Etli Nohut (Etli Nohut) — Turkish Lamb and Chickpea Stew with Tomato and Pepper
Etli nohut is a beloved Turkish home stew pairing tender lamb with chickpeas in a tomato-pepper base. It’s commonly served over rice and enjoyed as comforting everyday food across Anatolia.
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Servings: 6 · Total: 115 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 300 g Dried chickpeas (Soak 12 hours, then drain)
- 1500 ml Water (For simmering chickpeas)
- 700 g Lamb shoulder (Cut into 3 cm cubes)
- 30 ml Olive oil
- 200 g Onion (Finely diced)
- 12 g Garlic cloves (Minced)
- 40 g Tomato paste (About 2 tbsp)
- 20 g Red pepper paste (About 1 tbsp, mild)
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 2 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 10 g Fine salt (About 1 3/4 tsp)
+ 6 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water for 12 hours, then drain and rinse well. Put them in a pot with 1500 ml water, bring…
- Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the lamb and sear for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, un…
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion to the browned lamb. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and scraping the pot, unt…
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for…
- Add cumin, sweet paprika, black pepper, and the salt, and stir for 20 seconds to bloom the spices in the fat. Pour in the crush…
- Add the drained chickpeas, bay leaf, and 900 ml hot water, then bring the pot to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook gent…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
A staple of Turkish home cooking, etli nohut is a practical, nourishing stew often cooked in big batches and served with pilaf. It reflects the Anatolian pantry—legumes, tomato, pepper paste, and slow-simmered meat for comfort and economy.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Brown the lamb until the pot looks lightly “stained” with fond; that caramelized layer is key to a deep, restaurant-style stew.
- If the stew thickens too much, loosen it with 100 ml hot water at a time to keep the sauce silky, not soupy.
- For the best chickpea texture, cook them until just tender before adding; overcooked chickpeas can split during the final simmer.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding raw dried chickpeas directly to the stew and expecting them to soften with the lamb.
✅ Fix: Soak and pre-cook chickpeas until just tender, then add them for the final braise so both chickpeas and lamb finish perfectly together.
❌ Boiling hard throughout, which makes lamb tough and breaks chickpeas.
✅ Fix: Maintain a gentle simmer with a partially covered lid; small bubbles and slow movement produce tender meat and intact chickpeas.
❌ Using too much water early and ending with a watery sauce.
✅ Fix: Start with 900 ml and only add hot water in 100 ml increments; you can always thin later but reducing can overcook the meat.
🧊 How to Store
Cool the stew to room temperature within 2 hours, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with 50–150 ml hot water as needed, stirring to prevent sticking; flavors improve after a night.
📅 Make Ahead
Soak and cook the chickpeas up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them in a sealed container. The full stew can be cooked 1 day ahead; reheat gently and add 15–30 ml water to restore the sauce.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Turkish rice pilaf
- bulgur pilaf
- pickled vegetables (turşu)
- plain yogurt
- shepherd’s salad
Regional Variations
- Central Anatolia: Often made with more onion and a touch more cumin, served with buttery rice pilaf.
- Southeastern Turkey: Uses a slightly hotter pepper paste and sometimes includes 1 tsp isot pepper for smokier heat.
- Aegean coast: A lighter version may use more olive oil and finish with extra lemon for brightness.
Ingredients
- 300 gDried chickpeas (Soak 12 hours, then drain)
- 1500 mlWater (For simmering chickpeas)
- 700 gLamb shoulder (Cut into 3 cm cubes)
- 30 mlOlive oil
- 200 gOnion (Finely diced)
- 12 gGarlic cloves (Minced)
- 40 gTomato paste (About 2 tbsp)
- 20 gRed pepper paste (About 1 tbsp, mild)
- 2 tspGround cumin
- 2 tspSweet paprika
- 1 tspBlack pepper
- 10 gFine salt (About 1 3/4 tsp)
- 1 leafBay leaf
- 400 gCrushed tomatoes
- 900 mlHot water (For braising; add more only if needed)
- 20 gUnsalted butter (For gloss and richness)
- 15 mlLemon juice (About 1 tbsp)
- 10 gFlat-leaf parsley (Finely chopped)
🔄 Substitutions
- Lamb shoulder→ Beef chuck
- Red pepper paste→ Roasted red pepper puree
- Dried chickpeas→ Cooked canned chickpeas
Instructions
- 1
Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water for 12 hours, then drain and rinse well. Put them in a pot with 1500 ml water, bring to a boil, then simmer until just tender, 45–60 minutes; drain and set aside.
- 2
Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the lamb and sear for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned on multiple sides and the surface moisture has cooked off.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion to the browned lamb. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and scraping the pot, until the onion turns translucent and starts to take on light color.
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, so the pastes caramelize slightly and lose their raw edge.
- 5
Add cumin, sweet paprika, black pepper, and the salt, and stir for 20 seconds to bloom the spices in the fat. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, letting the mixture thicken and coat the lamb.
- 6
Add the drained chickpeas, bay leaf, and 900 ml hot water, then bring the pot to a steady simmer. Cover partially and cook gently for 45–55 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes, until the lamb is fork-tender and the stew is thick and glossy.
- 7
Turn off the heat and stir in the butter until fully melted, then add the lemon juice for a clean finish. Rest the stew covered for 10 minutes so the chickpeas absorb flavor, then garnish with parsley and serve hot.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
A staple of Turkish home cooking, etli nohut is a practical, nourishing stew often cooked in big batches and served with pilaf. It reflects the Anatolian pantry—legumes, tomato, pepper paste, and slow-simmered meat for comfort and economy.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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