Greek Slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder Tacos

Garlicky, lemony, fall-apart lamb, served in tacos with Greek salad.

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! Originally inspired by Adam Liaw’s Lamb Shoulder Tacos (which you can view here), 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 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 sides:

Pesto Pasta Salad
Tomato and Burrata Salad
Beetroot and Feta Salad
Kale Quinoa and Haloumi Salad
Pumpkin, 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 Leg
Leftover Mediterranean Lamb Pizza
Red Wine Lamb Shanks
Massaman Lamb Shanks
Crumbed Lamb Cutlets with Caper Mayonnaise

Greek Slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder Tacos

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 13 reviews

In these Greek Slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder Tacos, fuss-free, juicy and fall-apart slow-cooked lamb shoulder is stuffed into tortillas or flatbreads along with a Greek salad and homemade tzatziki.

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

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

LAMB 

• 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

Cook Mode Toggle on to prevent your screen from locking.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (160°C/325°F fan).
2. In a bowl, marinate the lamb shoulder with the 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 add the water to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with the lid (or, if using a regular roasting dish, cover tightly with a double layer of 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 the 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 tortillas or flatbreads on the side for everyone to load up their own tacos. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy!

Slow-cooker method:

1. In a bowl, marinate the lamb shoulder with the salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. Use your hands to ensure the lamb is evenly coated in the marinade.
2. Place the quartered onions and halved garlic bulb in the base of your slow-cooker. Pour in ½ cup (125 ml) of water.
3. Place the lamb shoulder on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours (best for ultra-tender, fall-apart lamb).
4. If you love a golden, caramelised crust, transfer the cooked lamb to a baking tray and grill (broil) in the oven for 8–10 minutes at 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) until browned and crispy.
5. Let the lamb rest for 10–15 minutes before shredding with two forks. Serve in warm tortillas or flatbreads with Greek salad, tzatziki and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Equipment

Chef Knife

Buy Now →

Tongs

Buy Now →

Notes

Note 1 – Boneless lamb shoulder can be used, but reduce the cooking time to 31/2 hours. 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 done.

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. 

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