This Greek lamb kleftiko is melt-in-your-mouth tender, bright with lemon, garlic and herbs, and served with soft, flavorful potatoes. Marinate the meat, then let your slow cooker, Instant Pot or oven do the rest for an effortless, impressive meal.
Lamb is a staple in Greece, and while I wasn’t keen on it as a child, I’ve since rediscovered and come to love this classic dish. Lamb kleftiko is simple but deeply satisfying.
I made this for my family tonight and it was an absolute winner. The lamb turned out perfectly – succulent, flavorsome and very moreish.
– Helen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Melt-in-the-mouth lamb – Low-and-slow cooking transforms humble cuts into tender, flavorful meat.
- Bright, zesty flavour – Lemon, garlic and herbs give the dish a classic Mediterranean lift.
- One-pot convenience – Use a slow cooker for hands-off cooking; the oven or Instant Pot work just as well.
- Great for gatherings or meal prep – Feels special but is low-effort and keeps well.
What is Kleftiko?
Kleftiko is a traditional Greek method of slow-cooking lamb until it falls from the bone. The name roughly means “bandit’s lamb” — supposedly meat cooked in a pit to avoid detection. Modern kleftiko is simply well-seasoned lamb cooked low and slow, often wrapped in parchment or foil to trap the aromatics and juices.
This recipe is ideal for a slow cooker when you want to avoid heating the oven. It’s also easy to adapt for an Instant Pot for a much shorter cook time, or for the oven when you prefer a roast-style finish.
Ingredients Overview
This recipe uses bone-in lamb shoulder, a cut that rewards slow cooking by becoming succulent and tender. Make sure the joint fits your slow cooker or Instant Pot; if space is limited, consider a butterflied leg of lamb or lamb shanks instead.
The marinade combines olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, oregano and thyme, plus optional anchovy paste for depth. Add potatoes, onions and seasonal vegetables to cook alongside the lamb so they soak up the juices.
How to make Lamb Kleftiko in the Slow Cooker
Marinate the lamb
- Make the marinade and rub it over the lamb the day before or at least 4 hours ahead. Season generously with salt and pepper, place in a lidded container and chill so the flavours penetrate the meat.
Cook your kleftiko
- Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a large pan and sear the lamb on all sides until well browned; set aside.
- Using the same pan, tone the potatoes and onion until they begin to colour, then deglaze with a splash of white wine.
- Transfer the potatoes and onion to the slow cooker. Add lemon slices, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves and fresh thyme. Place the lamb on top and pour in the stock, remaining wine and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours, until the meat is tender and falling from the bone. Test tenderness with a knife and, if desired, check with an instant-read thermometer: medium-rare 62°C/145°F, medium 71°C/160°F, well done 76°C/170°F. Rest loosely covered for 10 minutes before carving or shredding.
Oven method
If you prefer the oven, place the potatoes, onion and lamb inside a large roasting bag or wrap tightly in parchment or foil to trap steam. Add 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine or stock, seal with a small vent for steam and roast at 160°C (320°F) for about 3½ hours. Open carefully to avoid hot steam, then return to the oven for 20–30 minutes to brown if needed. Rest before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the lamb shredded or carved over the potatoes with crumbled feta, fresh oregano and thyme leaves and lemon wedges. It works beautifully as an Easter roast, or shredded into pita with tzatziki for a casual meal. A simple Greek salad or spanakorizo (spinach rice) make fitting sides.
Recipe Notes
- If your slow cooker has a sear function you can brown the meat directly in the insert to reduce washing up.
- Use a fat separator to remove excess oil from the cooking juices; the reduced juices make a lovely gravy.
- If your cooker is small, use a butterflied leg of lamb or lamb shanks in place of a shoulder.
Storing and Reheating
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Freeze cooked lamb and sauce (not the potatoes) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
- Microwave: place in a microwave-safe dish with a splash of water, cover and heat in 1-minute bursts until hot.
- Oven: place in a covered baking dish and reheat at 180°C/350°F for 20–25 minutes until piping hot.
- Stovetop: gently warm in a covered pan over low heat with a few tablespoons of stock, stirring occasionally.
You will also like
Lamb
Persian Lamb Stew
Lamb
Slow Cooker Lamb Shanks
Lamb
Herb Marinated Lamb Chops
Lamb
Easy Moroccan Lamb Tagine
If you try this Lamb Kleftiko recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a rating and a comment — it helps others discover the dish. If you share the result on social media, tag #supergoldenbakes so I can see your take on it.
Greek lamb kleftiko
Video
Equipment
- Instant Pot or slow cooker
- Instant-read thermometer
- Large frying pan
- Roasting tray (for oven method)
Ingredients
For the lamb marinade
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the lamb kleftiko
- 1.2 kg (2½ lb) lamb shoulder (bone-in)
- 1 kg (2 lb) baby potatoes, skin on
- 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 lemon slices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) white wine
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) lamb stock or broth
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
To serve
- 5 tbsp crumbled feta (optional)
- Lemon wedges
- Handful fresh oregano and thyme leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Mix the marinade ingredients and rub all over the lamb. Season well, place in a lidded container and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Bring the lamb to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat your slow cooker if possible.
- Sear the lamb in a hot, non-stick frying pan on all sides until browned; set aside.
- In the same pan, fry the potatoes and onion until they begin to colour. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and season.
- Transfer potatoes and onion to the slow cooker. Add lemon slices, cinnamon, bay leaves and thyme. Top with the seared lamb and pour over the wine, stock and vinegar.
- Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours until the lamb is very tender and falls from the bone.
- Optional: to crisp the surface, place under a hot grill/broiler for 5 minutes. Rest loosely covered for 10 minutes before carving or shredding.
- Serve the lamb over the potatoes, sprinkle with feta if using and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.
Instant Pot method
- Follow steps up to transferring to the cooker. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then allow 25–30 minutes natural release. Brown under a grill if desired, rest and serve.
Oven method
- Follow steps through preparing the pan. Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Place potatoes and onion in a large roasting bag or wrap in parchment/foil, top with the lamb, add cinnamon, lemon and bay leaves and pour in 60 ml (1/4 cup) wine or stock. Seal with a small vent and roast for about 3½ hours.
- Open carefully, then return to the oven uncovered for up to 30 minutes to brown. Check internal temperature and rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Skim fat from the cooking juices with a fat separator and mix with shredded lamb or reduce to make a simple gravy.
- Butterflied leg of lamb or large pieces of leg can be substituted if a shoulder won’t fit your cooker.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 55 g |
Protein: 46 g |
Fat: 20 g
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary with ingredients and portion sizes.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!