There is so much to love about this recipe – especially the perfectly cooked, garlicky, herby, lemony, fall-apart lamb with a caramelised crust, which is not only delicious but incredibly easy to make. This is a foolproof, no-fuss recipe that you can have roasting away in the oven within 10 minutes. The marinade is so simple and the lamb comes out, 4 hours later, melt-in-the-mouth tender and packed with flavour. It’s then packed into tortillas or flatbreads with a Greek-inspired salad and refreshing tzatziki. Lamb shoulder is near impossible to get wrong, as the longer it cooks, the softer it becomes. I love that so few ingredients can create something so amazing, and although lamb shoulder isn’t a “cheap” ingredient, it’s excellent value. One roast is generally enough to feed my family twice and leftover lamb can be frozen and repurposed so there is never any waste. Greek Slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder Tacos are fantastic for entertaining. I make 1–2 lamb shoulders when I’m feeding a crowd and prepare it a day ahead of time so all I need to do is pop it in the oven the next morning. Although, I love serving the lamb in the “tacos” with the veggies and tzatziki, this meal is equally delicious with some roast potatoes or wedges!
What are some other ways I can repurpose roast lamb leftovers?
Quesadillas – Reheat 2 cups of the shredded lamb in a frying pan with ½ teaspoon each of ground cumin and sweet paprika. Serve in tortillas with your favourite toppings (corn kernels, fresh coriander/cilantro and shredded cheese are my favourite!)Leftover lamb rolls – Top sandwich bread or bread rolls with the leftover lamb (warm or cold). Layer with your favourite toppings, like cucumber, red onion, tomato, lettuce and hummus.Lamb pizza – Top store-bought pizza dough with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (concentrated puree), shredded leftover lamb, kalamata olives, roasted capsicum (bell pepper), sliced red onion and a sprinkling of mozzarella. Bake in a 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan) oven for 12 minutes or until perfectly cooked. Serve with a swirl of tzatziki on top. Check out my Leftover Mediterranean Lamb Pizza recipe!Lamb salad – Serve the warmed, shredded leftover lamb on a green, leafy salad with your favourite salad toppings like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olives and feta.Leftover lamb shepherd’s pie – Shred the lamb and combine it with frozen peas. Add the lamb and pie mix to ramekins and top it with mashed potatoes. Top the mash with a sprinkling of parmesan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through and golden, in a preheated 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan) oven.
What else can I serve with Greek Slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder Tacos?
Aside from the Greek salad and tzatziki mentioned in the recipe, there are so many sides that work beautifully with lamb shoulder. Potatoes and lamb shoulder are a match made in heaven, try:Oven Baked Crispy Potato WedgesThe BEST Roast PotatoesPotato Gratin A beautiful salad to accompany the lamb, also makes a terrific side, especially when preparing a larger spread. Try these delicious sides:Pesto Pasta SaladTomato and Burrata SaladBeetroot and Feta SaladKale Quinoa and Haloumi SaladPumpkin, Pearl Couscous and Feta Salad
Watch how to make Greek Lamb Shoulder Tacos
What are some other lamb recipes?
If you loved Greek Lamb Shoulder Tacos, I think you’ll enjoy:Rosemary and Garlic Lamb LegLeftover Mediterranean Lamb PizzaRed Wine Lamb ShanksMassaman Lamb ShanksCrumbed Lamb Cutlets with Caper Mayonnaise 5 from 10 reviews
1.5–1.8 kg (3-4 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder (see note 1) 2 tsp salt 1 tsp cracked black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil Juice of ½ lemon 1 tbsp dried oregano 5–6 small brown onions, peeled and quartered (or 3 large) 1 whole garlic bulb, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally 1 cup (250 ml) water
GREEK SALAD
4 tomatoes, finely diced 2 cucumbers, finely diced 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), finely diced ½ red onion, finely diced 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp sea salt flakes ¼ cup feta, crumbled (optional) ½ tsp dried oregano
TZATZIKI
1 small cucumber, grated and excess juice squeezed out 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint 1 cup (250 g) plain Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp lemon juice ½ tsp freshly minced garlic ½ tsp sea salt flakes
TO SERVE
24 small tortillas or flatbreads (homemade or store-bought) ½ handful fresh dill (optional) ½ handful fresh mint (optional) Lemon wedges
Note 2 – There is no need to uncover the lamb in the final stages of cooking. The length of cooking time ensures that, even without direct heat, the end result is perfectly cooked, tender lamb with a caramelised crust. If the lamb is still unable to be shredded with two forks at the end of the cooking time, continue cooking until it is. Check every 15–20 minutes. If it’s still not caramelised at the end of the cooking time (which could be due to the oven not being hot enough or the roasting dish not conducting enough heat), increase the oven temperature to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan). Return the lamb to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 15–20 minutes or until the lamb is caramelised to your liking.
Make ahead
Lamb – Marinate and refrigerate the lamb for up to 24 hours before cooking. I like to have the onions and garlic cut up so that on the day of cooking, all I need to do is place the ingredients in the baking dish. Greek salad – The salad can be prepared in advance too. Cut the vegetables (and refrigerate up until 48 hours before serving) but store the dressing (vinegar, olive oil and salt) separately. Just before serving, toss the dressing with the prepared vegetables and top with feta and oregano. Tzatziki – Prepare up to 24 hours prior to serving for freshest, best results.
Leftovers
Lamb – Shred the lamb and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The shredded lamb can also be frozen in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. To reheat, place the lamb in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to stop it drying out. Cook until warmed through. Otherwise microwave it until warmed through. Greek salad and tzatziki – Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored separately, refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 2 days.
