This slow-cooked lamb ragu is one of those meals that feels a little bit fancy – but is surprisingly simple to make. It’s hearty, comforting, and full of nourishing ingredients that come together to create the most melt-in-your-mouth, flavour-packed sauce.
We’ve used a bone-in lamb shoulder, which is rich in flavour and collagen, perfect for low and slow cooking. As it simmers, the meat becomes beautifully tender and falls apart into the sauce with no effort. It’s simmered with veggies, tomatoes, bone broth, and a few pantry staples to create a deeply savoury base that pairs beautifully with your favourite pasta, polenta, or even mashed potato.
This recipe also highlights one of our favourite messages: don’t shy away from using the less-popular, budget-friendly cuts. Lamb shoulder (sometimes called lamb forequarter or mini roast) might not be the prettiest in the packet, but once you know how to use it – it’s magic.
The soft shredded meat is perfect for baby-led weaning, and the rich sauce is ideal for mixing through mashed veggies or grains. You can even blend a portion for spoon-feeding if preferred.
And if you want to add in even more goodness, you can stir in a spoonful of desiccated organ powder, we love this one from Cell Squared (use code BOOBTOFOOD to save).
Trust us, this is one of those recipes you’ll make once and enjoy for days. It freezes well, tastes even better the next day, and is just as good on a busy Tuesday as it is for a slow Sunday lunch.
Age Suitable:
Suitable from 6 months+ just OMIT the honey under 12 months.
For BLW, serve soft shredded lamb with some pulse pasta or vegetables.
For spoon feeding, blend lamb and veggies with a bit of broth until smooth.
Serving Suggestions
- Toss through pasta or gnocchi
- Top with gremolata or a sprinkle of parmesan
- Serve with mashed root veggies or polenta
- Freeze leftovers in small portions for future meals
- Turn into a pie by adding some mashed potato on top or puff pastry.
Ingredient Swaps for Lamb Ragu
- Beef Bone Broth – Use lamb or chicken bone broth, vegetable stock, or even water (though the flavour will be less rich). We used Undivided Food Co broth – fridge version from Harris Farm, or pantry stable from Part&Parcel (code BOOBTOFOOD for a discount).
- Diced Tomatoes → Use passata.
- Apple Cider Vinegar → Swap for red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, or a splash of red wine.
- Balsamic Vinegar → Can be omitted or replaced with a splash of red wine or extra honey for sweetness.
- Honey → Swap for maple syrup or leave out for babies under 12 months.
- Thyme or Rosemary → Use dried herbs if fresh isn’t available (about 1 tsp each), or try oregano or Italian herb mix.
- Desiccated Organ Powder (Cell Squared) → Optional, but you can add a little cooked liver (blended into the sauce) for a whole food swap, or simply omit.
Storage
This dish keeps beautifully:
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
• Freeze in portions for up to 3 months
• Reheat gently on the stove or in a low oven with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce if needed
Lamb Ragu
Ingredients
- 1.4 kg lamb shoulder bone in
- 2 tsp olive oil for cooking
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary stalks removed
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 500 ml beef bone broth
- 400 grams tinned diced tomatoes
- optional: 1 TBSP cell squared organ powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp honey omit under 12 months.
To serve: cooked pasta, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, or gremolata.
Instructions
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 150°C (fan-forced).
- In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil and brown the lamb on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until softened (about 5–7 minutes). Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with apple cider vinegar.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, bone broth, herbs, and organ powder if using. Return the lamb and any juices to the pot. Sprinkle the lamb with the salt and lemon zest. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 3.5–4 hours, or until the lamb is falling apart. Remove the bone, shred the meat into the sauce, then stir in balsamic vinegar and honey to finish. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve with pasta, grated parmesan and parsley or gremolata.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Brown the lamb in a pan first (recommended), then sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Add tomato paste, vinegar, and cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker with diced tomatoes, broth, herbs, lemon zest and organ powder if using. Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours until the lamb is tender.
- Shred the lamb into the sauce and stir through the balsamic vinegar and honey at the end.
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