Recipes Dinner Meat Dishes Meatballs Guinness Irish Meatball Stew 4.6 (8) 4 Reviews Tender lamb meatballs simmer in a Guinness-spiked broth with potatoes, carrots, and herbs for a rich stew. By Breana Lai Killeen Breana Lai Killeen Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD, is a food editor, recipe developer, farmer and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She has more than 20 years of experience cooking professionally, pouring wine, and creating editorial and digital content for top brands. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 8, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Servings: 4 to 6 Jump to recipe Browning the lamb meatballs before simmering builds flavor while helping them hold their shape in the broth.Adding the meatballs during the final 20 minutes keeps them tender and prevents overcooking.A lightly browned roux creates a velvety texture and eliminates any raw flour taste while maintaining strong thickening power. A traditional Irish stew is made with lamb or beef and needs hours to simmer, but in this version, tender meatballs replace stew meat, delivering the depth of a long-simmered pub classic in just an hour and a half.In addition to using budget-friendly ground meat, the meatballs are enriched with parsley, garlic, Dijon, and a splash of half-and-half, absorbing the flavor of the broth while staying exceptionally tender. Guinness, arguably the most famous of Irish beers, brings roasted, malty notes reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate, adding that traditional Irish element. Baby waxy potatoes hold their shape while turning creamy at the center, and carrots and celery give the dish that traditional stew feel. Fresh thyme and rosemary infuse the broth with earthy, floral aromas as it simmers. A quick, lightly browned roux of butter and flour stirred in at the end transforms the beef stock into a glossy, gravy-like base that coats each meatball and vegetable. The method is streamlined for weeknight cooking. While the vegetables simmer, the meatballs are mixed and shaped. A quick sear in a skillet builds flavor through browning before they finish cooking in the broth. The result is a hearty stew with distinct layers of flavor that skips the long cooking time. Serve it in wide bowls with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. What Is the Guinness Widget and How Does It Work? Why use a roux in a stew? A roux thickens a stew smoothly without lumps and gets rid of any raw flour taste. It also makes the texture richer and more stable, so the stew holds together even after long simmering or reheating. Plus, cooking the flour in fat doesn’t just thicken the liquid but also adds a subtle depth of flavor that you can control based on how long you cook it. As a roux gets darker, the flour browns and develops nutty, toasty flavors, but also loses some of its thickening power. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Shape the meatballs while the vegetables simmer to streamline prep time.Double the potatoes for a heartier stew without adjusting the liquid.If the stout tastes slightly bitter, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of brown sugar to balance it. Suggested pairing Lean into the stew’s malty backbone with a bottle of Guinness Draught, whose flavor mirrors the roasted notes in the broth while its creamy texture complements the silky gravy. For wine, try the 2022 Broadbent Douro Red from Portugal. Its dark fruit, peppery spice, and firm structure stand up to the lamb and herbs without overpowering the dish, making it a balanced partner for each bite. This recipe was developed by Liz Mervosh; the text was written by Breana Killeen. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 to 6 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound bite-size baby waxy potatoes (such as Nibbles Honey Gold), halved 4 small carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise if thicker than 1/2-inch, and sliced into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups) 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups) 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup) 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (14.9-ounce) can Irish stout beer (such as Guinness) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided 6 cups unsalted beef stock 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) 1/4 cup half-and-half 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (1 tablespoon) 1 large egg, beaten 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, divided 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided 1 pound ground lamb 4 thyme sprigs 1 rosemary sprig 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter 6 tablespoons (about 1 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour Directions Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in beer and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high, and cook for 4 minutes. Add stock, and bring to a boil over high to cook off the alcohol. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. While stock mixture comes to a simmer, prepare the meatballs: Stir together parsley, panko, half-and-half, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until thoroughly combined. Add lamb, using your hands to combine. Shape lamb mixture into 20 (about 1 1/2-inch, 1 1/10-oz. each) meatballs (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each); transfer to a large plate. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on 2 to 3 sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a large plate. Add meatballs and any accumulated juices from plate, thyme, rosemary, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to simmering stock mixture. Return to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high. Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and a thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers 160°F, about 20 minutes, stirring in roux during last 5 minutes of cooking to thicken stew. While meatballs simmer, prepare the roux: Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium, stirring occasionally. Whisk in flour, and stir until smooth. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until roux is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside until ready to use. Remove thickened stew from heat; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon Worcestershire and 2 teaspoons mustard. Divide stew among bowls. Make ahead Shape the meatballs up to one day in advance and refrigerate until ready to cook; the finished stew can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months and reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of stock. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.