These Greek Lamb Shanks are pure comfort. Fall-apart tender, richly flavored, and incredibly easy to make. The shanks slow-cook in a red wine broth with garlic, rosemary, sea salt, and vegetables until the meat softens to buttery perfection. It’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with the most irresistible aroma and brings everyone straight to the table.
Whether you’re serving them for Easter, a cozy Sunday dinner, or a special gathering, this slow-cooked Greek lamb is guaranteed to impress. Simple ingredients, low effort, and big flavor — exactly what Greek home cooking is all about.
If you love these Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks, you will also love our Leg Of Lamb In A Parcel – Kleftiko, Lamb Stew Avgolemono, or Dutch Oven Roast Chicken!
Why you will love this recipe
Here is what you need
- Lamb shanks – A flavorful cut from the lower leg, rich in collagen and perfect for slow cooking. The meat becomes incredibly tender and falls off the bone.
- Garlic and onion, celery, and carrots – The classic aromatic base that builds deep flavor as the lamb braises.
- Dry red wine – Choose one you enjoy drinking; it reduces into a rich, savory sauce.
- Fresh rosemary – Earthy, aromatic, and essential for that Greek comfort-food vibe.
- Chicken stock – Vegetable stock works just as well if you prefer it.
- Dried oregano (not shown above), bay leaves, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and extra virgin olive oil – Simple Greek staples that round out the flavor beautifully.
Step by step
Step 1. Brown the Lamb: Season the lamb shanks generously with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
Heat an oven-proof pot over high heat, add a little olive oil, and brown the lamb on all sides until deeply golden. This step builds the base flavor for the entire dish.
Transfer the browned shanks to a plate and carefully discard any excess fat or liquids from the pot.
Preheat the oven to 140°C / 284°F.
Step 2. Build the Flavor Base: Add a little olive oil to the pot. Stir in the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook for 3–5 minutes until they soften slightly.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, to deepen the flavor.
Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it cook on high heat for about 3 minutes, just until the alcohol cooks off.
Step 3. Add the Lamb & Braising Liquid: Return the lamb shanks to the pot and pour in the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the rosemary and bay leaves, cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven.
Step 4. Slow-Cook the Lamb: Cook the lamb, covered, in the oven at 140°C / 284°F until it is very tender and falls off the bone — about 3 hours.
Once done, carefully strain the braising liquid through a sieve into a saucepan. Cook it over high heat until the sauce reduces and thickens to your liking.
How to Thicken the Sauce
If you prefer a thicker, richer sauce, whisk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with ¼ cup of the hot braising liquid until completely smooth.
Slowly pour this mixture into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously. Let it cook for 4–5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired thickness.
Gluten-free option: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the simmering sauce and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until thickened.
Side dishes for a Greek lamb shank
- Potatoes — You can’t go wrong here. Creamy mashed potatoes make the dish feel like upscale comfort food, and Greek roasted lemon potatoes pair beautifully with the rich wine sauce.
- Rice — Our fragrant Greek pilafi with cranberries, chestnuts, and pine nuts is festive, flavorful, and perfect for soaking up the sauce.
- Bread — A warm loaf of Greek peasant bread is divine for dipping into the braising juices. Simple, rustic, and impossible to resist.
- Salad — A big, crisp traditional Greek lettuce salad cuts through the richness of the lamb. Roasted cauliflower steaks with lemon, olive oil, and capers are another favorite pairing — bright, tangy, and a great contrast to the slow-cooked meat.
FAQs
Storage and reheating
Slow-cooked lamb shanks keep well, and the flavors deepen overnight.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The sauce may thicken as it cools — that’s normal.
Reheating: Warm the lamb gently in a covered pot on low heat or in the oven at 150°C / 300°F until heated through. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Freezing: Lamb shanks freeze well. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Cooked it? Rate it!
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.
Greek Lamb Shanks
Equipment
- oven proof pot like a dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 lbs lamb shanks
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for browning
- 1 cup onion roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- ⅔ bottle red wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- fresh rosemary
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven at 140°C / 284°F
- Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and some dried oregano.Place an oven-proof pot over high heat, add olive oil, and sauté the lamb shanks until well browned on all sides. Transfer the lamb to a plate and discard the liquids from the pot.
- Pour in the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, cook on high until alcohol has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Return the lamb to the pot, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the rosemary and bay leaves, cover the pot, and place it in the oven.
- Cook, covered in the oven at 140°C / 284°F until the lamb is tender and falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Strain the stock through a sieve into a saucepan and boil until the sauce has thickened. See recipe notes for thickening the sauce
Notes
- To thicken the sauce: Mix two tablespoons of all-purpose flour with ¼ cup of the sauce from the pot until fully dissolved. Then, pour this mixture into the simmering sauce while stirring rapidly until completely blended. Allow it to simmer for 4-5 minutes or until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- You can cook the lamb shanks on the stove on low.
Nutrition
This slow cooked lamb roast was so delicious! It was the perfect Sunday night dinner!
Absolute perfection! So tasty, moist and easy to make. Thanks so much for making look great in the kitchen.
This is the perfect recipe for those that are beginning to roast a lamb leg. Foolproof recipe – LOVE!
Made your lamb for my mom and she loved it. Great recipe, thank you!
That’s great Nancy! Thank you so much!
First time making a roasted lamb, and this is a helpful guideline for me in making it.
So delicious! Thank you!
I’ve never tried lamb before, this will be a new recipe challenge for me!
I hope you like it Andrea! Thank you so much for checking it out!
Lamb is a family favorite, usually we have it for Easter, but decided to whip up your recipe and we all loved it!
I loved how my lamb came out from this recipe. It was so flavorful and tender. Everyone in my house thought it was amazing. I will be making this again!
Thank you for this recipe! We made it tonight and it was so tender and flavorful!
I’ve cooked lamb shanks using many recipes; yours is the most straight forward. Great results with almost no effort. Thank you!
Hi Brien,
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I am very happy with your results, I love this recipe as well and your comment made my day. x Jenny