Greek Slow Cooker Tacos with Lamb! Lamb is a great alternative to your ordinary beef tacos! Easy to make in the crock pot or slow cooker, plus a healthy and a great source of protein. These lamb tacos make for a delicious and nutritious meal when topped with crumbled feta and salad! Serve with gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas!
The recope inspiration behind these slow cooker tacos!
Here’s the thing. We miss New Zealand. Like a LOT! In fact, we’re on a quest to get back there. Ahh, yes, the beauty and the simplicity of that country. And since my husband is from the south island, we often get care packages full of his favorite goodies from family. They are so thoughtful and know exactly when my husband (aka the kiwi) is needing his licorice and marmite fix!
One of the things I like to do when we’re both missing New Zealand is to make a healthy meal with lamb, because in New Zealand, lamb is popular, delicious, and makes a very nutritious meal. Plus I really can’t make a full on meal out of licorice and marmite, yet, haha! The homesick meal (lamb) I make for him isn’t prepared quite like the way they do in New Zealand, but it’s the thought that counts. Right? So today we’re putting a some spin on on three of my favorite (and my husband’s favorite) dishes…
Mediterranean inspired LAMB Tacos!
But wait, it gets better. These are…
Slow cooker TACOS!
A little bit of Mexican (taco style) plus a little bit of Mediterranean/Greek. Greek marinade with red pepper, olive, and feta topping. Slow cooked Lamb (think Kleftiko), a slow cooked lamb dish! Plus lamb is a huge hit (custom) in New Zealand, where my husband is from. is a specialty in Greece. Do I get bonus wife points for that? Say yes!
These type of “cultural fusion” meals are my favorite! Not to mention easy to make and eat. Slow cookers are great at making meat extra tender and easier to digest. Plus slow cooking can really enhance the flavors of the meat. You know I’m all about slow cooker recipes these days anyways.
Here’s whatcha need!
GREEK TACOS INGREDIENTS:
- Ground Lamb
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing (this homemade dressing with Greek yogurt looks good!)
- Sun dried tomatoes and/or fresh cherry tomatoes
- Black olives
- Feta and Tzatziki sauce
- Fresh basil
- Garlic and red onion
- Gluten Free Tortillas or Corn Tortillas. Heck you could even make these “gyro” style my Grain free Naan Bread
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
How to Make GREEK TACOS with Slow Cooked Lamb
Simple. Brown the meat in a pan. Then toss it in the crock pot with your marinade and seasonings. Let the meat cook for a few hours while you do other things, then VOILA!
Just before serving, heat the tortillas or flatbread. I think giving them a good charr over gas oven is best. Extra crispy outside, soft in the middle.
Fill those taco shells with slow cooked lamb, tomatoes, salad, basil, olive, and top with feta! Bam, taco night with a twist! Not to mention easy meal prep.
Other ways to use slow cooked lamb:
- In a tex mex casserole or soup
- Toss in a frittata
- Pizza topping
- Loaded Greek Salad Topping!
Slow Cooker Greek Tacos with Lamb
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 5-6 1x
Description
Gluten Free Greek Tacos with Slow Cooked Lamb
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground lamb
- 1–2 Tablespoons olive oil (if lamb is fatter cut, then use 1 Tablespoon oil)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup creamy balsamic dressing or greek dressing/marinade of choice
- 3 oz can of chopped black olives (about 3 Tablespoons)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (chopped) or ½ Tablespoon dried basil
- Dash of black pepper (optional)
- 5–6 corn or gluten free tortillas
Taco Toppings/Fillings
- Crumbled feta to top
- Shredded cabbage or salad mix
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (diced) and/or diced cherry tomatoes (½ cup)
- Optional- Top each taco with dollop plain Greek yogurt or tzatziki yogurt dip.
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- First brown the ground lamb meat in a skillet for 5 -6 minutes on medium high. Drain excess fat.
- Remove the browned meat from the skillet and place in a crockpot/slow cooker.
- Add in your olive oil, garlic, salt, olives, dressing, herbs, and extra seasoning (if desired), and stir well.
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours. Stir halfway and add in any other seasoning you desire, such as black pepper or more dressing/garlic. I usually check the flavor half way to see.
- Once cooked, warm up your tortillas or char grill on gas stove. Fill each tortilla with ¼ to ½ cup lamb then top with toppings. i.e crumbled feta, red onion, chopped salad, and sun dried tomatoes.
- Spoon Greek yogurt dip (or tzatziki yogurt dip) to top if desired. Garnish with basil.
