Lamb Stew with Chickpeas and Lentils

A close-up of a meat and lentil stew topped with chopped pistachios and fresh mint leaves, served on a light-colored plate.

Lamb Stew with Chickpeas and Lentils

Lamb shoulder, brown lentils and chickpeas simmer in a tomato sauce with warm spices and a lemon finish. Serve with tzatziki, roasted carrots, fresh herbs and crushed nuts.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Greek-Inspired

Keyword lamb

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 15

Servings -6 people

Calories 401kcal

Author Maria Koutsogiannis

Equipment

dutch oven or large pot

Ingredients

For the lamb -

2 lbs lamb shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the stew

1 large yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
1 ¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 ¼ tsp ground paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp sugar
¼ cup dry red wine
14 oz can diced tomatoes
3 ½ cups beef broth
½ cup dried brown lentils
14-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

For serving

tzatziki or labneh tzatziki tzatziki recipe or labneh recipe
roasted carrots
Garnishes: Crushed pistachios and walnuts and fresh herbs like mint or dill

Instructions

Season the cubed lamb generously with kosher salt and ground pepper.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and turn to medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the lamb pieces and cook, turning often until browned on all sides, about 4-6 minutes total. **If your pot is not very large, do this in 2 batches to make sure the lamb has enough room in the pot to brown.**
Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and tender.
Add the ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground cardamom, ground turmeric, ground smoked paprika, kosher salt, ground pepper, bay leaves, tomato paste and sugar. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the red wine, cook and stir until the red wine has reduced by half.
Add the canned tomatoes and beef broth and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and keep at a simmer, cover and cook for 40 minutes with the lid on - stir occasionally.
After 40 minutes, add the dried lentils and chickpeas, stir to combine, and cook for 20 minutes with the lid on. If the lentils aren't quite cooked through yet and not much liquid remains, add up to 1 cup more water.
Remove the lid and cook for 15-25 minutes with the lid off, until the stew is reduced and thickened - you want it quite thick, so it’s not ‘soupy’ when served on a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.
To serve, spread a few tablespoons of labneh tzatziki (or regular tzatsiki) on a plate, topping the labneh with the roasted carrots and then spoon the stew onto the plate beside the carrots and labneh. Garnish with crushed pistachios and walnuts and fresh herbs like mint or dill.

Notes

We also love to serve this recipe with Classic Mashed Potatoes or rice!
If you love this recipe, try our Lamb Youvetsi Recipe with Orzo and Braised Lamb Shanks

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