Basque Lamb Stew

Marinated, slow-cooked, lamb stew with lamb shoulder, garlic, rosemary, onion, paprika, roasted bell peppers, tomato, parsley, red wine, and chicken stock.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated July 25, 2022
Elise Bauer
Basque Lamb Stew
Elise Bauer

Are you familiar with Basque cooking?

Basque Country is a region bordering Spain and France at the Western end of the Pyrenees mountains. Basque descendants and communities can be found all over California and Nevada. (More on the history of the Basque people in the Wikipedia.)

You may be accustomed to Irish lamb stew, but lamb stews are also typical of Basque cuisine, as are dishes that include both tomatoes and sweet red peppers.

Basque Lamb Stew
Elise Bauer

My father first found the recipe from which we adapted this basque lamb stew in an old issue of Saveur Magazine. He has at least 20 years of back issues of Gourmet, Saveur, and other cooking magazines that he keeps around just waiting for a spare moment to review.

We've made this lamb stew several times and just love it!

It seems a little odd in that the lamb is first marinated in herbs and white wine, and then braised in stock and red wine. Mixing wines in cooking is so rarely done, but apparently it does happen on occasion in Spanish cooking (we've found references in Spanish cookbooks).

Updated, from the recipe archive. First posted in 2005. Enjoy!

Basque Lamb Stew

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 4 hrs
Marinating 2 hrs
Total Time 6 hrs 20 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Feel free to substitute some or all of the paprika with smoked paprika.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, about 1 tablespoon chopped

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped

  • Salt

  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

  • 1 (10-ounce) can roasted red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips

  • 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 cup dry, full-bodied red wine

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Marinate lamb with garlic, rosemary, white wine:

    Combine the lamb, half of the garlic cloves, rosemary, and white wine in a medium bowl. Let marinate for 2 to 3 hours.

    Lamb shoulder marinating in bowl for lamb stew
    Elise Bauer

    Drain the meat, discard the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Mince the remaining garlic cloves and set aside.

  2. Brown the lamb:

    Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with lid, over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Salt the meat as it browns.

    Raw Lamb Stew Pieces Marinating in bowl
    Elise Bauer
    Browned lamb shoulder pieces in pan prepared for lamb stew
    Elise Bauer
  3. Sauté onions and garlic:

    Remove the meat from the pan and add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook, scraping browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

    Sautéed onions in pan for lamb stew
    Elise Bauer
  4. Return meat to pan, add paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, red wine, bring to simmer:

    Return the meat to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir in paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaf, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing the liquids to reduce a bit.

    Lamb Chunks with Roasted Red Peppers prepared for Lamb Stew
    Elise Bauer
    Lamb stew cooking on stovetop in pan
    Elise Bauer
  5. Add chicken stock, simmer:

    Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add freshly ground black pepper and more salt to taste.

    Serve with rustic bread. If you want, try garnishing with fresh mint leaves (though I have no idea how "Basque" that is, it just tastes good.)

Links:

Basque Chicken - from Not Quite Nigella

Chilindron, Spanish Venison Stew with Paprika - from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Completed Lamb Stew Recipe in Bowl with Spoon
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
501 Calories
20g Fat
11g Carbs
55g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 501
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 171mg 57%
Sodium 829mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 55g
Vitamin C 87mg 433%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 1093mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.