Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks
Tender lamb shanks gently braise in a saffron-kissed broth brightened with lime juice, perfumed rosewater, and warm spices like turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon. The slow simmer yields fall-off-the-bone meat with a glossy, reduced sauce layered with herbs and a hint of red wine. Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks are ideal for a festive dinner or special weekend meal.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook3 hrs 30 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic Impact
- 40 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 11 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 83 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 18
- Heart Health
- 62
- Metabolic
- 29
- Digestive
- 23
- Inflammatory
- 55
- Performance
- 41
- General Wellness
- 1
Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over the lamb shanks and season with salt.
- 2
Combine turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cumin, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the lamb shanks. Let the lamb shanks marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 3
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Cook and stir the onion until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- 4
Whisk hot water, lime juice, rose water, and saffron in a small bowl. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes.
- 5
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb shanks in batches, 5 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate.
- 6
Whisk the wine into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the onion and garlic mixture, the steeped saffron mixture, parsley, thyme, lime zest, and bay leaves. Return the lamb shanks to the pot. Cover with chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the lamb shanks are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
- 7
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- 8
Uncover the pot and simmer until the broth reduces slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer the lamb shanks to an oven-safe dish.
- 9
Place the lamb shanks in the preheated oven to keep warm.
- 10
Bring the broth to a boil; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Spoon the broth over the lamb shanks.
- Calories 1860.98 kcal High 93%
- Protein 198.41 g Good Source 397%
- Carbohydrate 19.44 g 7%
- Total Fat 105.01 g High 135%
- Saturated Fat 39.24 g High 196%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 660.87 mg High 220%
- Sodium 2025.04 mg High 88%
- Dietary Fiber 3.3 g Moderate 12%
- Total Sugars 10.64 g --
- Added Sugars 0.86 g Low Source 2%
- Calcium 189.12 mg Moderate 15%
- Iron 17.24 mg Good Source 96%
- Potassium 2698.14 mg Good Source 57%
- Vitamin A 68.46 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 14.06 mg Moderate 16%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Milk 🥛
- Sulfites
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks is made with 20 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 3 hrs 50 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Broth, Crumbled Feta Cheese, and Dried Bay Leaves. Each serving provides about 1860.98 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Broth, Crumbled Feta Cheese, Dried Bay Leaves, Fresh Parsley. The full list of 20 is above.
- How long does it take to make Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks?
- About 3 hrs 50 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 1860.98 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 20 ingredients and 10 steps.
- Is Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks healthy?
- Flavorful Persian Braised Lamb Shanks has an easyChef Pro health score of 43/100. Per serving, it provides 1860.98 calories and 198.41 g of protein, or 397% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron and potassium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 2025.04 mg (88% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 39.24 g (196% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Milk, Sulfites, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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