Welsh Lamb Cawl with Minted Dumplings — A Mountain Feast

This is number 14 in the That's Food and Drink series on traditional Welsh foods.

No dish better embodies the spirit of the Welsh countryside than Cawl — the national stew of Wales. 

Add tender dumplings kissed with fresh mint, and you’ve got a version that’s as comforting as it is celebratory.

This slow-simmered, wholesome meal is rooted in centuries of rural tradition, where resourcefulness met the rugged landscape. 

A warm bowl of lamb cawl feels like a hug from the hills — rich, rustic, and deeply nourishing.

A Dish as Old as the Valleys

Originally made over open fires in iron pots, Cawl (rhymes with “owl”) was once a staple of farm kitchens, made with whatever root vegetables were on hand and often a piece of salted or fresh lamb or beef.

Today, Welsh lamb — famed for its flavour thanks to the country’s lush pastures — is the ideal choice for this hearty stew.

The Minted Dumpling Twist

While traditional cawl is served with bread and cheese, this version includes minted suet dumplings that elevate it into something even more indulgent. Mint complements lamb beautifully and adds a delicate lift to the deep savoury broth.

Regional Notes and Customs

South Wales (Glamorgan, Monmouthshire)

Cawl is often made thinner and eaten as a soup starter

Cheese and leeks served on the side

Mid and North Wales (Powys, Snowdonia)

Thick, chunky style with mutton or neck of lamb

Sometimes includes pearl barley or swede

Modern Adaptation

Cook in a slow cooker or Instant Pot

Add mint sauce drizzle for extra depth

Recipe: Welsh Lamb Cawl with Minted Dumplings

Ingredients:

For the cawl:

750g Welsh lamb (shoulder or neck), cut into chunks

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 parsnip, sliced

1 small swede, diced

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 leek, sliced

1.5L lamb or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh thyme (optional)

For the dumplings:

100g self-raising flour

50g shredded suet

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Cold water to bind

Method:

Brown the lamb in a large pot, then remove.

Sauté the onions in the lamb fat until soft.

Return the lamb to the pot, add stock, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add all vegetables except the leeks and cook for 30 minutes more.

Stir in leeks and season. Simmer until all veg are tender.

For the dumplings:

Mix flour, suet, and mint. Add water slowly until a dough forms.

Roll into small balls and drop into the cawl.

Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.

A Mountain Feast to Share

Welsh Lamb Cawl with Minted Dumplings is a dish best served steaming hot, with thick bread or oatcakes and sharp cheddar on the side. Whether you’re enjoying it by a fire in a country inn or at your kitchen table on a rainy evening, it brings the soul of the Welsh landscape straight to your plate.

Next in the series: Aberffraw Biscuits — The Shell-Shaped Sweet from Anglesey.

Cawl: Wales in a Bowl

Few dishes capture the heart of Wales quite like cawl. Pronounced “cowl”, this traditional broth of meat and seasonal vegetables is often described as the national dish of Wales.

Hearty, nourishing, and steeped in history, cawl was originally a peasant dish, evolving over centuries to suit whatever ingredients were most readily available.

Today, it remains a warming staple — served at family gatherings, country fairs, and St. David’s Day celebrations across the nation.

The Heart of Welsh Hospitality

Historically, cawl was cooked in a large iron pot over an open fire, bubbling away slowly while families worked the land. It made use of the freshest root vegetables of the season, along with whatever meat was at hand — typically lamb, beef, or bacon.

Eating cawl was a communal experience: diners would ladle broth into bowls first, enjoying the liquid with bread and cheese, before moving on to the meat and vegetables.

Regional Variations

South Wales (Carmarthenshire, Gwent)

Lamb is the preferred meat.

Leeks, carrots, swede, and potatoes dominate.

Served with a wedge of sharp Caerphilly cheese.

North Wales (Gwynedd, Conwy)

Often features beef brisket instead of lamb.

Broth tends to be thicker, almost stew-like.

Sometimes enriched with barley.

Modern Variations

Vegetarian versions using leeks, celeriac, and parsnips.

Addition of fresh herbs like thyme or parsley.

Served with crusty sourdough or oat bread.

Traditional Cawl Recipe

Ingredients:

700g lamb neck or shoulder (bone-in, ideally)

2 large carrots, sliced

1 large leek, cleaned and sliced

1 small swede, diced

2–3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

1.5 litres of water or light lamb stock

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

Method:

Place lamb in a large pot with water or stock. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add carrots, leek, swede, potatoes, and onion.

Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Simmer gently for another hour until the meat is tender and the vegetables are soft.

Remove the lamb, shred the meat, and return it to the broth (discarding any bones).

Serve hot, garnished with parsley, alongside crusty bread and mature Caerphilly cheese.

Traditional Way to Serve

First course: A bowl of the rich broth.

Second course: The tender meat and vegetables, often eaten with bread and cheese.

This two-stage serving style honours the humble yet hearty spirit of the dish.

Cawl: A Taste of Welsh Soul

More than just soup, cawl represents the hospitality, resilience, and resourcefulness of the Welsh people. Reconnect with your heritage by ladling up a steaming bowl of tradition — no special occasion necessary. Cawl was actually a dish known in my family, from my Welsh Grandmother. And my wife, who also comes from Welsh stock, also makes Cawl.

Coming next: Anglesey Eggs — A Homely Welsh Comfort.