It's so easy to make an Instant Pot Lamb! The quickest and easiest way to make tender, fall apart lamb with amazing Greek flavors (like my Instant Pot Lamb Shanks). In true Instant Pot fashion, it's much faster to make with less mess to clean!
You might say, cooking lamb for 1½ hours isn't quick, but it's much faster than the traditional 5-7 hour slow roast lamb in the oven! I love how the IP is a time saver, if you don't have one, you need to buy one!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- quick and easy - make this after work for an no fuss mid-week dinner
- it's Greek - these delicious flavors will take you back to Greece!
- versatile - this isn't your boring roast dinner, with tasty flavors and serving ideas that will elevate your dinner tonight
Key Ingredients
This Greek Style Instant Pot Lamb recipe is so full of flavor, that will take you back to the Greek Isles. Well maybe that's a bit dramatic, I promise you're going to love this recipe.
- boneless lamb roast - used Costco roast, about 3½ lbs / 1½ kg
- garlic cloves - the more the merrier (minimum 10)
- onion - quartered into pieces
- fresh herbs - rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, thyme
- liquids - chicken or beef stock, red wine, juice of a lemon
- seasonings - salt and pepper
Equipment You'll Need
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
No Instant Pot? No Problem! You can make my Slow Roast Leg of Lamb recipe. It's still easy, just not as fast. No lamb? Then make my Greek Chicken Souvlaki! I'm all about solutions!
Preparing the Meat
When making roast lamb, it's always more flavorful to insert garlic cloves in the meat when cooking. To elevate your flavor, insert fresh rosemary stems as well. Garlic and Rosemary infused lamb, you won't want it any other way.
- Defrost - if using frozen lamb roast, defrost in the fridge the day before
- Cut - slice garlic cloves in half, set aside ½ for roast and ½ for Instant Pot
- Stab - using sharp knife, carefully stab holes randomly around the lamb
- Insert - place a piece of garlic or fresh rosemary stem inside the holes
How to make Instant Pot Lamb
Instant Pot Lamb meat will completely fall apart. Using two forks, carefully pull apart the lamb pieces, like shredded lamb. This needs to be done while it's hot.
- prepare - insert garlic and rosemary into lamb, season with salt and pepper. Rub all over with 1 tablespoon of oil
- brown - saute in the Instant Pot, searing lamb on all sides, remove & set aside
- caramelize - cook onions and garlic until golden
- deglaze - pour red wine into Instant Pot. add herbs, stock and lemon juice and lemon
- sealing - place lamb inside Instant Pot, close lid and set to SEALING
- pressure cook - use the PRESSURE COOK setting for 90 minutes
- vent - naturally vent or use kitchen towel to cover a quick release vent
Pro Tip: While the lamb is cooking, toss your favorite vegetables in olive oil and seasonings, roast in the oven. Place in the oven when the Instant Pot has cooked for an hour. Most roast vegetables roast in 30 minutes, so you'll be ready to serve at the same time.
Instant Pot Lamb Gravy
Lamb Gravy is the perfect sauce to serve with your lamb roast. When you remove the lamb from the Instant Pot, you're left with the most wonderfully infused gravy stock.
- Strain - use a sieve to strain lamb stock to remove the vegetables and herbs.
- Separate Fat - using turkey baster, remove the base of the stock, as the top inch is all lamb fat. Fatty gravy isn't very tasty or healthy.
- Heat - pour lamb stock back into the Instant Pot and turn on Saute function.
- Thicken - as stock heats, make starch slurry (1 tablespoon potato starch and 2 tablespoons water). Add thickener and cook for a minute until it thickens.
