Lamb Tagine Stew

Name: Lamb Tagine Stew
Prep time: 17 min
Cook time: 48 min
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided; 2 tbsp olive oil, divided; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger; 2 tsp ras el hanout (or 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp ginger + 1/2 tsp cinnamon); 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cups beef broth; 1/3 cup green olives, pitted and halved; 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds, plus 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

⏲ ~65 min total · prep 17 · cook 48 · 4 servings

Lunch⏱ 65 min total🔥 4.0g net carbs⚡ ≈540 kcal/serving~5% of calories from carbs

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

2 lb boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ras el hanout (or 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp ginger + 1/2 tsp cinnamon)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup green olives, pitted and halved
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds, plus 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Pat the lamb dry and season with 1 tsp of the salt.
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering; brown half the lamb deeply on 2-3 sides, 5-6 minutes, and repeat with the rest in a second batch. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the onion, and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt; cook 5 minutes until softened and starting to color.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, ras el hanout, and turmeric; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and broth, scraping up the browned bits, then return the lamb with any collected juices.
Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently 40-45 minutes, until the lamb is fork-tender and the sauce has body.
Off the heat, stir in the olives, then top each bowl with the almonds and cilantro.

Why this recipe works

Shoulder is the right cut Lamb shoulder carries enough fat and connective tissue to turn fork-tender in a 40 to 45 minute simmer, which lean cuts never manage. The same pot that dries out leg lamb makes shoulder succulent.
Browning builds the sauce Two batches, 5 to 6 minutes each, leave a dark fond in the Dutch oven. Crushed tomatoes and beef broth scrape it loose at the end, and that fond seasons the whole pot more than any single spice does.
Four net carbs, olives and all At 4.0 net carbs a serving, the pot can afford green olives, toasted almonds, and a full spice run. Ras el hanout, turmeric, and ginger do the tagine work without any dried fruit, which is where most versions spend their carbs.

Tips for making this recipe well

Brown in two batches

Crowded lamb steams instead of browning, and pale cubes make a pale sauce. Give each batch room and wait for real color on 2 to 3 sides before turning. The 5 to 6 minutes per batch is worth every one.

Bloom the spices in oil

A full minute of stirring the ras el hanout, turmeric, garlic, and ginger in the hot oil wakes them up. Spices dumped straight into liquid taste dusty. The pot will smell fragrant and nutty when it is ready.

Keep the simmer gentle

Medium-low with the lid on should barely bubble. A rolling boil tightens lamb and breaks the sauce into grease. If it bubbles hard, lower the heat; the 40 to 45 minutes stays the same.

Olives off the heat

Stir the olives in after the pot comes off the burner, so they stay plump and briny instead of cooking dull. Taste before adding salt, since the olives and the broth both carry salt already.

Toast the almonds yourself

Slivered almonds go from raw to toasted in 3 or 4 minutes in a dry skillet, and the difference in the bowl is real. They also burn in the time it takes to check your phone. Pull them when they smell nutty.

Serving suggestions

Ladle into wide bowls and finish each with the toasted almonds and chopped cilantro, which keeps the crunch and the green where they belong. At 4.0 net carbs a serving, cauliflower rice or a simple shredded salad sits alongside without breaking the budget. The sauce has real body from the crushed tomatoes, so shallow bowls show it off. A squeeze of lemon over each bowl lifts the olives and spice, if the fridge has one.

Storage and meal prep

The stew keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and is better on day two, once the spices have settled into the sauce. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water if it has tightened overnight. Add the almonds fresh at each serving so they keep their crunch; the cilantro too. The pot freezes for 2 to 3 months without the toppings, thawed overnight and reheated low, though the sauce may separate slightly until stirred.

Variations worth trying

Spice-rack tagine The recipe's fallback of cumin, ginger, and cinnamon gets you most of the way when the blend runs out. Add the turmeric as written.
Harissa heat A teaspoon of harissa stirred in with the tomatoes leans the pot toward fiery. The olives and cilantro keep it balanced.
Lamb shanks Two meaty shanks replace the shoulder cubes and simmer in the same broth and spices until the meat pulls from the bone, closer to 90 minutes. Shred it into the sauce before serving.
Cauliflower in the pot Half a head of florets added for the last 15 minutes turns the stew into a one-bowl meal. They drink the sauce and keep the carb count low.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a tagine pot?

No. The recipe is built for a 5-quart Dutch oven with a lid, which does the same slow, moist cooking on any stove. The lid matters more than the vessel.

Can I use lamb leg instead of shoulder?

You can, but shoulder is the better stew cut. Leg is leaner and turns dry in the simmer that makes shoulder tender. If leg is what you have, keep the simmer gentle and check for tenderness at 35 minutes.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Brown the lamb and bloom the spices on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours. Skipping the browning costs the sauce most of its depth. Finish with the olives, almonds, and cilantro as written.

Is this actually keto at 4.0 net carbs?

Yes. The recipe leaves out the dried apricots and honey that push most tagines past 20 carbs, so the count comes almost entirely from the onion and tomatoes. The olives, almonds, and lamb barely register.

My sauce seems thin. What now?

Simmer it uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, or crush a few of the lamb cubes against the pot wall and stir them in. The sauce should have body enough to coat a spoon. Both moves work without changing the flavor.

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