Greek Lamb Shoulder Tacos

There is so much to love about this recipe. Perfectly cooked, garlicky, herby, lemony, fall-apart lamb with a caramelised crust that 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 15 minutes. The marinade is so simple and the lamb comes out perfectly juicy and packed with flavour four hours later. Lamb shoulder is near impossible to get wrong, as the longer it cooks, the softer and more tender it becomes. I love that so few ingredients can create something so delicious 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. 

This is a fantastic recipe for entertaining. I make 1-2 lamb shoulders when I’m feeding a crown and prepare it 1 day ahead of time so all I need to do is pop it in the oven when it’s go-time. I love serving this Greek slow-roasted lamb shoulder in “tacos” with a Greek-inspired salad and homemade tzatziki. This meal is equally delicious with some roast potatoes or wedges!

Leftovers are amazing and can be frozen – it’s always nice being able to feed the family twice and there are so many ways to use them (which I include in the recipe). 

How can I repurpose leftovers?

• Quesadillas – reheat two cups of shredded lamb in a frying pan with ½ teaspoon each of cumin and sweet paprika. Serve in tortillas with your favourite toppings (corn kernels, fresh coriander and shredded cheese are my favourite!) 
• Leftover lamb rolls – top sandwich bread or bread rolls with the leftover lamb (can be warmed or cold). Layer with your favourite toppings, like cucumber, red onion, tomato, lettuce and hummus. 
• Lamb pizza – Top store-bought pizza dough with 1 tbsp tomato paste, leftover lamb, kalamata olives, roasted capsicum, sliced red onion and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Bake in a 200°C fan oven for 12 minutes or until perfectly cooked. Serve with a swirl of tzatziki on top. 
• 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 cheese. 
• Leftover lamb shepherds 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 mashed potatoes with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through and golden, in a preheated 180°C fan oven.  

What should I serve with lamb shoulder?

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 these delicious potato side recipes: 
Oven Baked Crispy Potato Wedges
The BEST Roast Potatoes 
Potato Gratin  

A beautiful salad to accompany the lamb, also makes a terrific side, especially when preparing a larger spread. Try these delicious lamb shoulder sides: 
Pesto Pasta Salad
Tomato and Burrata Salad
Beetroot and Feta Salad
Kale Quinoa and Haloumi Salad 
Pumpkin, Pearl Couscous and Feta Salad 

Greek Lamb Shoulder Tacos

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5 from 10 reviews

Fuss-free, juicy and fall-apart Greek slow roasted lamb shoulder is stuffed into flatbreads and served with a Greek-inspired salad and homemade tzatziki. 

• Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
• Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

LAMB 

• 1.5–1.8 kg lamb shoulder, bone-in (see note 1)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 5–6 small brown onions, peeled and quartered (or 3 large)
• 1 garlic bulb, skin on, cut in half horizontally
• 1 cup water

 

GREEK-INSPIRED SALAD

• 4 tomatoes, finely diced
• 2 cucumbers, finely diced
• 1 red capsicum/bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled, optional
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

 

TZATZIKI 

• 1 small cucumber, grated and excess juice squeezed out
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic, freshly minced
• 1/2 tsp salt

To serve 

• 24 small flatbreads or tortillas
• Lemon wedges
• 1/2 handful fresh dill, optional
• 1/2 handful fresh mint, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
2. Marinate the lamb shoulder with salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. Use your hands to ensure the lamb is evenly coated in the marinade.
3. Place the onion and garlic in a lidded roasting dish, rest the lamb on top and the water to the base of the baking dish. Cover with the lid (or if using a regular roasting dish, cover tightly with a double layer of tin foil) and roast for 4 hours.
4. You should be able to pull the lamb apart easily with a fork when it is done. If not, cover it and return to the oven until tender (see note 2). 
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and rest for 15 minutes with the lid ajar or loosely covered with foil. 
6. For the Greek salad, combine the tomato, cucumber, capsicum, red onion, vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta (if using) and oregano.
7. For the tzatziki, combine the ingredients together in a small bowl. 
8. Serve the lamb in the centre of the table with the fresh dill and mint on top (if using). Serve the Greek-inspired salad, tzatziki and flatbreads on the side for everyone to load up their own tacos. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy!

Notes

Note 1 – Boneless lamb shoulder can be used, but reduce the cooking time to 3 hours and 30 minutes. If the lamb is not tender enough to pull apart with two forks at the end of the cooking time, return it to the oven, checking every 15 minutes until it is.

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 200°C 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-inspired 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. 

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Category: lamb, roast
• Method: bake
• Cuisine: Greek