This slow cooked lamb ragu is rich, tender and packed with flavor. It’s a classic lamb ragu recipe made by braising lamb in red wine, tomatoes and stock until it falls apart into a deeply savory sauce. Perfect with pappardelle pasta, mashed potato or polenta, it’s proper comfort food that feels a little bit special but is surprisingly easy to make.
Hello! After the popularity of my Incredible Pork Ragu and Beef Short Rib Ragu, it was only right that I finally brought you a slow cooked lamb ragu. I was inspired by a dish I had at one of my favorite restaurants and have been tweaking it at home ever since. I love adding Kalamata olives for a salty, savory pop, but they’re completely optional if that’s not your thing.
Don’t let the long cooking time scare you off. It’s mostly hands off oven time and your house will smell unbelievable. Slow cooking gives the lamb the most incredible depth of flavor. I’ve paired it with my classic Homemade Pappardelle Pasta because it suits this kind of sauce perfectly, but truly any pasta shape will work, fresh or dried.
Ingredients for lamb ragu
Butterflied Lamb Leg - One of my favorite cuts for slow cooking. It’s easy to find at most supermarkets or butchers. A boned lamb shoulder works beautifully too. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels and season well before browning.
Soffritto - The classic base of finely diced carrot, celery and onion that gives this lamb ragu its depth and sweetness. I like to finely dice it in a food processor so it melts into the sauce.
Fresh herbs - I like to use fresh rosemary as it’s a classic pairing with lamb. You could substitute thyme or use a combination of both.
Red wine - Go for a dry red you actually like drinking. Pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon or even a chianti all work perfectly. It adds richness and helps build that deep, savory flavor.
Stock - Use the best lamb, beef or chicken stock you can get your hands on. Good stock really does make a difference in a long braise like this.
Optional
Kalamata Olives - I love the salty, savory pop olives add to lamb ragu, but you can skip them if they’re not your thing. Lamb and olives are a beautiful combination though, so try them if you can.
How to make slow cooked lamb ragu
Full ingredient list and method is in the recipe card below.
ONE: Sear the lamb pieces over a medium-high heat until well browned. At the same time, cook the onion, carrot and celery mixture over a medium heat for 12-15 minutes until soft. Use a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot.
TWO: Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Make sure you have added a couple of generous pinches of salt and black pepper.
THREE: Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add the red wine and let it reduce slightly.
FOUR: Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer to form the base of the lamb ragu.
FIVE: Add the browned lamb pieces back in, cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hours.
SIX: Check the lamb is done by taking a piece out and checking it pulls apart easily.
Finishing the lamb ragu
SEVEN: Pull all the lamb pieces apart with forks.
EIGHT: Add the pulled lamb back into the sauce (with olives if using).
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NINE: Have it on a gentle heat on the stove top while you cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water. Let the pasta finish cooking in the lamb ragu for a minute or two so it absorbs the sauce.
TEN: Finish with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Expert tips
- Brown the lamb properly - Take your time here. Deep golden color on the lamb means better flavor. I often use two pans so the pieces aren’t overcrowded.
- Blitz the soffritto - Use a food processor to finely dice the carrot, celery and onion so it cooks down evenly and melts into the sauce.
- Make it ahead - Like most slow cooked sauces, this is even better the next day once the flavors have had time to develop.
- Finish the pasta in the sauce - Undercook your pasta by a minute, then let it finish cooking in the sauce so it absorbs all that flavor.
- Adjust the consistency - If the sauce looks a touch thin at the end, simmer it uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken and concentrate the flavor.
Beef Short Rib Ragu
If you’re after a rich beef version, this slow cooked beef short rib ragu is just as comforting and packed with flavor.
Common questions
Butterflied lamb leg is my favorite, but lamb shoulder works beautifully too. Both cuts are perfect for long, slow cooking and will become tender enough to pull apart easily.
Absolutely. Meat sauces are always even better the next day once the flavors have settled. It will firm up in the fridge, so reheat it gently on the stovetop and add a splash of pasta water (or stock) to loosen it if needed.
Yes. Let the ragu cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months, or keep it in the fridge for 3–4 days.
Pappardelle is always a classic pairing, but truly any pasta shape works. Dried pasta is great, or make fresh pasta using my Easy Homemade Pasta Dough.
Yes. Brown the lamb and cook the soffritto as normal, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the lamb is tender and easy to shred.
More ragu recipes to try
If you loved this lamb ragu, you might also enjoy some of my other slow cooked ragu recipes. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
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Recipe
Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu
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Ingredients
- 1.2 kg butterflied lamb leg, cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 250 ml red wine
- 500 ml lamb or beef stock
- 2 x 400 gram tins chopped tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 300 gram jar kalamata olives, pitted (optional but highly recommended)
- Pasta of your choice (allow 100 grams dried or 150 grams fresh per person) for serving
- Freshly grated parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320f (160c)
- Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the lamb pieces well on all sides, then set aside. You can do this in two pans to save time. Keep any rendered fat to add to the sauce.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 12-15 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized. Lower the heat if needed. Season with a couple of big pinches of salt and a good few cracks of black pepper.
- Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and let reduce slightly for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the lamb and any resting juices to the pot. Cover and place in the middle of the oven.
- Cook for 2½ hours, checking after 2 hours. The lamb should be very tender and pull apart easily.
- Remove the lamb from the sauce and shred with forks, then return it to the pot. Add the olives if using.
- Simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 15-20 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce if needed.
- Cook your pasta in a large pot of well salted water, or prepare mashed potato or polenta if you prefer.
- Add the cooked pasta directly into the ragu and let it bubble gently for a minute or two so it can absorb the sauce. You can divide it between pans if needed.
- Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Serve with lots of freshly grated parmesan.
Tanya says
This is amazing! I made it like a bolognese with ground lamb and it is just awesome. Thank you ??
Emilie Pullar says
Oh so great to know it worked with ground meat, thanks so much for making Tanya! 🙂
Kerry says
This dish was absolutely delicious. We ate it the day after making and it was definitely top restaraunt quality. Certainly will make again.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Kerry! Thank you so so much, so glad you enjoyed it. You've reminded me I need to make a batch of this asap, a great one to have in the freezer 🙂
Molly says
So delicious and easy. Just takes some time to cook but perfect for an afternoon at home. Massive hit in our house!
Emilie Pullar says
Yay thanks so much Molly!! 🙂
Robyn says
Delicious, I did it in the slow cooker with lamb shanks and had it over gnocchi, it was really good.
Emilie Pullar says
Yummm! Gnocchi is such a good choice for it. Thanks so much for making it 🙂
Erin says
This ragu is beautiful! I did it in the slow cooker and it needed a bit longer. The flavour is perfect and fell apart beautifully
Mariah says
I just tried this recipe for dinner tonight and it was an absolute hit for our family! Really easy to make and delicious. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Mariah, thanks so much for making it!! So glad you enjoyed 🙂