European · Dinner · Lunch
Fårikål (Norwegian Lamb and Cabbage Stew)
Fårikål
Norway's beloved national dish: tender lamb on the bone slow-simmered with sweet cabbage wedges and whole black peppercorns until everything melts together into a light, peppery broth. This version uses trimmed lamb and skims off the fat for a lighter but still comforting bowl, served with boiled potatoes.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 150 min
- Total
- 170 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 40% · Fat 24% · Protein 36%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 kg (about 2.2 lb)Lamb shoulder or neck on the bone, cut into chunks, visible fat trimmed
- 1 medium head1,200 gGreen cabbage
- 2 tbsp12 gWhole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 2 cups500 gWater
- 8 medium800 gWaxy potatoes, peeled
- 1/4 cup10 gFresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Trim any thick pieces of fat from the lamb.
- 2
Remove the cabbage's outer leaves and cut the head into 8 wedges, keeping some core on each so they hold together.
- 3
Place a layer of lamb pieces in the bottom of a large heavy pot, bony side down.
- 4
Add a layer of cabbage wedges on top, then sprinkle with some of the salt and peppercorns.
- 5
Repeat the layers until all the lamb, cabbage, salt and peppercorns are used, finishing with cabbage.
- 6
Pour the water down the side of the pot.
- 7
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer.
- 8
Simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours, until the lamb is very tender and pulls easily from the bone; shake the pot occasionally rather than stirring.
- 9
About 30 minutes before the stew is done, put the potatoes in a separate pot, cover with fresh cold water from the tap (no salt needed) and bring to a boil.
- 10
Boil the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes until tender, then drain.
- 11
Skim the fat from the surface of the stew broth with a spoon.
- 12
Taste the broth; the peppercorns carry most of the flavour, so add extra freshly ground pepper rather than salt if needed.
- 13
Serve the lamb and cabbage in deep plates with the broth and potatoes, sprinkled with parsley if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use bone-in mutton instead of lamb for a more traditional, deeper flavour, adding about 30 to 60 minutes to the simmering time until tender.
- Swap the lamb for bone-in chicken thighs with the skin removed for a milder, easier-to-find version, simmering about 45 to 60 minutes until cooked through.
- Use Savoy cabbage instead of green cabbage for softer, frillier wedges that cook a little faster.
- Serve with boiled carrots or swede (rutabaga) in place of some of the potatoes if you want a change of side.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover stew and potatoes in covered containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot throughout. The lamb and broth freeze well for up to 3 months, but the cabbage and potatoes turn mushy, so they are best eaten from the fridge rather than frozen.
Make ahead
Cook the stew a day ahead, cool it and refrigerate overnight, then lift off the set fat and reheat gently until steaming hot. Boil the potatoes fresh just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (880 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 503 kcal | 57 kcal |
| Protein | 46.2 g | 5.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51.1 g | 5.8 g |
| of which sugars | 12.2 g | 1.4 g |
| Fiber | 11.7 g | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 13.9 g | 1.6 g |
| of which saturated | 4.9 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 814 mg | 93 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
