No bland chickpea soup in my world! Exploding with flavour, this tastes like your favourite Chicken Shawarma – except it’s in soup form with lamb and chickpeas. Filling, nutritious and quick to make!
Chickpea soup with flavour explosion!
I had every intention of making a wholesome, chickpea and vegetable soup.
I really, really tried to get excited about it.
It is possible to make a great meat-free chickpea soup (I promise I will share mine one day!). But, but, but…. I wanted kapow flavours. Actually, I was really tempted to do the long haul drive for a good laksa fix. I felt like I deserved it. (But then, I always feel I deserve it….)
So I compromised. Chickpeas. Veggie loaded – there’s a whole bunch of spinach in this, plus carrots plus onion (yes that counts towards your daily veggie intake, I checked!). Lamb for protein, cooked with my Chicken Shawarma spice mix – wait until you smell this part!!!! It’s SO GOOD!
Shawarma Spice Mix
This is the same shawarma spice mix I use for Chicken Shawarma, a long standing reader favourite. The combination of spices in this is intoxicating!
Oh boy. If you like kapow flavours, or if you are dubious about chickpea soups having been scarred by bland ones in the past, this Lamb Shawarma Chickpea Soup is for you!! It’s really fragrant, the soup itself is quite intense from both the spices and also the lamb. It’s hearty, almost stew-like. Actually, I didn’t know whether to call this a stew or soup.
Because the soup flavouring is from the Shawarma Spice Mix, there’s no need to simmer this for ages. Just long enough for the carrot to become tender. Oh, also, I use canned chickpeas here. Speedy, unplanned meal. 🙂
But if you do have the foresight to plan and want to take it over the top, add a side of homemade flatbreads (simple, no yeast!) or make this mind blowingly easy crusty Artisan bread.
Update: I recently created a similar but different variation of this soup in the form of Beef & Lentil Soup. This was has more Moroccan-inspired flavours. Give it a try too!
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chickpea Lamb Shawarma Soup
Ingredients
Spices:
- 2 tsp EACH cumin powder, coriander, paprika
- 1 tsp cardamon powder (can omit if you don’t have)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Soup:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb, or beef) (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 carrots , peeled and chopped (about size of chickpeas)
- 600 g / 21 oz canned chickpeas , drained and rinsed (1.5 standard cans, Note 2)
- 400 g / 14 oz can crushed tomato
- 3 cups / 750 ml chicken broth / stock
- 1 bunch spinach , roughly chopped (about 4 packed cups) (wilts a lot)
Garnishes (highly recommended):
- Plain yoghurt (or sour cream)
- Chopped fresh coriander / cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute until starting to turn translucent.
- Add lamb and cook, breaking it up as you go. When it has mostly turned from pink to light brown, add spices.
- Cook for 1 minute, then add tomato paste and cook for another 1 minute. (It smells amazing!)
- Add carrots, chickpeas, tomato and broth. Stir and bring to simmer.
- Cover with lid, lower heat so it is bubbling energetically but not crazy rapidly. Cook for 10 minutes until carrot is tender but not super soft – I like it to have a bit of bite still, if you want super soft, keep cooking.
- Stir through spinach. Once wilted, adjust salt, pepper and spiciness (cayenne) to taste, and water if you want more liquid.
- Ladle into bowls, add a dollop of yoghurt and a generous sprinkling of coriander. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More hearty soups
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Life of Dozer
Spent my afternoon tea break trying to teach him to hold a flower in his mouth, just because I think it would be so cute! But once he realised it wasn’t edible, he was completely uninterested. I give up.
A simple yet delicious looking recipe, perfect for the colder winter days we are now experiencing here. I also love pulses, so this recipe really is a winner.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lincoln! Hope you do try it, I know you’re a fan of pulses!
Hi.. I always admire your recipes and follow you via newsletters..and other social media…The recipe above is awesome but being from the Middle East , find that the name Chicken Shawarma is not applicable…Shawarma is a type of cooking and serving Chicken or Lamb Meat ,something similar to your other Shawarma recipe…I have authenticated points of view on “Shawarma” as well as on Lamb Koftas…In case you like to read those points of view i will be very pleased to send them to you..Thanks and regards
You’re so very right!! I did not mean to offend anyone, I just used a “cute” name for this recipe because I cook the lamb in the spices I use for my Chicken Shawarma. But yes I do know that Shawarma is a type of cooking! Thank you for your message! N x
Hi..Many thanks for your kind reply..I am sure that you do not offend anyone…I just wanted to make the recipe in the most perfect shape…However please review your Lamb Kofta because the Ingredients and the way of cooking needs a lot of modification..Thanks for your patience ..please accept my regards and high respect ..
But but but…. I love them so much as it is!! 😂 I cook them that way because I don’t have an outdoor charcoal grill, just a stove and BBQ 🙂 N xx
Perhaps you missed the point of the recipe? It’s for when you want the flavors of Shawarma, but have a craving for soup and want those flavors in a soup form.
I know this is about food, great recipe BTW!!, but loooove Dozer’s feed, always looking forward to read something about him😍😊
That cheeky devil is always up to something 😂
Too funny – I have always wondered if onion counts towards ‘5 serves a day’.
So good to know it does! (Great to get an easy win in most meals – though it feels a bit like cheating!)
You were fantastic on Channel 10, loved the segment – definitely the start of something.
Thaaaanks Kelly! 😂 N xx
Nagi Nagi Nagi… you are a TV NATURAL!!!
Pleeaase have your own show some day. You are just so much fun…and you looked great too. Every bit as glamorous as the others!
Awww you’re too kind Helen, thank you! N xx
Hi Nagi..the perfect recipe for me WINTER IS OFFICIALLY HERE IN TORONTO😈.
HEY DOZER ask your mom to make you an edible flower then maybe it would interest you to hold it in your mouth😃..
Thanks for another delicious recipe