This slow cooker lamb stew recipe with roasted hatch chile peppers is a hearty, spicy stew that goes beautifully over rice. You get tender lamb meat with a spicy kick makes this a satisfying dinner. If you don't like spice, I include a non-spicy version too!
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(This post was sponsored by Veetee Dine In Rice but all raving opinions are my own.)
If you have been reading along with me the past few weeks, I have been talking about school starting. I always worry that our family will be too busy to enjoy family dinners together. This new hearty slow cooker stew is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It is comforting on cold winter days, and it tastes delicious packed in a thermos for lunch.
This easy lamb stew with hatch chile peppers cooks up in your slow cooker during the day, and it is ready when you get home! It is an original recipe I created for fun. If you love lamb, you also will want to try these delicious juicy Lamb Sliders.
Why This Lamb Stew Is Great:
Have you seen the new pre-cooked rice by Veetee Dine In yet? This GMO-free rice is heated in your microwave and they are ready in just 2 minutes. No more waiting for the water to boil, these make it so much easier on busy school nights!
- This is an amazing stew that is one of the best stew recipes. This one-pot meal tastes even better the next day!
- Since we are in hatch chile season, I knew I wanted to create a recipe with roasted hatch chiles. I include both spicy and mild versions of this recipe.
- Lamb has a meaty flavor that I knew would absorb the spiciness of the hatch chiles.
- I used my slow cooker so that I could cook everything on low heat all day, making the meat soft and tender.
- This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
If you love slow cooker meals as much as we do, you are going to love these gluten free slow cooker recipes.
Ingredient Notes:
- Lamb - You can buy lamb in any grocery store or hit up your local butcher for the best cut of lamb shoulder. I like shoulder cuts, but any cut of lamb will work well. I avoid using lamb with bones to keep it simple.
- Beef Broth - I recommend using low sodium, but regular is fine to use. If you can find lamb stock, that is also good to use. Do not use chicken stock.
- Onions - I like to use sweet yellow onions.
- Roasted Hatch Chile - These are spicy peppers. If you do not want your lamb stew recipe to turn out spicy, substitute roasted red pepper or green bell peppers.
- Garlic - You can use fresh garlic cloves that are minced or jarred minced garlic.
- Root Vegetables - This is optional but You can add root vegetables like parsnips, carrots, and potatoes if you like. Sweet potato is another good root veggie to add and the end result is amazing because the sweetness blends nicely with the spice from the hatch chiles.
Tips for Roasting Hatch Chiles:
Just in case you have never roasted hatch chiles before, it is really easy.
- Light up your grill on medium heat.
- Toss the washed chiles onto the grill.
- Allow the chiles to char and roast.
- Remove the chiles from the grill and allow to them to cool.
- Put on a pair of rubber gloves and then peel the charred peels off. Take out the seeds and they are ready to be used in any recipe!
Recipe Step By Step Directions:
I call this a dump-and-go recipe...it is so easy to prep on a busy morning. There is very little prep work needed for this slow cooker meal if you buy lamb stew meat because it is already cut up for stew.
Step 1: The first step is to cut the lamb shoulder into one or two-inch cubes. Add the chunks of lamb, chiles, onion, beef broth, and spices to the crockpot.
Optional: If you would like the outside of the meat to be brown, you can brown the outsides of the lamb stew meat on the stovetop in a large skillet with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side of the meat. I did not do this, but many do prefer browning the meat first so I wanted to give that option.
This Veetee Dine-In rice cooks to the perfect consistency...no mushy rice! Because our whole family is gluten free, we eat rice 2-3 times per week. It is always fun to create easy recipes that can be served on top of rice.
Step 2: Cover the slow cooker and cook the lamb stew at a low temperature for 6 hours. This slow cooking time really helps slow cook flavor into your stew. If you are in a hurry, cook on the high setting for 4 hours.
Some slow cookers have a setting where the temperature starts out high, then automatically switches to low after two hours.
Step 3: If you like a thick sauce, take a little of the liquid from the slow cooker and add it to a small bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of corn starch or potato starch. Whisk to blend. Pour the mixture back into the stew and mix well to thicken the sauce.
Step 4: Serve the stew hot over rice.
The slow cooker lamb recipe cooks up and stays so moist and delicious. Serve with any type of green salad to make it a meal. Serve with gluten free crusty bread like my gluten free breadsticks or my gluten free yeast rolls.
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Lamb shoulder is very moist and is great for a lamb stew. If you have a different cut of lamb, like the loin, that is fine because this recipe slows cooks in the Crock Pot all day...which really helps tenderize meat. I used a package of lamb stew meat, which many grocery stores carry.
If you don't like spicy foods, you can definitely make this lamb stew without the hatch chiles. You can use bell peppers or roasted red peppers for a non-spicy pepper flavor.
This lamb stew will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container.
You can easily freeze this lamb stew recipe. Place the cooled stew in either a freezer-safe container or zipper bag. It will keep fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.
This post was updated from an older August 2016 post with more information and recipe details.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Lamb Stew With Hatch Chiles
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb shoulder cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup roasted hatch chiles Less if you don't want spicy!
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Optional: Root vegetables
- 2 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a crockpot.
- Optional: If you would like the outside of the meat to be brown, you can brown the outsides of the lamb stew meat on the stovetop in a large skillet with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side of the meat. I did not do this, but many do prefer browning the meat first so I wanted to give that option.
- Cover the slow cooker and roast the lamb stew at a low temperature for 6 hours. This slow cooking time really helps slow cook flavor into your stew. If you are in a hurry, cook on the high setting for 4 hours.
- If you like a thick sauce, take a little of the liquid from the slow cooker and add it to a small bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of corn starch or potato starch. Whisk to blend. Pour the mixture back into the stew and mix well to thicken the sauce.
Notes
- If you would like to make this recipe not spicy, substitute the hatch chiles for either roasted red peppers or bell peppers.
- Lamb shoulder is very moist and is great for a lamb stew. If you have a different cut of lamb, like the loin, that is fine because this recipe slows cooks in the Crock Pot all day...which really helps tenderize meat. I used a package of lamb stew meat, which many grocery stores carry.
- This lamb stew will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container. You can also freeze this lamb stew recipe. Place the cooled stew in either a freezer-safe container or zipper bag. It will keep fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Renee
This is delicious! I just had it for Sunday dinner and my only wish is that the sauce/liquid were thicker. Any advice/thoughts?
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much, Renee. To thicken the sauce, I would recommend whisking in cornstarch or tapioca flour when it is done. Thank you so much for coming to say you loved this.