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.
Ha, Haaa, ho, HOOO, Dozer smelling ROSES, you shoul stop and do the same. Love, loveSOUP, ALWYS HAPPYMAKE SOME, THANK YOU.
😘
It’s bitterly cold here in Canada where I live, -18C or 0 Farenheit. I made this soup for dinner tonight. This is a winner and a definite keeper in my tried and true file. I followed the recipe exactly with this tiny exception, I didn’t have cardamom powder but I did have green cardamom pods or seeds (don’t know what you call those things) so I split a few open with my mortar and pestle and threw in the little black seeds. This is a wonderful stick to your ribs, warm you up, cold weather soup that’s quick and easy to prepare. 10 thumbs up!!!
That’s so great to hear Judith! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Hi, Nagi! This was SOOOO goood!! Sadly, I must avoid red meat, so I used ground turkey. I also added some fresh cauliflower I needed to use up, diced up small, a few minutes before the spinach (which was frozen because that’s all I had). The cauliflower paired well with the spices and heartiness of the meat and chickpeas. I might add some raisins next time. Ate two big bowls and had to force myself to stop so there’d be adequate leftovers for the week. This will get heavy rotation this winter. I love one-pot dishes. Thanks for a killer addition to my collection!
WHOOT! So pleased to hear that Barbara, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
Wow. My vote here for my favorite dish of the year from your site.
I’ve made North African (in this case Moroccan style) spiced dishes before
and they were pretty much one day wonders. This one is a keeper as
the leftovers can be easily incorporated into slightly different dishes AND
used up a bunch of protein from my deep freeze that is tough and gamey.
Venison was what I used.
With a fine blade (mince/grind- whatever you call it)
even the toughest cuts can be made palatable with a good dose of spice.
This is a GREAT(!) dose of spice!! Had it as a soup the 1st day and over couscous (2nd day)
and then over a rice blend (white/wild/red) the 3rd day. By the 3rd day some frozen peas
and dried mint seem to have fallen into the mix. Left out the spinach in the initial recipe (as I knew the batch
was going to last a few days and I dont like reheated spinach). Just roughly whacked it up and tossed it into the bowl as part of plating.
By the time it cooled down enough to eat the greens were very nicely wilted.
Wow! That’s a HIGH PRAISE Greg! So pleased you enjoyed this, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
It looks so comfy and delicious! Thanks for sharing
Well, well, well, I have a gallon of chicken stock freshly made that this will do just fine with. I have whole Cumin, coriander, cardamom, and pepper corn…have you tried toasting these first before grinding?
You amaze me young lady. 🙂 Can you format your printed recipes to fit on post-it notes so I have more room on my fridge? 😉 😀
This one has been moved to the front of the line.
I made your amazing recipe with a few tweaks. I didn’t have chickpeas, so I added a cup of orzo instead. I didn’t have spinach. And I replaced the can of crushed tomatoes with a sliced fresh cherry toms and marinara sauce. This is one of the best recipes I’ve had this year! I know this will be a classic dish for the winter months in the midwest. Thank you!
AHEM! I have an issue here boys & girls. Yes I totally agree Nagi looked an absolute natural on TV and yes, she has changed my mindset about instant noodles; where was the big boy I ask? A dressed up Dozer would have completed the segment and I’m sure he would have been on his best behavior. Even the two of you wearing matching outfits, now there’s an idea for next time.
As Kath would say to Kim, I have one word for you……….”you done goodly Nagi, real goodly”
Nagi, you should have your own show. I think this every time I read your blog, see your videos and photos with comments. With your knowledge and bubbly personality it would be gold.
You were a natural on TV! The recipe looked delicious too. I haven’t bought 2 minute noodles for a very long time – definitely planning on making this in the school holidays. The chickpea soup sounds amazing too. Great idea using mince.
You did fantastic on your TV debut. Had to listen to the last minute twice so as to understand the Indonesian Bullfighter joke.
It’s definitely winter up this way and your Lamb Shawarma Chickpea Soup sounds like the trick. I’m seeing a big bowl of this spiced-up soup setting on the dinner table with some fresh Balkan flatbread (they make it across the street) and mango chutney. I know sounds weird, but I think it’ll work.
So glad to see Dozer is slowing down to smell the roses.
PS: I think you looked just fine on TV. Well I must be Goreng for now.
