Chorba
- Total Time
- 90 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- ¾pound boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder or leg) cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2medium yellow onions, halved and finely sliced
- 2teaspoons ground turmeric
- Small pinch of saffron, about 3 threads
- 1teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1(14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2medium tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater (or ½ 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes)
- 1½tablespoons tomato paste
- 2medium russet potatoes (9 ounces each), peeled and diced
- 4ounces spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 3tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
442 calories; 20 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 626 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium high. Add the lamb, onions, turmeric, saffron, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is lightly browned and the onions are softened, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Add 7 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer gently for about 1 hour or until the lamb starts breaking apart and is almost cooked.
- Step 3
Add the chickpeas, grated tomatoes, tomato paste and potatoes and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost cooked and start to soften.
- Step 4
Add the broken spaghetti pieces and parsley and increase the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until the spaghetti and potatoes are cooked, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, adjusting the cook time according to the package instructions. Don’t hesitate to add a ladle of water in case too much evaporates during the cooking process in order to obtain the desired soup consistency.
- Step 5
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately with more parsley on top.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
marie-claude garneau
The chorbas that I've had did have a little kick to them so I could see adding a dash of harissa, but I wouldn't overdo it. Yes there are chorbas with chicken. I would use boneless thighs and shred them before serving.
Will
Perhaps some harissa on the side?
Helen
Can this dish be made with chicken instead of Lamb?
Dal
Delicious. Subbed chicken for lamb and used canned tomatoes, upping the quantity a bit. Was a hit with my family--grandparents, spouse, toddler. Will definitely make again.
lexbee72
Was a bit bland to me so I added a few generous spoons of harissa and a dash of cinnamon. I cooked it down further because I like more of a stew, but I probably reduced it too far because the pasta, potatoes and peas absorbed most of the liquid and I would have liked more broth for leftovers -- which are going to be bomb! I used farfalle which was what I had to use up, and it looked very cute.
EB
Chorba is a Turkish word meaning "soup." Not a very inspiring name for this recipe.
MarionG
I grew up in Morocco, and we called this Harira. Mmm tasty, it was just about this recipe, plus cinnamon and cumin.
Jason
This is a great base recipe for a phenomenal stew. As most people have mentioned, the stew requires a punch of flavor. Jalapeños, cinnamon, and a dash of chili oil does the trick. I eliminated the pasta element (knowing the starch from potatoes and the pasta would be a thickening agent). Instead, I used a little rice starch. Don't skip out on the lamb! But if you are getting a small shoulder, treat yourself and have the butcher take care of it for you.
Chris
Made this per the recipe, with beef for lamb, and more salt and pepper but found it a bit bland. Added sumac and marjoram (the miracle herb for soup, adds delicious savory flavor) and it was great. My father in law likes his chick peas softer so I added them earlier. Served with zaatar bread and Greek yogurt on the side. Excellent!!
Juan
Went heavier on the spices, added cinnamon, went the grated tomato route, used random leftover pasta. Ended up more soup than stew, and there could be more lamb in there relative to other ingredients (I used a pound). Very tasty
Suzie
I would add some fresh cilantro in addition the parsley.
C-money
It lacks any sort of spice. Sort of boring for how long it takes but it reheats really well. The recipe does come together fairly easily though.
Loves_to_cook
This looks like a nice early spring stew. I’ll probably add gochugaru to it, a few teaspoons for sure, probably closer to a tablespoon. I like my stews to have some zing.
Sam
This was a nice warming soup/stew. My son has a cold so I added a bit to it so he could taste it better; on its own it is Avery subtle, mild, warm flavor. I added a cinnamon stick, a tablespoon of cumin, and a teaspoon of berbere. Will definitely make it again and experimenting!
Ronni.
Veganized with vegan chicken strips. Took the advice to add Tamari, and did that plus a dash of liquid smoke for good measure. Vegetable stock instead of water. Four cups instead of 7.5. Aromatic and delicious.
Neil
I added a little Worcestershire and that worked.
Marilyn
Added harissa as garnish.
Bronskrat
Tastes like Spaghettio's
Jen
I added 2 tbs of chopped jalapeño and a bit of cayenne pepper. I used spiral pasta. At the end I gave put in a bit of soy sauce. Otherwise I followed the recipe. It is amazing!
EB
Chorba is a Turkish word meaning "soup." Not a very inspiring name for this recipe.
Dal
Delicious. Subbed chicken for lamb and used canned tomatoes, upping the quantity a bit. Was a hit with my family--grandparents, spouse, toddler. Will definitely make again.
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