Instant Pot Lamb Serving Ideas
- Roast Lamb Dinner - this is the most popular way, drizzled in lamb gravy and served with vegetables
- Leftover Lamb Sandwiches - add aioli, sriracha mayo or lamb gravy
- Mediterranean Lamb Wraps - shred lamb and serve inside a pita with sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, black olives and arugula, drizzled with Tzatziki sauce
- Lamb Shakshuka - add leftover shredded lamb to your Shakshuka for a delicious brunch, served with warmed pita
- Pizza - shredded lamb tastes amazing on your next homemade pizza. Add red onions, black olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta (add fresh oregano)
- Leftover Lamb Shepherds Pie - this is the original version of Shepherds Pie, full of flavor
- Maroulosalata - Greek Lettuce Salad - brighten up dinner with a light Greek Lettuce Salad, super easy to make and delicious!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- fresh herbs - always use fresh herbs, much more flavorful and tastier than the dried herbs
- cheap red wine - when cooking, you don't need to use fancy red wine. The wine will be infused by garlic and spices, so save your money.
- spice it up! - add your favorite mediterranean spices like 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander or a cinnamon quill
- potato starch - skip the corn starch, potato starch is the secret for a silkier and clear gravy
- change the meat - instead of lamb, substitute with beef, pork, or chicken
How Long to Cook Instant Pot Lamb
This Greek Lamb recipe takes only 90 minutes to cook inside the Instant Pot, using a quick pressure release. In a pinch, you could prepare it in 60 minutes, you want to ensure the meat is tender and pull apart ready.
Can I Use Frozen Lamb in Instant Pot
Believe it or not, yes you can. However, I recommend thawing the roast in fridge so you can pierce the meat with flavorings. But you absolutely can use a frozen lamb roast in the Instant Pot. Cook for the full 90 minutes to ensure meat is tender.
Storage
- Fridge - place cooled lamb in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated and enjoy within 3 to 4 days
- Freezer - if freezing shredded lamb, cool then freeze in and airtight container with the gravy to retain moisture. Freezing whole lamb roast or lamb slices, wrap in cling wrap a freeze for a few months, defrost in fridge before re-heating
Side Dishes to Serve with Lamb
- Crispy Roasted Moroccan Potatoes
- Easy Greek Salad
- Garlic Butter Green Beans
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Garlic Parmesan Broccoli
- Grilled Zucchini
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Greek Lamb made in a pressure cooker is an easy dinner that you can whip up after a long day at work. Maybe just don't tell the family how easy it was to make. Try a Russian Instant Pot Roast Beef with Vodka and Pickle Brine, so many ways to use your Instant Pot for dinner. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 3½ lbs (1½ kg) boneless lamb roast
- salt and pepper to taste
Herbs and Vegetables
- 10 cloves garlic cut into slivers to stuff inside lamb
- 1 onion quartered
- 3 stalks fresh rosemary
- fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Liquids
- ⅔ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup red wine
- juice of a lemon
- 2 slices of lemon
Lamb Gravy
- lamb stock from Instant Pot
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Insert ½ of the garlic and rosemary stems inside the roast lamb. Season with salt and pepper, rub all over with oil.
- Heat oil in Sauté mode in the Instant Pot. Brown the lamb by searing on all sides (about 4 minutes). Remove lamb and set aside.
- Add the onions and remaining garlic in Instant Pot and sauté until caramelized (about 5 minutes).
- Add red wine to de-glaze the pan. Add the herbs, chicken stock, juice of a lemon with the lemon slices into the Instant Pot.
Cooking Instant Pot Lamb
- Place the lamb, fat site up, inside the Instant Pot, close lid and set to SEALING.
- Use the PRESSURE COOK setting on high for 90 minutes. Naturally VENT or use a kitchen towel to safely quick release VENT.
- Remove lamb and cover with foil while you prepare the lamb gravy.
Lamb Gravy
- Strain the lamb stock from the Instant Pot, separating the cooked onions and herbs from the lamb stock.
- Using a turkey baster, separate the lamb fat from the lamb stock. Discard the fat. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE, and pour the lamb stock back in.
- Prepare the potato starch slurry. Add cold water to a glass and mix in the potato starch.
- Pour slurry into the heated lamb stock and cook for 2 minutes until it thickens. If you want it thicker, add another teaspoon of starch with water and cook. To thin, add stock or boiling water. Serve alongside the lamb.
Video
Notes
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally published June 2020, updated March 2023