Thanks Ron!!! It was actually really fun, I just ignored the cameras – well, to be honest, there were so many cameras and so many people around, I didn’t know where to look so I just pretended I was at home with friends! 😂 Dozer slowing down to smell the roses? Definitely not. Actually, the one time he did that, he got stung on the face by a bee – he was pathetic, crying like a baby. 👶🏻 (OK, but I confess, I took him to the vet!!!)
Hi Nagi!
You were awesome! Like everyone’s Andy said, so al a natural!!
About the beef noodle mi goreng…is that recipe on here? I can only see mi goreng rice?!
Anyways, I could be totally missing it, if not, please put it up!
This soup looks delish… We’ve got a cold spell in Victoria too..so I’m keen as a bean 😆
Everyone’s ALREADY said….
Hi Jax! Thanks so much for your lovely message! Actually, I haven’t shared that recipe on my website yet, I’m only put it on social media and YouTube, the recipe is here!! -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78ji8HaF6cM
Thank you!!😆
Hi Nagi, this recipe is exactly the flavours my husband likes, will definetly be making this……if he’s good lol
I watch studio 10 most mornings, I think you did a fabulous job. Well done 😊
Oops 5 stars
Thank you Carol!! Especially means so much coming from someone who watches it regularly!! N xx
Nagi I’ve been making your recipes almost a year. Just saw your vid. You are not only beautiful but have such a great personality and spirit. You were so natural under the camera. I was way more impressed by you, then the hosts of the tv show. The “tomato sauce” part…you assuring her that they really do use this ingredient in Asia and the lady making sure the meat was cooked made me loll…..but it really brings it all back to your roots “recipetineats” and your recipes and how you ensure your readers with notes about why you use certain ingredients. Like how you say the soy sauce for your marinades won’t make it “Asiany.” Anyway, great job Nagi!! Haven’t made this recipe yet , but it’s coming soon. 😍.
Steven
Florida USA.
Awww STEVEN! You made my day with this message, thank you!! To be honest, I just try to answer questions that I would wonder myself if it weren’t my own recipe!!! N xx
Oh sugar: am already crying for the day you will not have time to go on with your blog . . . . a brilliant segment – fancy getting Natarsha and Denise [the lady still looks great!] to cook and you looked an absolute natural and SO much fun!! If there were any flutters, they sure as hell did not show 🙂 !! Onward and upward!! Now I do cook soups all year around and this surely is a hugely appetizing full meal. Shall be honest and admit to oft buying the shawarma mix from a couple of Sydney’s many fabulous Middle Eastern spice merchants, but you have brought the essentials forth in the easiest of ways . . . [Oh Dozer, I would not have played ‘Carmen’ either . . . .what’s with the flower!!!!] . . . . .
Never!! Never never never. There have been other opportunities that I have passed on because I don’t want to reduce the time I spend on my blog!!!
Any idea what the nutritional information on Lamb Shwarma Chick pea soup would be WITHOUT the meat?
Hi Teresa – the lamb accounts for about 295 calories of the total cal per serving shown. But if you left it out, I would recommend substituting with vegetables. 🙂 If you substituted with 4 cups of chopped vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms so the soup volume per serve is still the same, then it would be 215 calories per serving. Hope that helps! (Will add this note in the recipe)
Thanks very much for the quick response. Yes – this information is very helpful. Have a great day!
Oh boy this is totally up my ally. Already have all the ingredients that live in my kitchen…can’t wait to try it! And I find your presence absolutely delightful. It’s hard to believe that you once worked in the corporate world. And I will say this again, please put out a cookbook already!
Honestly Taz….. I promise there are early rumblings about a cookbook!!!!!!! I can’t believe it myself!!!!! N xx
Excellent tv segment! I agree with all who have told you you’re a natural and should have your own tv cooking show. You are a delight and definitely held your own with the show’s regular talent. Move over Curtis Stone, because we want to see Nagi on American tv too! Oh, and Dozer, but that goes without saying, really.
Awww thank you Wynn! Huge compliment to be mentioned in the same sentence as Curtis Stone, he is VERY popular!!! 😂 N xx
love the segment! would love to do that one day 🙂 this soup looks perfect for the winter, def on my to make list over the holidays!
Reach out to your local networks! 🙂
This looks delicious Nagi. Although here in my little corner of the world, it would be mutton rather than lamb, still good though. I loved watching the segment, you were absolutely great, as others said, you are a natural!
Thank you Cathy!! Oooh yes to mutton in this. Absolutely 👌🏻 N xx