This Lamb Shank Soup makes a great autumn dinner - slowly braised lamb shanks in a warming vegetable soup. Perfect no-fuss family food for the changing weather.
My new recipe for you guys today is Lamb Shank Soup. Yes, I have found another way to include my favourite protein in our dinner rotation - win! The weather in this part of the world is starting to change, and this soup is perfect autumn food.
Also a big plus is this lamb soup has hardly any hands on time, so dinner is a breeze.
Table of Contents
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
- lamb shanks
- olive oil for frying
- bacon
- carrots
- baby fennel bulb
- brown onion
- chats/baby/mini potatoes
- tomato paste
- fresh garlic
- fresh thyme
- fennel seeds
- dry white wine
- beef stock
- salt
- water
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
Bonus Tip
Would you like more lamb recipes? Why not check out my guide to all things Lamb - it's got heaps of hints and tips to get the best from each cut of lamb, plus ALL of my lamb recipes in one place!
How to make this recipe
- Fry the lamb shanks on all sides until well browned, then remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place fennel seeds in a small frying pan and fry until slightly browned and fragrant, then finely grind in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
- Add fennel, carrots, bacon, onion and potatoes to the pot and fry until starting to soften.
- Mix in garlic and tomato paste and fry for 1 minute.
- Then add wine and allow to reduce slightly.
- Add thyme leaves, roasted fennel seeds and salt plus return shanks to the pot. Top with stock and water and bring to a simmer.
My top tips for making this recipe
- Brown your shanks well, this is the stage that really helps build the flavour.
- You may notice from the process shots above that my shanks were halved in the middle. This is how they came when I purchased them, and isn't necessary to the recipe at all. Full shanks are great.
- The dry toasted fennel seeds may seem like a bit of a bother, but they give the most wonderful warm flavour to this lamb soup. Please don't skip this step! If you don't have a mortar and pestle you could use a spice grinder.
Serving suggestions and ideas for add-ins
- You could bulk this soup out a little more by adding in some small macaroni pasta or israeli/giant couscous towards the end of the cooking time.
- You could add in more vegetables like celery or parsnips.
- Lots of crusty bread on the side, of course!
Other recipes you may enjoy
Lamb Mince Family Style Pie - this is a rich and hearty pie made with lamb mince (ground lamb). Super easy, the whole family will love this rustic lamb pie.
Moroccan Style Lamb Shanks - soft, tender lamb shanks, slow-cooked with moroccan spices until the meat just falls away from the bone.
Lamb Shank Soup
Lamb Shank Soup - tender, slowly braised lamb shanks in a warming vegetable soup. Perfect family food for the changing weather.
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Servings:
Calories: 437kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lamb shanks fat trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 300 g bacon roughly chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 1 baby fennel bulb chopped
- 1 brown onion chopped
- 6 chats/mini/baby potatoes chopped
- 4 fresh garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 3 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 250 ml dry white wine 1 cup
- 1 L beef stock 4 cups
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 500 ml water 2 cups
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large heavy-based pot, heat the olive oil (1 tbsp) and fry the lamb shanks (2 - trimmed) on all sides until well browned, then remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place fennel seeds (2 tbsp) in a small frying pan and toast over low heat until slightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the pan then finely grind in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
- Add baby fennel bulb (1 - chopped), carrots (3 - chopped), bacon (300g - roughy chopped), brown onion (1 - chopped) and chat potatoes (6 - chopped) to the pot and fry until they start to soften.
- Mix in garlic (4 cloves - crushed) and tomato paste (2 tbsp) and fry for 1 minute. Then add dry white wine (250ml/1 cup) and allow to reduce slightly.
- Add fresh thyme leaves (3 tsp), ground toasted fennel seeds, fine salt (½ tsp) and reserved shanks to the pot. Top with beef stock (1L/4 cups) and water (500ml/2 cups), and simmer until lamb is tender and vegetables are cooked through. About 1 to 1½ hours depending on the size of your shanks.
- When lamb is tender, remove the shanks from the soup base and shred the meat, discarding bones and fat. Return shredded lamb to soup base and serve.
Notes
- Brown your shanks well, this is the stage that really helps build the flavour.
- You may notice from the process shots above that my shanks were halved in the middle. This is how they came when I purchased them, and isn't necessary to the recipe at all. Full shanks are great.
- The dry toasted fennel seeds may seem like a bit of a bother, but they give the most wonderful warm flavour to this lamb soup. Please don't skip this step! If you don't have a mortar and pestle you could use a spice grinder.
Can you cook Lamb Shanks soup in a crockpot?
I don't see why not Elizabeth! You will still need to brown the shanks etc before they go into the crockpot, this is where you get your maximum flavour from. I would start on the stove, then at the end of step 4, I would transfer to the crockpot. Hope this helps!