Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes

Name: Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Ground Nut Oil; 4 Lamb Shanks; 2 Onion; 2 tbs chopped Ginger; 3 sliced thinly Garlic Clove; 1 chopped Red Chilli; 1 sliced Red Chilli; 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar; 1 tsp Brown Sugar; 3 Star Anise; 2 Lemongrass Stalks; 1 L Lamb Stock; 1 ½ tbsp Tomato Puree; 4 Sweet Potatoes; 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce; Juice of 2 Lime; Handful Mint; Handful Basil Leaves

A classic Vietnamese lamb from TheMealDB community kitchen — straightforward technique, real ingredients.

Updated April 25, 2026

min total

servings

1826

cal / serving

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Heads up: dietary tags are inferred from listed ingredients. If you have a medical allergy or intolerance, verify each ingredient against a label before cooking. This is not certified-allergen-safe content.

Origin

Categorized as Vietnamese Lamb in TheMealDB. Original source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vietnamese-lamb-shanks-sweet-potatoes

Ingredients

2 tablespoonsGround Nut Oil
4Lamb Shanks
2Onion
2 tbs choppedGinger
3 sliced thinlyGarlic Clove
1 choppedRed Chilli
1 slicedRed Chilli
1 tablespoonBrown Sugar
1 tspBrown Sugar
3Star Anise
2Lemongrass Stalks
1 LLamb Stock
1 ½ tbspTomato Puree
4Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoonsFish Sauce
Juice of 2Lime
HandfulMint
HandfulBasil Leaves

Instructions

01
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Remove the lamb and add the onions. Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs, add the ginger, garlic and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée and seasoning. Bring to the boil.
02
Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet potatoes and cook for 1 hr more. The lamb should be completely tender and almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil and the sliced chilli to serve.