Notes
This can be made on the stove top as well. Simple follow the same direction, just be sure to remove grease (reserving 1 tablespoon fat for pan) from browning the meat before adding the other ingredients back in. Cook for 20 minutes on medium to low until meat is cooked through and sauce/spices have set in. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 3 hr
- Category: main
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: mediterranean american
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 333.7 mg
- Fat: 25.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.5 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 15.5 g
- Cholesterol: 58.7 mg
Keywords: tacos, greek, lamb, slow cooker, gluten free, healthy, dinner, slow cooked lamb,
To sum it up –-> We miss New Zealand. We love lamb. We Love Greek food and Tacos! And I adore my slow cooker.
Now there’s a crazy Cotter post for you! Let’s eat!
What’s your go to meal you make when you are homesick meal? Do you love lamb or tacos like us?
Cheers!
LC
MORE SLOW COOKER & INSTANT POT RECIPES HERE!
This recipe is part of our Best Slow Cooker Meal Prep and Instant Pot Recipes collection. Check it out!
Being from England I love lamb too. Just made this, loved it. Also loved your comment about licorice and marmite. Toast smoothered in marmite is my morning start. The instant pot chicken chilli verse was also great. Great for winter! Thank you
★★★★★
Oh yes! My husband will be happy you said that. Hehe marmite has grown on me.
These are SO amazing! Using lamb in a taco, and all of the amazing Greek flavors come together in such a perfect taste! Thank you for sharing! And now I want to visit New Zealand!!!
★★★★★
Thank you, Katie!
In the past I have been nervous to cook lamb, thinking I would totally overcook it or make some other mistake. This recipe changed my tune! Love these tacos and the easy to follow, basically impossible to fail recipe!
★★★★★
Yaayy! So glad to hear that Wilhelmina!
I love how flavorful this is!! So delish!
★★★★★
Thank you, Toni!
This looks so good! Such a great dinner idea, thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you, Laura! You’re welcome!
I absolutely love my slow cooker because it simplifies my life! These are amazing and so easy to make! Gorgeous pictures too!
★★★★★
Yes, Lauren!! I’m all for anything that helps to simplify my life lol!! Thanks!
This looks so good and easy!
it is and you must try!
If the lamb flavor isn’t too “gamey”, I LOVE it! My friend had a BBQ a couple weeks ago and she and her husband bought a whole lamb to smoke outside! It was soooo good. This recipe looks awesome 🙂
I’m going to have to make these for my husband– he loves lamb, and when he’s back in Australia, his mom always makes it for him. I’ve never cooked it before, but I think I can follow your instructions– I am pretty handy with a crock pot 🙂
Love the combination! Greek salad is a regular thing around here.
★★★★★
The slow cooker is upper easy!!! Would be great with potatoes or rice too
These look amazing. Never tried to cook lamb at home, but love lamb gyros.
Yes!! Me too
this looks AWESOME!! I LOVE lamb!! one of my favorites. Let’s see comfort food…homemade soup! the way Miguel’s Portuguese family makes soups is soooo good and wholesome and warming 🙂
Mmm…drooling over this dish. Would love some right now!
I have only had lamb a few times and it was so long ago. I wasn’t a fan but I know my husband likes it and I know a work friend that is coming from overseas likes it. I will have to keep this recipe on hand and ask him if we should make them when he comes over. He is suppose to be here next week but that would be a party of 20-23 and not sure I would do this for that many people.
this would be a good small party meal. But let me know if you try it!
I adore “cultural infusion” meals! A little bit of here and a little bit of there makes for a lotta deliciousness in every bite!
you are so good at those types of recipes! we need to have a cultural infusion party
It’s been so long since I’ve eaten lamb I can’t remember if I liked it. Tacos? Now that’s a different story! Could happily eat them everyday! I need to find Udi’s tortillas!
I LOVE lamb! Unfortunately my hubby doesn’t so I am just going to invite myself over for dinner one night, okay? 😉
Talking about fusion! You touched almost all side of earth with this dish.
What I miss the most about NZ is the white wine 😉
I haven’t had lamb in so long and my family is CRAZY for tacos!
Looks like a winner to me!!
Gorgeous photos! These tacos look amazing.
★★★★★
This sounds like such a great dinner option. I love that it’s a slow cooker option, and the boys will love the meat and taco component. Love your “fusion” twist on homesick comfort food!
Love how you combine Texas and N.Z. in a meal! These sound fantastic–would love to give them a go.
Looks delicious! We eat lamb often, but I never though to take a taco/Mexican spin on it. Love it.
