Turkish Lamb Stew with Chickpeas

Turkish Lamb Stew with Chickpeas (a.k.a Nohut Yahni or Chickpea Soup) is a traditional Turkish dish made with diced lamb, chickpeas, and pearl onions.

It is an easy, one-pot dish and great comfort food, especially for cold winter days.

The most common way of serving this chickpea stew - usually called Nohut Yemegi or Etli Nohut in Turkey - is either with a bowl of delicious Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav) or Bulgur Pilaf accompanied by a bowl of Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers).

If you're looking for a new way to eat chickpeas, this chickpea&lamb stew is a great idea.

It is packed with amazing flavors and a great combination of healthy proteins and carbs. Let's give it a go!

Why This Recipe Works?

• Etli Nohut is very easy to make which is perfect for having as a weekday or lazy weekend meal.

• This rich chickpea stew is delicious as well as nutritious.

• You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. The leftovers taste even better when reheated.

• This recipe works perfectly with leftover roast lamb or beef.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Lamb - Well-exercised muscles rich in collagen such as the shank, shin, or shoulder are the typical cuts of meat for slow cooking.

• Chickpeas - I prefer using dry chickpeas for this recipe. You can also use canned chickpeas. Simply drain them and add to the stew after the lamb is tenderly cooked and falling apart.

• Pearl onions - You can substitute them with small shallots or chunky-cut regular onions.

• Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater.

• Stock - I prefer using Homemade Beef Stock but Chicken Stock works great as well. You can use stock cubes if you don't have any stock in hand. Make sure you don't add too much salt as ready-made stocks and stock cubes contain salt already.

How to Make Turkish Lamb Stew with Chickpeas?

This is a very simple and straightforward recipe to follow.

You can cook this healthy stew in a dutch oven or a heavy-based pan.

To achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:

Soak and Cook the Dried Chickpeas

To cook dried chickpeas, soak them in plenty of water overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours.

Water should be at least double the amount of the chickpeas as the chickpeas will expand.

So, make sure you place them in a large bowl with plenty of water.

Before cooking the chickpeas, drain them, place them in a pan with plenty of water over medium heat, and bring to a boil.

Then lower the heat and precook the chickpeas for 30-40 minutes or until slightly softened.

If you're using a pressure cooker, depending on the setting, the cooking period will be around 20-25 minutes at low heat after the pressure is up.

Prepare the Base

If you want to use a dutch oven for cooking your chickpea stew, preheat the fan oven to 180° C (360° F).

Heat the dutch oven on medium-high heat, add olive oil, and sear the lamb in batches to achieve equally golden brown meat.

Lower the heat, add the onions, and sauté until slightly browned then add the garlic.

You can use 2 large onions if you don't have pearl onions or small shallots.

Chop the large onions into chunky pieces. Sauté for another minute then stir in the tomato and pepper paste.

Use an extra 1 tablespoon tomato paste if you don't have red pepper paste.

Sprinkle on the flour and give it a quick stir.

Deglaze the pan with a little bit of stock to release the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, then add the chickpeas.

If using tinned and cooked chickpeas, add them towards the end of cooking time.

Add the rest of the stock along with the chilies, freshly ground black pepper, and salt.

Bring to a boil and then put the lid on and place it in the oven.

Cook for 2 hours or until the meat and chickpeas are tender.

Check the liquid and add more stock if needed.

Stir the stew every half an hour to avoid sticking to the bottom of the dutch oven.

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Top Tips From the Chef

• You can make this delicious chickpea stew/soup on a stovetop using a heavy-based pan. The cooking time might vary, and also you might need to stir it more often to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

• Use homemade stock for this nutritious lamb stew (if you can). The secret behind most of the delicious soups, sauces, and stews is definitely a good-quality homemade beef stock. Although it takes some time and effort to prepare a good homemade beef stock, it's definitely worth the time and effort. It is healthier and more nutritious than shop-bought ones.

• Also homemade stock has a full-bodied richness that is coming from the gelatin of the bones and connective tissues. So, if you're in a real domestic mood, prepare your own stock, and use it for this stew to achieve extra flavors. Here is our Homemade Beef Stock recipe.

Recipe FAQs

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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 hearty and rich Turkish Lamb and Chickpea Stew as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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