the oven and check the liquid level. If there seems to be too much liquid, remove the lid and boil for a few minutes on the stovetop to reduce it slightly.

But remember—this is a stew, not a soup, but also not a casserole. You’re looking for that perfect middle ground.

Serving Suggestions and Variations for Your Irish Stew

This Irish stew recipe is a meal unto itself, but I find that a loaf of crusty bread for sopping up those incredible juices is non-negotiable.

A simple green salad on the side can also provide a welcome fresh contrast.

If you want to put your own spin on this Irish stew recipe, here are some variations that work beautifully:

• Swap the lamb for beef chuck if lamb isn’t your thing (though I urge you to try it with lamb at least once)
• If you can’t find celeriac, parsnips make a lovely substitute
• For a gluten-free version, omit the wheat and add more potatoes, or substitute barley if you can tolerate it
• A splash of Guinness in place of some of the wine gives an even more distinctly Irish character

Real Talk: Is This Irish Stew Worth the Effort?

Listen, I’m not going to pretend this is a 30-minute meal. This Irish stew recipe requires a bit of planning (soaking that wheat!) and some active time browning all those components. But is it worth it? Absolutely, unequivocally yes.

What I love most about this dish is how it transforms humble ingredients into something spectacular through technique rather than expensive components.

It’s the kind of cooking that makes me feel connected to generations of home cooks who came before me, making do with what they had and creating something wonderful.

And here’s a little secret: it’s even better the next day. If you can resist finishing it all in one sitting (a genuine challenge), the leftovers will make you want to do a little dance in your kitchen when lunchtime rolls around.

So the next time you’re feeling uninspired in the kitchen, or when the weather turns chilly, or when you simply need a meal that feels like a warm hug from someone who loves you, give this Irish stew recipe a try. I promise it won’t disappoint.