Moroccan lamb and lentil soup
13
Points®
Total time: 1 hr 24 min • Prep: 17 min • Cook: 1 hr 7 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
In Morocco, a long-simmering, sweet-spiced soup such as this is made with lamb shanks and served to break the fast of Ramadan. We’ve adjusted the recipe to use quick-cooking lean lamb cubes, so the whole thing is ready in just about one hour but still packs a punch with bold, traditional Moroccan spices like cinnamon, cumin and turmeric. Lamb usually has a gamier flavor than more common meats like beef, pork, or poultry. It gets browned first before braising in the soup to add color and build flavor. Serve with pita bread to mop up the juices, if you like.
Ingredients
Olive oil
2 tsp
Uncooked lamb shoulder
0.75 pound(s)
Uncooked onion(s)
1 large
Garlic
5 medium clove(s)
Reduced-sodium chicken broth
3.5 cup(s)
Canned diced tomatoes
14.5 oz
Dried lentils
0.75 cup(s)
Cinnamon stick
1 average
Ground turmeric
1 tsp
Ground cumin
1 tsp
Ground ginger
0.75 tsp
Table salt
0.75 tsp
Black pepper
0.5 tsp
Uncooked zucchini
2 medium
Lemon zest
1 tsp
Fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp
Instructions
1
Heat the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5–6 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside.
2
Add the onion and garlic to the same Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7–8 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, salt, pepper, and the browned lamb; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the lamb and lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
3
Add the zucchini; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is softened, about 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick, then stir in the lemon zest and juice just before serving. Yields 1 3/4 cups per serving.
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