This rich, flavourful and hearty lamb and lentils soup is the ultimate soul food. If you are looking for a warming, comforting meal on a cold autumn or winter day, look no further! I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
The Flavour Affair:
Lamb + Rosemary + Bay Leaf + Black Peppercorns + Tomatoes + Lentils + Lemon
Because both lamb and lentils are fairly heavy, they need to be offset by fresher, peppery ingredients to create a balanced flavour profile. That’s where spicy peppercorns, penetrating bay leaf and tart lemon come in.
Lamb: a lot of taste in this soup comes from broth, and a lot of taste in the broth comes from bones. That is why I recommend to use home-made broth from a bone-in lamb shank. Simmer the shank on low heat for a couple of hours in plenty of water, and you will end up with a strong, rich broth that you can use immediately or freeze for later. You can add the aromatics straight away if you want those flavours to stand out more. Plus, the cooked meat will be very tender because of the soft tissue and gelatin around the bone.
Rosemary: this number one companion for lamb complements its rich taste with woody and citrusy notes, creating a balanced flavour and a comforting earthy aroma.
Bay leaf: herbal with distinctive minty undertones, bay leaf goes amazingly well with lamb.
Black peppercorns balance the rich, heavy broth with peppery freshness.
Tomatoes contribute with a tart, sour-ish taste and add bulk to the broth.
Lentils: I recommend using two types of lentils in this soup to enrich its texture. I like to combine chana dal with small masoor lentils.
Lemon: adds a sharp, bright contrast. Use as a finishing touch drizzling a little lemon over your soup bowl.
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Which types of lentils to use?
Chana dal (split chickpeas) and masoor (small red) lentils are great here. Chana dal has quite firm texture that allows it to stay grainy even when cooked for longer times. Small red lentils turn soft and mushy fairly quickly, which adds the comforting thickness to the soup. If you prefer a lighter consistency, just use chana dal.
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Do lentils require soaking?
Most of lentils, including chana dal, require soaking before they can be cooked because it makes them easier to digest and helps avoid bloating. It also allows for faster cooking times and improves the taste. However, masoor dal is so small that soaking is generally not necessary – it is enough to thoroughly rinse the lentils a few times while gently massaging them.
Preparation Tips for Lamb and Lentils Soup:
- Start by making the broth – place the lamb into a large pot together with the aromatics and pour in the water up until 4-5cm from the pot edges.
- Soup aromatics (onions, garlic, rosemary and bay leaf) will be discarded so you do not need to spend time chopping them.
- Let the broth warm slowly over medium heat. If it gets to boil too fast, the froth will be hard to remove.
- Removing the froth ensures a clear, transparent broth. This generally requires around 15 minutes of close monitoring.
- Once there is no more froth being formed, lower the heat, put the lid on and let the stove do the job.
- While the broth is in the making, you can soak the chana dal.
- In the end, discard herbs and aromatics and remove the shanks. Let them cool just a little and pull the meat off the bones. Add chana dal, tomatoes, carrots and season with salt. Wait for chana dal to cook for 10 minutes and add small red lentils together with the meat. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the chana dal is cooked.
Enjoy served with a sprinkle of lemon and fresh bread.
Looking for more ideas for satisfying winter soups? Check out my delicious Sopa de Albóndigas recipe, filling Wild Mushrooms and Cauliflower Soup or creamy and coconut-y Butternut Squash and Prawns soup!
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Hearty Lamb and Lentils Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large soup pot
- 2 bowls for soaking and rinsing lentils
Ingredients
- 2 lamb shanks bone in
- 5-6 garlic cloves lightly pressed
- 1 onion peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2-3 carrots cut in chunks
- 200 g chana dal
- 100 g masoor dal small red lentils
- 150 ml strained tomatoes
- A lemon wedge
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lamb shanks bone in
- 5-6 garlic cloves lightly pressed
- 1 onion peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2-3 carrots cut in chunks
- 200 g chana dal
- 100 g masoor dal small red lentils
- 150 ml strained tomatoes
- A lemon wedge
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the shanks together with garlic, onions, bay leaf, rosemary and black peppercorns for about 2.5 hours or until the meat is completely soft. In the beginning watch the soup to remove the froth as it forms.
- While the broth is cooking, use a big bowl to wash the chana dal, cover with water and leave it to soak.
- In another bowl, thoroughly rinse masoor dal a few times.
- When the lamb is completely cooked (soft and falling off the bones), discard the onions, garlics, rosemary and bay leaf and transfer the shanks to a large board.
- Add the carrots and the rinsed chana dal to the broth and bring to simmer. There will be more froth, keep removing it. After about 10 minutes pop in the small red lentils and strained tomatoes. Salt to taste.
- Continue to simmer until the lentils are cooked. In the meantime, pull the meat off the bones and add it back to the soup in the very end.
- Squeeze over a lemon wedge, season with black pepper and serve with fresh bread.
Notes
- The soup can last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If you enjoy cooking with spices, you can further enhance the flavours of this soup by adding a pinch of freshly toasted ground coriander, cumin and fennel.
- You can make a quick version of this soup by using lamb cubes. Sear them in a little olive oil, cover with water and cook for 1-1.5 hours until soft with fried onions, garlic, carrots and rosemary. Add the strained tomatoes and chana dal for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