Whatever. San Diego > New Zealand. Mostly because I’m here. 😉
I wish I could get Vegas to eat lamb. She’ll try it if I order it but can’t get on board. Sigh…
Hello gorgeous lamb tacos!! I NEED these in my life. I’ve had lamb greek burgers out to eat before, but have never bought any lamb meat to make at home. Clearly that needs to change.
p.s. epic shots <3 😀
★★★★★
big fan of the crock pot! have never done lamb though!
I think I just found Ryan’s new favorite meal. He and I both love lamb and Greek food. I would love to visit New Zealand someday – I’m pretty sure that scenery is half the reason I love the Lord of the Rings movies!
One of these days I -will- make it out to New Zealand. I will. It’s been on the bucket list forever, but ugh… 30 hours of travel time just kills my will to live 😆 And lady… I have to say that these pictures are gorgeous! Between those and the flavours, I just wanna eat this rice up.
Yum! I really like lamb. I’ve used it in a few chili recipes and it’s always perfect. Adding this to my list of dinner ideas and meals that I can make and FINALLY use my new crockpot 🙂
i have a feeling your hubby will like this too. Ohh or try chili lamb tacos? ahh yea!
I’m honestly not sure if I have ever eaten lamb… sounds like something I need to try!!
with plantains!!! ah! yes!
I’m totally mesmerized with how beautiful these pictures are. So pretty! I wish I could spend all day playing with my camera. PS doctor wants me to go gluten free. Thinks I have a sensitivity affecting my hormones. What is the difference between celiac and having a sensitivity?
I thought you were gluten free? Good to know! I should probably write a post on the difference between celiac and gluten sensitivity. But I definitely think you need to limit grains for a while until your hormones get back in balance. Email me if you like. I’d love to chat more. I totally understand you
These look beautiful!! I would love to visit New Zealand one day. The closest I’ve come is Australia (which was wonderful).
I forgot to tag my post on that. You’d love it Jen https://www.cottercrunch.com/christchurch-new-zealand-behind-the-lens/
I will admit.. I’m not a huge lamb fan but yum! these look great!
oh but you gotta try it! just once in the crock pot!
I absolutely LOVE lamb…It is so good and these tacos look DELISH! xoxo
I love lamb (you’ll see that from a picture if you check out my blog post tomorrow 😉 ) and as we also need to give the Greek’s as much support as we can at the moment (and not only that, this recipe looks amazing) this recipe gets a 5 star vote from me. 😀
★★★★★
totally can’t wait! YAY!
I don’t really have a home sick thing.. been here for a long time BUT I do miss Hawaii – 🙂
So maybe headed back to NZ eventually????
if we can save up! just a simpler life there.
Yum!! I love lamb, but I’ve never made it myself!
Livi! You will be hooked, i just know it!
What a great combo of foods and flavors! I have recently taken more of a liking for lamb – excited to try this!
yay keep me posted!
i make curry when im home sick almost always with white rice..i wouldnt mind these tacos either 🙂
mmm curry rice is so good! i just made some and added pomegranate
Lindsay I’m LOVING this cross cultural flavor explosion!!! I’m usually a bit timid when it comes to cooking something “fancy” like lamb, but I think you’ve convinced me to give it a go! Can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
yes! go for it leah! and keep me posted.
Your summation is perfect! Greek food is definitely my favorite although cooking lamb intimidates me but the crockpot makes everything easier!
This is an awesome can’t combination. I will be adding this to our meal list. Thank you for something new. I love our meal rotation, but something bright, light and so flavorful like this is a nice new addition.
Lamb tacos?!! YES. I love all tacos, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a lamb taco. I’ll take 4. Oh and these photos? GORGEOUS.
I absolutely love lamb! And greek + mexican food, genius. In fact I want this for dinner tonight now!
i so thought of you! and you can easily eat this with rice to make more primal!
I am totally cravin’ this “Cultural Infusion” Dinner. We LOOOOVE lamb here, and anything Greek AND in taco? This is winning. Pinned!
yes!! its like the best! bring some cookie cake over for dessert and we will have a party!
I will have to keep this in mind for Alex. He loves lamb, though I’m not the biggest fan. I like it, but sparingly. But I do love me some Greek flavors! I”m pretty lucky in that I can get tastes of the south wherever I go, but one thing that I get every time I go home is Brunswick Stew. That, to me, is BBQ in the south in a nutshell!
really? but i thought we share the same tastebuds? haha jk. It’s a man meal for sure!