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Tuscan Lamb Shanks with White Beans

This hearty Tuscan lamb shanks with white beans recipe offers a sophisticated take on rustic Italian comfort food. By using a pressure cooker, the lamb is transformed into succulent, fall-apart morsels in just 30 minutes, while the navy beans soak up the rich flavours of rosemary, garlic and tomatoes. The result is a deeply savoury, aromatic stew that feels like it has been simmering on the stove for hours, providing a rewarding depth of flavour with minimal effort.

As a high-protein main course, this dish is both nourishing and filling, making it an excellent choice for a restorative weekend lunch or a midweek supper. The combination of lean meat and fibre-rich pulses ensures a balanced meal that is as healthy as it is delicious. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley and a drizzle of peppery extra-virgin olive oil to bring out the bright Mediterranean notes.

Continue reading below

Ingredients for Tuscan Lamb Shanks with White Beans

  • 2 lamb shanks (900g total)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, chopped

  • 2 celery ribs, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 (400g) can diced tomatoes in juice

  • 2 rosemary sprigs

  • 240ml dried navy beans, picked over

  • 850ml water

  • Equipment: a 6-to 8-quart pressure cooker

  • Garnish: chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

How to make Tuscan Lamb Shanks with White Beans

Pat lamb shanks dry and season with 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Heat oil in pressure cooker over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown shanks well, 1 at a time, transferring to a plate.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to pressure cooker and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and rosemary and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beans, water, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper.

Return lamb shanks to pressure cooker and bring to a boil. Seal lid and cook at high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions, 30 minutes. Put pressure cooker in sink (do not remove lid) and run cold water over lid until pressure goes down completely. Remove lid and discard rosemary, then transfer shanks to a cutting board and coarsely shred meat.

Spoon bean and vegetable mixture into large shallow bowls, then top with lamb and sauce.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 16 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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