This authentic Greek Lamb Giouvetsi (lamb stew with orzo) brings the heart of Mediterranean cuisine straight to your table.
Tender, slow-cooked lamb mingles with tiny orzo pasta in a rich, aromatic sauce that captures generations of Greek cooking tradition.
Ready in 2 hours and packed with 43g of protein per serving, this hearty one-pot meal delivers both comfort and nutrition.
Perfect for family dinners or special occasions, this classic Greek stew promises to become your new favorite Mediterranean recipe.
Ingredients for Greek Lamb Giouvetsi
- Lamb: 1 kg boneless leg of lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks for even cooking
- Aromatics: 2 medium red onions (finely chopped), 2 carrots (1cm thick slices)
- Tomato Base: 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Liquids: 1 glass red wine, 1/2 cup olive oil
- Pasta: 250g orzo pasta (kritharaki)
- Cheese: 100g kefalotyri or feta cheese, grated
- Seasonings: 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp sugar, salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté onions and carrots for 5 minutes over medium-low heat until softened
- Brown the Lamb: Increase heat, add lamb chunks and brown until nicely crusted on all sides
- Create the Sauce: Add tomato paste and wine, let it reduce. Then add tomatoes, water, bay leaf, sugar, salt, and pepper
- Slow Cook: Reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes until meat becomes tender
- Toast the Orzo: In a separate pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and toast orzo until golden brown
- Combine and Bake: Mix orzo with meat sauce in an oven tray, cover with foil, bake at 180C for 30 minutes
- Final Touch: Remove foil, add water if needed, bake 15 more minutes. Top with grated kefalotyri cheese before serving
Cooking Techniques
Giouvetsi is all about building rich flavors through two main cooking methods – stovetop browning and oven baking.
When you’re browning the lamb, give it time to develop a nice crust – this adds loads of flavor! The trick is not to crowd the pan too much.
The two-step cooking process with the orzo is pure magic – first toasting it brings out a nutty flavor, then letting it slowly cook in the meat juices makes it extra tasty.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty Greek dish is best served hot from the oven when the orzo is perfectly tender. Add a big chunk of crusty bread on the side to soak up the delicious sauce.
A simple Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives makes the perfect fresh side dish.
While the recipe suggests kefalotyri cheese, you can sprinkle some grated parmesan or crumbled feta on top if that’s what you have handy.
Storage Tips
Got leftovers? Lucky you! This dish gets even better the next day as the flavors blend together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When reheating, add a splash of water or broth since the orzo tends to soak up the sauce.
Heat it gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally to keep the orzo from sticking together. Just know that the pasta might be a bit softer when reheated, but it’ll still taste amazing!
Greek Lamb stew with Orzo pasta (Lamb Giouvetsi)
Equipment
- Oven
- Pan
- Oven tray
Ingredients
- 1 kg leg of lamb, boneless, cut into chunks (35 ounces)
- 2 medium red onions finely chopped
- 2 carrots sliced (1 cm thick)
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g / 14oz)
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 glass red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 250 g orzo pasta (9 ounces) (kritharaki / manestra)
- 100 g grated kefalotyri or feta cheese (5 ounces)
Instructions
- To prepare this lamb giouvetsi recipe, start by cutting the lamb into chunks. Wipe the lamb with paper towels. Heat 1/2 of a cup of olive oil into a pan, add the chopped onions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes in medium-low heat. Turn up the heat and add the lamb; brown the meat on all sides until crusty.
- Stir in the tomato paste and pour in the red wine. Wait for the wine to evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, a glass of water, the nay leaf, sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for at least 45 minutes.
- In the meantime into another pan heat 3 tbsps of olive oil and the orzo pasta. Sauté, until golden.
- Place the orzo pasta along with the meat and sauce in an oven tray (remove the bay leaf) and mix with a spatula. Cover the tray with some aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, add a glass of water if needed, and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with some grated hard yellow cheese (kefalotyri) and enjoy!