Lamb and lentil soup

Serves:

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 600g diced lamb shoulder
• 1 lamb shank
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 sticks celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 cups (2L) chicken or beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup black puy lentils
• 1/2 bunch black or Tuscan cabbage, sliced

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Season lamb well and brown on all sides for a few minutes. You may have to do this in batches. Brown the shank on all sides as well. Set aside.

In the same saucepan, cook onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 3 minutes. Return lamb to saucepan and add stock and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender, topping up with more stock or water if required.

Remove shank from saucepan and slice off the meat. Return the meat to the soup and discard the bone. Wash lentils well and add to soup. Cook for 30 minutes, keeping an eye on the liquid levels and topping up if required. Add cabbage and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread on the side.

Find related lamb recipes

• Baby lamb balti pies
• Chargrilled lamb and vegetables
• Creamy moussaka
• Easy lamb curry
• Easy shepherd's pie
• Favourite lamb casserole
• Frills’ shepherd’s pie
• Garlic lemon rosemary lamb fillet
• Greek-style lamb shanks
• Healthy roast lamb

Serving Suggestions

Note

• The lamb shank helps give the soup a real depth of flavour but you can omit it if you prefer and just use diced lamb.
• The small French-style lentils hold their shape when cooked and are my preference, but you could use regular brown lentils if that’s all you have.
• This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.