Throw it in the (slow cooker) oven Thursday.

A family comfort meal, veggie-loaded and bone broth based

When the weather cools down, nothing beats the comfort of a slow-cooked stew. This lamb stew with dumplings is hearty, nourishing, and designed to please the whole family. Packed with vegetables and enriched with bone broth, it’s not just delicious — it’s gut-friendly too. The slow cooker does the hard work for you, and the fluffy dumplings on top make it feel like a proper feast without the fuss.

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🥕 Why This Recipe Works

• Veggie-loaded – Carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and peas give natural sweetness and balance.
• Bone broth base – Rich in collagen and minerals to support gut healing and immunity.
• Family-friendly – Mild flavours that kids enjoy, but still deeply comforting for adults.
• Hands-off cooking – Perfect for busy days, with just a quick dumpling mix at the end.

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🍲 Ingredients (Serves 6)

For the stew:

• 1kg diced lamb shoulder (or leg), trimmed of excess fat
• 2 tbsp flour (to coat the lamb)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 2 parsnips, chopped into chunks
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 cups beef or lamb bone broth
• 1 cup tinned tomatoes (or passata)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas (add at the end)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the dumplings:

• 1 ½ cups self-raising flour
• 75g cold butter, cubed
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• Pinch of salt

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👩‍🍳 Method

1. Brown the lamb: Toss lamb in flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan, brown the lamb in batches, then transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add the veg: Layer onion, garlic, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and celery over the lamb.
3. Make the base: Stir in bone broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Mix gently.
4. Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours) until the lamb is tender.
5. Add peas: Stir in peas 15 minutes before serving.

Dumplings:

1. Rub butter into flour and salt with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in parsley (if using) and milk to form a soft dough.
3. Roll into golf ball-sized dumplings.
4. Place dumplings on top of stew in the last 30–40 minutes of cooking, cover, and cook until puffed and cooked through.

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💡 Tips & Variations

• For extra flavour: Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a dash of red wine at the start.
• Make it gluten-free: Swap flour in the stew and dumplings for a GF blend.
• Batch-friendly: Leftovers freeze well (stew and dumplings separately).

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Final Thought

This slow cooker lamb stew with dumplings is the kind of recipe that warms from the inside out. Nutritious, family-friendly, and rooted in real food — it’s a dish you’ll come back to every winter.