Lamb Navarin (Navarin d’agneau)

A Lamb Navarin stew, or “Navarin d’Agneau” in French, combines tender lamb chunks with loads of seasonal vegetables – including carrots, peas, turnips and new potatoes. It is a hearty, but lighter stew often enjoyed in France to wave goodbye to Winter.

Embrace this Spring classic, fit for Easter celebrations or any festive gathering!

What is a Lamb Navarin stew (Navarin d’Agneau)?

Lamb Navarin is a classic French stew that showcases the rich taste of lamb with the sweetness of vegetables, stewed in a light broth flavored with herbs and spices.

Like most rustic French recipes, the choice of vegetables and fixings may vary slightly depending on the cook, the region or the season. But this recipe is particularly popular during Spring, which is coincidentally lamb season. Also as such, it is often made with spring produces like turnips, carrots, peas and new potatoes.

This recipe is known for being a maintstay in French cooking schools, as it is a great introduction to how to build a French stew. First, you brown the meat. Then you add vegetables in a specific order. Finally, you add liquid and slow-cook everything together until the meat falls apart and the flavors meld.

In my books, this is one of the staple French stews to have in your cooking repertoire, along with the Beef Bourguignon and the Coq Au Vin.

The History behind the dish

It is said the name “Navarin” originates from the 1827 Battle of Navarin in the harbor of Navarin, Peloponnese, during the Greek War of Independence. It was a significant victory for the French, Russian and English coalition against the Turkish-Egyptian fleet of the Ottoman Empire.

To celebrate, French admiral Henri de Rigny instructed his chef to prepare a lavish dish for his soldiers. Drawing inspiration from local Turkish-style cuisine, the chef used lamb and an array of colorful vegetables to craft a deliciously saucy dish for the occasion – giving birth to the now famous recipe. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

A Lamb Navarin is a fairly easy, one-pot stew recipe that boasts loads of vegetables. In fact, it boasts more vegetables than your classic stew, which I love!

I also love that the sauce is made with a combination of white wine and stock, making for a lighter stew, compared for instance to a Beef Bourguignon – which is made with red wine and a touch heavier.

So, if you’re looking for a one-pot stew recipe that is comforting and hearty, but lighter than your classic beef stew, you’ll love this one!

Ingredients you’ll need for this Lamb Navarin Stew (Navarin d’Agneau)

Like many stews, lamb navarin requires patience and care, but no difficult techniques nor ingredients. Here is a detailed look at the ingredients needed.

1. Lamb. Lamb shoulder is often considered the best cut for stews. It has a good amount of marbling, which adds flavor and keeps the meat moist during the slow cooking process. Ask your butcher to trim the larger fat pieces and to cut the meat into 2-inch (5cm) chunks – slightly larger than for your classic beef stew.
2. Vegetables. Onions, carrots and turnips are staples of a Lamb Navarin. When making it in the Spring, new potatoes, pearl onions and peas are also included, adding variety and color to the stew. Note that you can use fresh or frozen peas. Lastly, while some recipes call for simmering the pearl onions in the stew, I prefer to cook and caramelize them on the side to add delicious bursts of sweetness.
3. Tomato paste and flour. These two ingredients are used to thicken the sauce.
4. Stock. For the broth, opt for a low sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
5. White wine. Along with the broth, white wine is added to create the liquid in which the meat and vegetables stew. Choose one with a lighter body and high acid to balance out the richness of the meat: I recommend Pinot Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.
6. Seasoning and herbs: Very simple seasonings (salt and pepper) and classic French herbs (bay leaf, thyme, parsley) are traditionally used for a Lamb navarin, letting the flavors of the lamb and fresh seasonal vegetables shine.

Overview: how to make Lamb Navarin

Here are the directions for making this recipe. You can find the list of ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.  

1. Brown the lamb pieces. The lamb is first browned in oil, contributing to the rich flavor of the sauce. Do not rush this process and make sure the pieces bear a nice brown crust before adding the first set of vegetables.
2. Add the vegetables. Garlic, onions and carrots are added to the meat and are sauteed quickly. You then add tomato paste, flour, broth, wine and start simmering all the ingredients together.
3. Add more vegetables. New potatoes and turnips are added about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Peas are added just a few minutes before serving. Follow these different ingredient intervals to have properly cooked vegetables that keep their optimum shape and flavor.
4. Garnish, season and serve. Lastly, I like to serve this dish garnished with caramelized pearl onions and fresh herbs just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the peas mandatory for this dish?

