Sweet and savory come together in this Instant Pot Lamb Tagine. Super-tender lamb shoulder packed with rich Moroccan spices, olives, and raisins and cooked in the Instant Pot in minutes.
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I’m not used to having sweet ingredients in stews, so I was always fascinated by the dried fruit in the tagine pot. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not, but I tried it. Plump, sweet raisins contrast the rich lamb, salty olives, tart preserved lemons, and Ras el Hanout’s spice blend.
Making a tagine requires extra shopping. In my area, you have to go to a specialty store to buy preserved lemons or ras el hanout. (Or plan ahead and order on Amazon, but I prefer supporting local stores.) But it’s definitely worth the effort to eat this amazing lamb stew.
Ingredient memo
Lamb Alternative: If you can’t find boneless lamb shoulder, buy bone-in lamb shoulder and remove the bone. (I had to, so it took 4 pounds of lamb chops to get 3 pounds of meat.) Or you can substitute beef. Boneless shoulder loin or boneless short ribs are best.
Chickpeas: Homemade chickpeas taste so much better, so I always keep a few containers of 2 cups of chickpeas in the freezer. However, since there is a lot going on in this recipe, you can substitute canned drained chickpeas without sacrificing too much flavor.
Ras El Hanout: I buy this spice blend from Morocco at a specialty store (or on Amazon). If you want to make your own, mix 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
Olives: Green olives are the most authentic and green Castelvetrano olives are my favorite. That said, if you’re in a hurry, buy a small can of cheap sliced green olives to save yourself the hassle of using a knife.
Preserved lemons: Preserved lemons add acidity and saltiness to dishes and are one of the important parts of Moroccan flavor profile. I buy jars of preserved lemons at specialty grocery stores or on Amazon. If you can’t find preserved lemons, substitute fresh lemon zest (for a sour flavor) and 1/2 cup of olives (for a salty flavor).
Raisins: Raisins add a sweet pop of flavor. Golden or mixed raisins are best, but any raisin will work. You can also substitute chopped apricots.
How to make Instant Pot Lamb Tagine in photos
marinated lamb
Toss the lamb cubes with salt, ras el hanout, and olive oil and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.
Saute aromas and toast spices
Fry onions, garlic and ginger, add ras el hanout and toast for 1 minute.
Add the lamb, chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, and soup to the pot.
Pour the soup, scrape the bottom and add the marinated lamb, chickpeas, carrots and tomatoes.
Pressure cook for 20 minutes (includes 15 minutes of natural heat release)
Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, then wait for the pressure to drop naturally, then immediately release any remaining pressure.
Add lemons, olives and raisins
Add the reserved lemons, olives, and raisins, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes to help the raisins plump. Serve and enjoy.
What to serve with lamb tagine
The lamb tagine is cooked with couscous on the side, but it doesn’t work well in the Instant Pot, so I cook the couscous on the side with the lamb. Harissa is a great topping for tagines. Harissa is a spicy pepper paste used throughout North Africa, and I love the extra spiciness it brings to dishes.
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instant pot lamb tagine
author: Mike Vrobel
Total time: 5 hours
yield: 8 for one person 1×
explanation
Sweet and savory come together in this Instant Pot Lamb Tagine. Super-tender lamb shoulder packed with rich Moroccan spices, olives, and raisins and cooked in the Instant Pot in minutes.
marinated lamb
3 Cut boneless lamb shoulder (or roasted beef shoulder) into 1-inch cubes.
1 and 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons Ras El Hanout Spice Blend (see notes)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Tajine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 clove garlic, chopped
11-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon Ras El Hanout
1 cup Chicken soup (preferably homemade chicken soup or store-bought low-sodium soup)
1/2 teaspoon High quality sea salt (if using homemade stock) Marinated lamb (from above)
15about an ounce can of chickpeas, drained (or 2 cups homemade chickpeas)
8 oz Peel and cut the carrots 1-inch length
14– The skins of a can of petit-cut tomatoes with juice up to 16 oz. 1 preserved lemon, chopped (discard the pulp) – about 1/4 cup
1/2 cup Green olives, pitted and chopped
1 cup golden raisins (or mixed raisins)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped coriander
accompaniment
Instructions
Marinated lamb: Place the lamb cubes in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and ras el hanout, and drizzle with olive oil. Stir until the spices are evenly distributed over the lamb. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 to 8 hours. Aromatic sauté: In the Instant Pot set on high sauté mode (or in a pressure cooker on the stovetop over medium-high heat), heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until it begins to shimmer, about 3 minutes. Add onions and sprinkle with salt. Sauté onions and garlic until edges begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the middle of the onion and add the garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout. Toast the spices for 1 minute, then add the onions and mix. Add lamb, chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, and broth to pot: Pour 1 cup chicken broth into pot (if using homemade broth, add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt). Scrape the bottom of the pot with a flat wooden spoon to make sure the onions and spices don’t stick together. Add the marinated lamb, chickpeas, carrots, can of diced tomatoes and juices. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Pressure cook for 20 minutes and release naturally for 15 minutes: Lock the pot lid and pressure cook on high for 20 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker or 16 minutes on a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook – Custom mode on the Instant Pot.) When the pressure cook time is finished, let the pressure cool down naturally for 15 minutes, then immediately release any remaining pressure. Cook the lemons, olives and raisins for 5 minutes. Unlock the lid and tilt it towards you to avoid hot steam. Stir in the reserved lemons, olives, and raisins, and let the pan sit for 5 minutes to allow the raisins to plump. Finished: Spread the couscous in a bowl, top with the lamb tagine, sprinkle with some parsley and coriander, and pass out the harissa on the table. Serve and enjoy!
Preparation time: 4 hoursCooking time: 1 hour
nutrition
Serving Size: 2 cups
calorie: 423
sugar: 17g
sodium: 768.4mg
fat: 17g
carbohydrates: 31.6g
fiber: 4.8g
protein: 37.4g
cholesterol: 112.9mg
FAQ
That’s a lot of work – is there a shortcut version?
If you have the ingredients available, most of this recipe is just toss and stir. In the shortcut version of this recipe:
Don’t worry about marinating the lamb – just toss it with the spices before adding it to the pot Use a bag of baby carrots instead of peeling and slicing carrots Use fresh lemon zest instead of preserved lemons Buy pre-sliced olives
…That’s it. Because of this, this is primarily a dump-and-stir recipe, and all you have to do before adding anything to the pressure cooker is dice and sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic.
Can I use chicken in this recipe?
You can also substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch chunks in place of the lamb…but that’s another recipe coming soon.
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