A rich, aromatic soup featuring tender lamb meatballs, chickpeas, and tomatoes, seasoned with a blend of warm spices. Inspired by the Caucasian Kufta-Bozbash, this version skips rice in the meatballs and potatoes in the soup, making it lighter and spicier.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6, 3-quart pot)
- Lamb leg – 1 lb (500 g), cut into chunks
- Lamb or beef bones (for broth) – 1 lb (500 g)
- Lard – ⅓ cup (about 100 g)
- Canned chickpeas – 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can, drained
- Tomatoes in juice – 1 (14 oz / 400 g) can
- Onions – 2 medium, chopped
- Adjika (Abkhazian chili paste) – ½ tsp
- Garlic – 1 clove, minced
- Fresh cilantro – 1 small bunch, chopped
- Ground coriander – 1½ tsp
- Ground cumin (zira) – 1½ tsp
- Ground black pepper – 1½ tsp
- Paprika – 1 tsp
- Saffron – pinch
- Flour – 3–4 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
Cooking process
Step 1: Make the Broth
Place the bones in a 3-quart (3 L) pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours, skimming off any foam that forms
Step 2: Prepare the Meatballs
Cut lamb, lard, and one onion into medium chunks.
In a food processor (or using a meat grinder), combine lamb, lard, onion, garlic, a few cilantro sprigs, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp salt. Process into a fine mince.
Mix the minced meat well with your hands.
Shape into walnut-sized meatballs. Roll each meatball lightly in flour.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides (about 3–4 minutes). Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Prepare Tomato-Onion Base
In the same skillet, sauté the remaining chopped onion until golden.
Add the chopped tomatoes (with juice) and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 tsp each of coriander, cumin, black pepper, and paprika. Simmer another 10 minutes.
Step 4: Combine Soup
- Strain the broth to remove bones. Return the liquid to a clean pot.
- Add the tomato-onion mixture, adjika, chickpeas, and browned meatballs.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add saffron 10 minutes before the end of cooking and adjust salt to taste.
Step 5: Serve
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
Serve hot. The lamb meatballs are juicy, tender, and packed with spice, while the soup is aromatic and comforting
Tips & Notes
- Spice level: Adjust adjika or add a pinch of cayenne for more heat.
- Broth alternative: If you don’t have lamb bones, beef bones or even chicken bones work.
- Meal prep: The meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen before browning.
I would like to invite you to look at other recipes for classic soups from around the world:
Hungarian goulash soup https://takajaeda.com/en/recipes-en/hungarian-goulash-soup/
Ukrainian borscht https://takajaeda.com/en/recipes-en/ukrainian-borscht-according-to-my-grandmothers-recipe/
Georgian soup Kharcho https://takajaeda.com/en/recipes-en/georgian-soup-kharcho/
Vietnamese Pho Bo soup
