Sac Kavurma (Turkish Lamb Sauté) is a simple yet delicious Turkish dish made by sautéing the lamb with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices over high heat.
Kavurma is traditionally cooked in a shallow two-handled pan called "sac" which has its origins in the cooking utensils used by nomad Turks. But don't worry if you don't have a sac pan, you can still make saç kavurma using an Asian wok to create high heat and sear the meat in its own fat.
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This delicious and traditional Turkish Lamb sauté recipe is very easy to prepare and is ready in just 40 minutes. Although it is a tradition to serve it during Eid, you can also serve it as a weekday meal or for a dinner party.
What is Kavurma?
Kavurma is a type of sautéed meat dish popular in Turkish cuisine and there are a few different versions. Apart from Sac Kavurma, there is a dish called Coban Kavurma or Shepherd's Kavurma similarly comprises meat sautéed with onion, tomato, and capsicum.
Another related dish is Winter Kavurma is made by slow cooking the meat in its own fat, very similar to confit. This type of kavurma was in the past an important part of the diet and was particularly used in times when fresh meat was scarce. It was often prepared from the meat of sheep slaughtered in the autumn, for storage during the winter, when small amounts would be used to flavor vegetable and rice dishes.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Lamb - I use marbled cut meat with some fat such as shoulder or neck fillet. Cut the meat into small cubes and trim the fat off to render it for your kavurma.
- Lamb fat - Lamb tail fat is a common ingredient for this dish but it is not easy to find it here in the UK. Instead, I trim the fat from the meat and cut it into small pieces. You might also be able to find lamb fat from your butcher for rendering. Alternatively, you can use ghee.
- Peppers - I prefer using Turkish green peppers for this dish. They are one of the most popular peppers in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
- Tomatoes - Red & juicy summer tomatoes are always the best option but you can use any type of tomatoes you have in hand.
- Garlic - You can turn it into a paste with a mortar and pestle or grate using a Microplane zester before adding it to kavurma.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is a very simple, straightforward recipe and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Heat a large pan (sac, wok, or cast iron pan) on medium heat, add the lamb fat and let it gently warm up, and begin to liquefy. Stir it occasionally and keep it simmering until the fat becomes tiny bits.
Turn the heat up to high and then add the diced lamb. Cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously.
Let it release its water and absorb it back. Add the cumin, freshly ground pepper, paprika, and thyme, and sauté for a minute.
Add the sliced onions and peppers to the meat and sauté for a few more minutes on high heat.
Toss in the tomatoes along with the tomato paste and then cook until they are slightly tender.
Add the salt, give it a good stir and then serve it hot with Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav) or Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread).
Top Tips From The Chef
- If you want your lamb sac kavurma tender and soft, cook it on high heat, and don't add salt until the very end of the cooking process.
- Lamb tail fat is a common ingredient for this dish and adds extra flavor to the Kavurma dish. If you can't find lamb fat, trim the fat from the lamb meat and cut it into small pieces, and render it as stated in the recipe card.
- You can make this recipe with other meat instead of lamb such as goat, veal, or chicken. The cooking time might vary depending on the type of meat.
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to enjoy this traditional Turkish dish and the options are endless.
You can serve Sac Kavurma with some bread to mop up the juices. Our favorites are Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi, Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread, and Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread).
This dish is also perfect to serve over rice or with some potato dishes such as Crispy Sauté Potatoes With Garlic, Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf), and Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav).
To turn it into a feast, why not add some Coban Salatasi (Turkish Shepherd's Salad) or a cooling Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt With Cucumbers).
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this Kavurma dish is freezer friendly. Let the leftovers cool down and place them in an airtight container before freezing. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The leftovers of this delicious lamb dish would keep refrigerated for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container.
Related Recipes
For more delicious traditional Turkish Recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious traditional Sac Kavurma (Turkish Lamb Sauté) as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Sac Kavurma (Turkish Lamb Sauté)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 100 g lamb fat (or ghee)
- 800 g diced lamb (1 cm diced)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 2 Turkish green peppers (or 1 green bell pepper) (sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 large tomatoes (small diced)
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 red chilli (or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes) (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat a large pan (sac, wok, or cast iron pan) on medium heat, add the lamb fat and let it gently warm up, and begin to liquefy.
- Stir it occasionally and keep it simmering until the fat becomes tiny bits. Turn the heat up to high and then add the diced lamb.
- Cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously. Let it release its water and absorb it back.
- Add the cumin, freshly ground pepper, paprika, and thyme, and cook for a minute.
- Add the sliced onions and peppers to the meat and sauté for a few minutes on high heat.
- Toss in the tomatoes along with the tomato paste and cook until they are slightly tender.
- Add the salt, give it a good stir and then serve it hot with Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav) or Bazlama (Turkish Bread).
Notes
- If you want your lamb sac kavurma tender and soft, cook it on high heat, and don't add salt until the very end of the cooking process.
- Lamb tail fat is a common ingredient for this dish and adds extra flavor to the Kavurma dish. If you can't find lamb fat, trim the fat from the lamb meat and cut it into small pieces, and render it as stated in the recipe card.
- You can make this recipe with other meat instead of lamb such as goat, veal, or chicken. The cooking time might vary depending on the type of meat.
Nutrition
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Ashley
I love this recipe, and usually make it with chicken. I will try the lamb version, looks absolutely amazing.
Gerome
It turned out so delicious! I served it with couscous and went down really well.
Neil
Fantastic recipe with great instructions. Thank you!
Ayla Clulee
You’re welcome, Neil! Thank you for your review.
Best wishes
Ayla x
Jenn
Absolutely fantastic! Followed recipe exactly, except I did have to buy bone in shoulder so cut the meat off.
Sandy
This recipe is such comfort food and has amazing flavour. I’ve made it twice. Half the meat the first time and now per recipe. My family loved it! This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!!
Tirina
Made this yesterday since I had some lamb. I tried following everything as outlined, came out really incredible. Thank you so much!