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Meat, Italy

Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes

Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes is a lamb shoulder braised in white wine with artichokes, served with plain potatoes, for 4 people. It takes 1h35 and rates as easy, at €5.00 per serving. The key to success is browning the lamb thoroughly before braising, since that step builds the dish's flavor.

Tonight, a lamb braise with artichokes, white wine, and herbs, just the way they make it in Sardinia come spring.

Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes
Total time
1 h 35
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.00
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring

The lamb braises slowly with white wine, garlic, and thyme until it turns fork tender. The artichokes, added halfway through cooking, keep a light bite while soaking up the braising liquid. The result is a fragrant dish, never heavy, where the short sauce pairs naturally with the plain potatoes served alongside.

This is a spring dish, timed to when artichokes are at their best. Between prep and cooking, it takes 1h35, which makes it more of a Sunday recipe or an unhurried weeknight dinner. It works well for guests too, easy to scale up and easy to reheat if people are coming over midweek.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless lamb shoulder 900 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Medium artichokes 6
  • Lemon 1
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Flat leaf parsley 4 sprigs
  • Potatoes 700 g

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 20 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the lamb into 4 cm cubes, season with salt and pepper.

    Trim excess fat but leave a little, it flavors the dish.

  2. Brown the lamb in the oil in batches, then set aside. 10 min

    A wide pot keeps the meat from stewing in its own juices.

  3. Cook the onion and garlic in the same pot, deglaze with the white wine, return the lamb with the thyme, and cover. 40 min

    Scrape the bottom of the pot, the browned bits deepen the sauce.

  4. Prep the artichokes, remove the tough outer leaves, cut into quarters, drop into lemon water, then add to the lamb. 25 min

    Add them halfway through cooking, they soften without turning mushy.

  5. Boil the potatoes in salted water, serve the lamb sprinkled with parsley alongside the potatoes. 20 min

    Serve the potatoes plain, they soak up the sauce right on the plate.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick medium, firm artichokes with tightly closed leaves, they hold their shape better during braising than overripe ones.
  • Prep the artichokes right before adding them to the pot, lemon water keeps them from browning but won't hold them indefinitely.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, finish the last ten minutes uncovered so it reduces down.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb shoulder for veal shoulder, the braising time stays the same and the result is just as tender.
  • Outside of fresh artichoke season, use frozen artichoke hearts, add them straight to the pot without the lemon water step.
  • For a quicker version, cut the lamb into smaller pieces and shorten the braising time to 25 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Lemony green salad
  • Dry Sardinian white wine

Storage

Keep the dish in the fridge in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. It freezes well once cooled, up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this ahead of time?

Yes, this braise actually tastes better reheated the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld. Make it the day before and reheat gently before serving.

How do you keep the artichokes from turning brown?

Drop the artichoke quarters into lemon water as soon as you cut them. The lemon blocks oxidation until you add them to the pot.

Can you use frozen or jarred artichokes?

Yes, frozen artichoke hearts work well and save prep time. Add them straight to the pot, skipping the lemon water step.

What cut of lamb works if you don't have shoulder?

Lamb neck or boneless leg cut into cubes also work for this braise. Shoulder stays the most tender thanks to its well distributed fat.

How long does it take to make a Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes?

Count 1 h 35 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Sardinian lamb with artichokes and potatoes cost?

About €5.00 per serving, or €20.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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