Lamb and vegetable stew in a pot with tender shredded meat, carrots and potatoes

Family Meals ✓ 7 Months+

Lamb & Vegetable Stew

Prep15 min

Cook3–4 hrs

ServesFamily + baby

Age7 months+

Storage48hr fridge

Ingredients

300g lamb shoulder or 1 lamb shank (bone-in)
1 tbsp ghee or butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon
Pre-boiled filtered water, enough to cover meat by 2–3 cm (~1 inch)
Salt to taste (omit under 12 months)

Optional

Pinch of sumac
Fresh lemon or lime juice, to serve

Lamb shoulder gives a richer, fattier result — lamb shank is leaner with a deeper flavor. Both work beautifully with a long slow cook.

Instructions

1Melt ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and crushed garlic and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and golden.
2Add lamb and brown lightly on all sides — about 3–4 minutes. This builds flavor.
3Add turmeric, coriander, pepper, and cinnamon. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4Pour in enough pre-boiled filtered water to cover the meat by about 2–3 cm (1 inch). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
5Cover and simmer for 3–4 hours until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone. Check occasionally and add more pre-boiled water if needed to keep the meat covered.
6Add carrots and potatoes in the last 45 minutes of cooking.
7Cook until the vegetables are completely soft and easily mashed with a fork.
8Remove any bones and shred the meat. Mash the vegetables directly in the pot with the cooking liquid to your desired consistency.
9To serve, drizzle a small squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice over the stew. Add a pinch of sumac for older babies and family portions if desired.

How to Serve by Age

Age	Texture	Amount
7–8 months	Smooth purée with cooking liquid	2–3 tbsp
9–10 months	Mashed with soft vegetable chunks	3–4 tbsp
10–12 months	Soft shredded meat with mashed vegetables	4–5 tbsp
12 months+	Family portions, seasoned with salt to taste	As desired

⚠️ Always introduce lamb as a single new food and wait 3–5 days before introducing another. Consult your pediatrician before starting solids.

Making it Fun

🥄 Offer the broth first — ladle some warm cooking liquid into a small cup and let baby sip it. It's full of flavor and nutrients and eases them into the meal.

🍋 The lemon moment — let older babies watch you squeeze the lemon over the stew before serving. The smell and ritual are part of learning to love food.

🍲 One pot, whole family — this is a meal everyone eats together. Baby gets their mashed portion, adults get theirs seasoned. No separate cooking needed.

Why This Nourishes

🩸

Iron

Lamb is one of the richest sources of heme iron — the most absorbable form for growing babies

💪

Zinc

Supports immune function and healthy growth — abundant in slow-cooked lamb

⚡

Vitamin B12

Essential for nervous system development and healthy red blood cells

🧡

Vitamin A

From the carrots — supports vision development and a healthy immune system

🌿

Turmeric

A traditional anti-inflammatory spice used across Persian and Middle Eastern cooking for centuries