How to Make Navarin d’Agneau – A Classic French Lamb Stew

A comforting springtime stew with tender lamb and vegetables

Navarin d’Agneau is a traditional French lamb stew made with tender pieces of lamb, root vegetables, and a rich tomato-infused sauce. Often associated with springtime, especially when made with young seasonal vegetables, it’s a rustic dish full of deep, savoury flavour.

--- published by foodie Parmod.

🍖 What is Navarin d’Agneau?

Navarin d’Agneau is a slow-cooked French lamb stew, often compared to an Irish stew or a British hotpot. The dish traditionally uses lamb shoulder or neck, simmered until tender with a medley of vegetables such as carrots, turnips, potatoes, and onions.

“Navarin” may derive from the French word navet (turnip), a key ingredient in this dish. While it's enjoyed all year round, it’s especially popular in spring when made with young lamb (agneau de printemps) and fresh new-season vegetables — known as Navarin Printanier.

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✅ Ingredients You’ll Need

Serves 4–6

1kg boneless lamb shoulder or neck, cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, sliced

2 turnips, peeled and cubed

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

100g green beans or peas (optional, for spring version)

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 tablespoon plain flour

150ml dry white wine

500ml lamb or chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, chopped (to garnish)

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🕒 Preparation & Cooking Time

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total time: Approx. 1 hour 50 minutes

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👨‍🍳 How to Make Navarin d’Agneau – Step-by-Step

Step 1: Prepare the Lamb

Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper.

Dust the meat lightly with flour.

In a large casserole or heavy-based pan, heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat.

Brown the lamb in batches, turning until evenly coloured (about 5–7 minutes).

Remove and set aside.

Step 2: Build the Base

In the same pan, add the chopped onion and sauté until soft (around 5 minutes).

Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir in the tomato purée and cook briefly to remove any bitterness.

Step 3: Deglaze and Simmer

Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the browned lamb to the pan.

Add the stock, bay leaf, and thyme.

Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 1 hour on low heat or until the lamb is nearly tender.

Step 4: Add the Vegetables

Add the carrots, turnips, and potatoes to the pot.

Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and lamb are soft and the sauce has thickened.

If using green beans or peas, stir them in during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Step 5: Season and Serve

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Remove the thyme and bay leaf before serving.

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

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🍽️ How to Serve Navarin d’Agneau

This stew is a meal in itself, but you can serve it with:

Crusty French bread or baguette

A simple green salad

Buttered green beans or steamed cabbage

It pairs beautifully with a glass of red wine, such as Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhône.

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🧠 Tips for the Perfect Navarin d’Agneau

Use lamb shoulder or neck for best flavour and tenderness.

Don’t skip browning the meat – it adds depth to the sauce.

You can make this stew a day in advance – it tastes even better the next day.

Freeze leftovers in portions for an easy future meal.

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🔁 Optional Variations

Make it a Navarin Printanier by using spring vegetables such as baby carrots, peas, pearl onions, and new potatoes.

Add a touch of herbes de Provence or a dash of red wine instead of white.

For extra richness, stir in a knob of butter just before serving.

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📌 

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📝 Final Thoughts

Navarin d’Agneau is a warm, hearty French stew that celebrates both simple ingredients and slow cooking. Whether made with root vegetables in winter or garden-fresh produce in spring, this dish offers pure comfort in every bite.

Perfect for a family dinner, a dinner party, or just a quiet evening at home, it’s a recipe every home cook should try at least once.

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Tried this recipe? Let us know how it turned out in the comments, and don’t forget to share with fellow food lovers!

--- write ✍️ by foodie Parmod.