Want a dish that will make the whole house smell good and your stomach warm this weekend? Try lamb osso buco—cuts of lamb shank slow-cooked in a tomato, wine, and chicken broth sauce. Served with creamy polenta, this dish is perfect for a lazy day that needs a special touch.
What Is Lamb Osso Buco?
Before we start cooking, it’s a good idea first to understand what lamb osso buco is.
Classic osso buco originates from Milan and usually uses beef or veal shank. However, this version is slightly different—we use lamb, specifically the shank, which is cut crosswise, resulting in a bone-in, marrow-filled cut. When cooked for a long time, the meat becomes super tender, and the sauce absorbs the savory flavors from the bone.
This has become one of my go-to weekend dishes, especially when I feel like cooking something comforting without rushing.
Nutritional Benefits and Attraction of Lamb Osso Buco
One of the secrets to delicious osso buco is the bone marrow. Besides enriching the sauce, this marrow also contains healthy fats, collagen, and high protein—great for tissue regeneration and muscle strength. As a bonus, we also get vitamin B, iron, and magnesium. [farmtojar.com]
Because it’s cooked slowly at a low temperature, this technique helps maintain the tenderness of the meat while reducing the formation of inflammatory compounds (AGEs). So, besides being delicious, this osso buco also has a healthy side.
Lamb Osso Buco & Creamy Polenta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5kg lamb forequarter shanks, sliced ~3cm thick (ask the butcher to cut them like osso buco)
- Enough flour to coat the meat
- 80ml olive oil
- 1L free-range chicken stock
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 carrots, diced ~1cm
- 2 celery stalks, diced ~1cm
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 170ml Merlot (or other red wine)
- 2 cans of San Marzano tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced) or 190°C (conventional).
- Drop the lamb shanks with flour, patting lightly to avoid over-flouring.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the lamb shanks until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until it starts to smell good and the vegetables are slightly wilted.
- Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, stir, and cook for ~2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot by pouring in the Merlot, stirring until it boils, then add the lamb shanks.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir gently and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 3.5–4 hours, or until the meat is very tender and falls easily off the bone.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
- Serve the lamb osso buco over creamy polenta or Milanese-style risotto.
I prefer using lamb shanks over veal because the flavor is bolder and pairs well with the rich tomato sauce. I often make this recipe for weekend dinners with my family.
Tips and Variations from Culinary Experts
- Tying the meat before searing ensures the slices remain intact during the braising process, as Chef Ludo Lefebvre recommends in his traditional osso buco recipe. [discover.grasslandbeef.com]
- Mashing the tomatoes with a fork, rather than finely chopping, creates a more rustic sauce texture and rich, fresh tomato flavor.
- For a twist, some recipes add gremolata (a mixture of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic) at the end—a color-boosting effect when served with lamb osso buco. [en.wikipedia.org]
There are also unique versions with mint and spring peas, showcasing modern creativity in lamb osso buco.
Check out more:
- Black Drum Recipe: The Secret to Delicious Black Drum Fish in a Cast Iron Skillet
- Tablitas Recipe: A Mouthwatering Mexican-Style Beef Ribs
How to Serve
- Serve lamb osso buco over creamy polenta, which classically absorbs the sauce and adds rich texture to the dish.
- You can also serve it with saffron risotto Milanese for an authentic alternative.
- The gremolata garnish is the perfect complement to cut through the richness of the sauce and add a fresh aroma.
Estimated Calories – Lamb Osso Buco Recipe
| Ingredient | Quantity | Approx. Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb shanks (2.5 kg) | ~2500 g | ~5500 kcal |
| Olive oil (80 ml) | ~5.5 tbsp | ~660 kcal |
| Flour (for dusting, ~3 tbsp) | ~30 g | ~110 kcal |
| Chicken stock (1 L) | Store-bought avg. | ~100 kcal |
| Brown onions (2) | ~300 g | ~120 kcal |
| Carrots (4) | ~300 g | ~120 kcal |
| Celery (2 stalks) | ~150 g | ~30 kcal |
| Tomato paste (1 tbsp) | ~15 g | ~15 kcal |
| San Marzano tomatoes (2 cans) | ~800 g | ~140 kcal |
| Merlot (170 ml) | ~¾ cup | ~140 kcal |
| Garlic (6 cloves) | ~30 g | ~45 kcal |
| Olive oil for garnish or polenta | Not included | — |
| Salt & pepper | — | ~0 kcal |
When is the Best Time to Make Lamb Osso Buco?
This dish is perfect for a slow weekend afternoon, especially in late winter or early spring when you’re craving something hearty and comforting. There’s nothing like the aroma of lamb slowly braising filling the kitchen on a cold Sunday.
Why Is This Recipe Worth Trying?
By using a premium lamb cut sliced osso buco-style, you get incredible tenderness and that unbeatable richness from the bone marrow. I love how the long, slow simmer builds a sauce so deep in flavor, it feels like something you’d get in a rustic countryside kitchen.
Even better—nothing goes to waste. I often save the leftover sauce and marrow to stir into soups or risotto the next day. It’s pure comfort.
Lamb Osso Buco Like You've Never Tasted Before – Rich, Rustic, and Full of Flavor
Print RecipeIngredients
- 2.5 kg lamb forequarter shanks, sliced into 3 cm-thick rounds
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 L chicken stock (preferably free-range)
- 2 brown onions, finely chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced (1 cm)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (1 cm)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 170 ml Merlot (or other dry red wine)
- 2 tins San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°C (fan-forced) or 190°C (conventional).
- Lightly dust lamb shank slices with flour.
- In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sear the lamb slices in batches until browned on both sides. Set aside.
- Reduce heat and sauté onion, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
- Add garlic, cook until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with Merlot, bring to a simmer. Return lamb to the pot.
- Add crushed San Marzano tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring back to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3.5 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
- Remove from oven, season with salt and pepper to taste.