Mandatory, no. Traditional to the dish, yes. As with any dish, don’t feel obligated to add ingredients you don’t like. If peas aren’t your thing, leave them out and add a few more carrots instead. Or cook the peas on the side for those who do enjoy them!

What if I can’t find lamb shoulder?

No problem, both lamb leg and lamb neck are excellent substitutes for lamb shoulder. Those are also tougher, marbled cuts that can stand up to the longer cooking meant for a stew. Lamb neck may also be a cheaper option where you are, albeit more difficult to find outside of a butcher shop.

I don’t like or want alcohol in the dish, what can I do?

Aside from the traditional explanation of “the alcohol will cook out of the dish”, if you do not want to add the wine, you can replace it with chicken stock. Just please be aware it will alter the taste of the dish, as wine imparts a nice sweetness and complex flavors.

How to store leftovers

• To refrigerate: If you have any leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To freeze: Ensure the dish is cooled completely, and then placed in an airtight and freezer friendly container. To use, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat ideally on a stovetop over medium-low heat until ready to serve.

Serving suggestions:

This stew definitely boasts more vegetables than your classic stew, making it a balanced meal in itself. You can simply serve it with crusty bread on the side for mopping the delicious sauce!

If you would like to serve it with a side, I suggest Green Beans Almondine, Vichy carrots or Potato Gratin Dauphinois.

And like most stews, a Lamb Navarin is even better reheated the next day.

Audrey’s Tips

• This is a recipe perfect for 6 people. You can easily double it to for a larger crowd.
• You can swap and mix the seasonal vegetables to your liking. Note that 2.7lbs of vegetables vs. 2.2lbs of lamb meat is a great ratio.
• With no less than 2.7lbs of vegetables (or 7 different vegetables), this stew recipe has a bit of a lengthy ingredient list. But trust me here, once you’ve done your shopping for all the ingredients, you’ll have achieved the biggest part of the job.

I hope you’ll enjoy this Lamb Navarin (Navarin d’agneau) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French stews to try: 

• Classic French Beef Bourguignon 
• Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge 
• Flemish Beef and Beer Stew (Carbonnade)
• Classic French Coq Au Vin Blanc
• Sausage Rougail (Creole Sausage stew)
• Classic French Hunter’s Chicken Stew (Poulet Chasseur)
• French-style Braised Oxtail (Queue de Boeuf aux carottes)

Lamb Navarin (Navarin d'agneau)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 1H20 1H20

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

2.2 lbs (1kg) lamb shoulder, skin and fat trimmed, cut in 2-inch cubes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots (300g), peeled and cut in large sticks
1 large onion, peeled and sliced in half rounds
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp (14g) tomato paste
4 tbsp (30g) all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
3-4 thyme sprigs
2/3 cups (150 ml) white wine
4 cups (950 ml) chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
About 12 new potatoes (400g)
2 medium turnips (200g), cut in large chunks
Peas, fresh or frozen (200g)
10 pearl onions, peeled and cut in half
2 tbsp (28g) butter
2 tbsp (25g) sugar

For garnish: A handful of fresh parsley, stemmed and leaves

Instructions

Half an hour before cooking, take the lamb out of the fridge, season it with salt and pepper and leave it on the counter to rise slightly in temperature.

Step 1 - Heat up the olive oil in large heavy bottom pot (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling, add the lamb cubes and brown them for about 3 minutes on each side. Do not rush this process, the lamb pieces should develop a nice brown crust.

Step 2 - Once the lamb is browned, add the carrots, onion and garlic. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat. Add the flour, stir to coat and until no dry flour remains. Add the bay leaf, the thyme, the white wine and stock. Stir, cover with a lid and bring to boil. When the liquid is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Step 3 - Add the potatoes and turnip and simmer for 15 minutes. Finally, add the peas and cook until they rise to the top (1-2 minutes for fresh peas, 3-4 minutes for frozen). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 4 - In a separate pan, heat up the butter, sugar, pearl onions and 3 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Let the butter and sugar melt and slowly caramelize the onions. Cook until all the water is evaporated and onions are caramelized. This can take up to 8-10 minutes. 

For serving, ladle the navarin into serving bowls, dress with a few caramelized onions and fresh parsley leaves.