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.
Hi Nagi just a quick question what type of bread would you use with this recipe ?
regards
Michelle
Hey,
Thank you for shawarma recipe, I really really like the way you explained it, Me and my family like shawarma when we ate it in asian restaurant so i’m going to try this one in upcoming weekend where we set together once in a week so this will be amazing can you please tell me if i use persian saffron in it ? Because i have purchased saffron in good saffron price that is why thinking to make a twist in it, this will be perfect or not give me some suggestion
Thanks
Debra
Hi Debra, I haven’t tried it to be honest but I bet it would be amazing! I’d soak a pinch of it in hot water and add it with the broth to the soup. Love to know what you think!
SO good – full of flavor, so warm and filling! Shared this recipe with my friends and family. Perfect for these cold Maine winter days and nights! My daughter is vegan and will be substituting jackfruit or textured vegetable protein for the lamb – I’ll let you know the results!
Made this for Christmas Eve day lunch. My husband loved it! (I’m not a fan of lamb but I used lamb anyway so he could enjoy it.)
When I saw this recipe, I KNEW I had to try it. Unfortunately, I had no lamb, so substituted beef,as Nagi suggested. Additionally, I had no crushed tomatoes, so I used “petite diced” and upped the tomato paste by one TB, since I felt the tomato substitution might have less flavor.
It is DELICIOUS. I love cumin and can’t eat paprika, so I added two more teaspoons of cumin. People at work are stopping by my desk to find out the savory treat I am eating – I have shared the recipe with eight people so far!
I did not eat a full serving when I first made it – my schedule allowed only a quick taste, then I refrigerated it overnight. The flavors are even better today!
I love the couscous suggestion, and will try that with my next servings.
Another winner from Nagi! Thank you so much from Minnesota, USA.
Hi Casey, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, even with the substitutions! You’ll be the envy of the office from now on! 👌🏼
Made this tonight as it sounded right up my alley and it did NOT disappoint! I love the flavours! I didn’t have spinach, but really not a big fan of greens in a soup anyway so added some chopped celery with the carrots and onion. Also used ground turkey in lieu of lamb, since I had some in the freezer and it makes it more Weight Watchers friendly. I am fan of a great many of your recipes! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you loved it even with the substitutions!
Awesome! Thank you for another yummy dinner. Hubby said he doesn’t like chick peas. Ha, he does now. He ate every bite of a large bowl of this deliciousness.
I’m so glad he’s converted! Go you!!!
Can’t wait to try this!
I hope you love it!
Hi Nagi,
I have made this a few times now and absolutely love it. However I have just watched the video and note that paprika is included in the spice mix but not listed in the recipe (unless I am missing it 🤔). I added a teaspoon to today’s soup and hope that is the right amount.
Carmel
Ok I see my error now 🙄 I’ve been missing the coriander and the paprika. I blame the small print not my inability to read instructions properly. Sorry Nagi!
Hi
It’s in the first line of the instructional spice requirements.
Helen
Thanks Nagi, for another great recipe. Simple, easy ingredients list that has substitutes available.
Really enjoying working my way through your whole collection!
Haven’t had a ‘miss’ yet! Keep up your fabulous work!
I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know Celia! N x
LAMB SHAWARMA CHICKPEA SOUP
The whole family enjoyed another fantastic meal from Nagi – Delicious!
Glad you enjoyed it Frances! Thanks for letting me know – N x
After making your lamb shawarma (delicious and had a stop hubby from eating it all) I saved some of the meat to use in this soup instead of the lamb mince. Turned out fantastic. So much flavour and took no time at all. Another great recipe.
Terrific to hear you enjoyed this Nat!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x
Hi Nagi
I just made this with chicken and oh my god it was sensational. Thank you so much for providing your recipes. I’m a keen follower of yours.
That’s terrific to hear Nick! So glad you enjoyed this! N x
Very tasty. I substituted meat with härkis and it worked wonderfully. Definitely a make-again food. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s terrific to hear Karina! So glad you enjoyed this! N x
Just made this, perfect for a cold autumn night. Just reduced the oil a bit and added more vegies, the spices are lovely.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Kathleen, thanks for letting me know! N x
This is my son’s favorite so far! Again, so delicious!! ..I’d have never believed I’d be using so many recipes OR that I’d find someone elses taste so similar to my own! Stoked as! Thank you!!
Made this tonight as well as your Chinese chicken soup. This is delicious. I just tasted it and eating it tomorrow. Delicious. Thanks again for another recipe. I really love how your recipes are so clear and full of notes/details to ensure success. You don’t know how valuable that is for many of us. I’ve made a few recipes from other sites and often important details are left out.
That’s wonderful to hear Steven! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed this! N xx
Oh my word – I thought your recipes couldn’t get any better and then I made this last night. We had good friends over for dinner and I made this with some bread – I had to print off copies of the recipe for them to take home. The depth of flavour is amazing. Guess what we’re having for lunch today?! Thanks again for another souper recipe 🙂
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!! N xx
the spices in this soup are amazing together!
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Cassie! N xx
I have soup for lunch nearly everyday and have now made this recipe twice and it is excellent.
I put it in one portion freezer containers and it freezes really well. I do omit the spinach though when freezing, but that’s personal.
I hate tinned chickpeas so prepare dried ones, I use the 1 hour method of cooking and soaking them and then cooking as usual.
I read here that some-one eats it with couscous, what a great idea so everytime I put a couple of tablespoons of couscous in the bowl (I use a medium grain couscous), pour on the soup let it sit a minute or so and then its ready.
I have also added a lambshank (love the chunky pieces of lamb) and halved the mince and just cook both together. When the shank is ready I remove all the meat and return it to the pan. I do let this soup get very cold as to be able to remove the layer of fat from the top, I use very lean mince but the shank does make it very fatty.
So thanks so much for this wonderful recipe.
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Rose! N xx
That soup is amazing!!! My family loved it. So easy and I feel you could add whatever veges you have in the fridge! Fantastic Sunday night dinner for us and grownup children had bowlfulls as they wandered in for the night.
So glad everyone enjoyed this Stephanie! Thanks for letting me know! N x