Tunisian Lamb and Freekeh Soup

About This Recipe

Chorba frik is the comfort soup of Ramadan in Tunisia, served to break the fast after a long day of fasting. Made with freekeh (green cracked wheat that is smoky from being fire-roasted), lamb, chickpeas, and tomatoes, it's richly spiced with a unique Tunisian spice blend. The freekeh gives it a nutty, smoky depth no other grain can replicate.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gbone-in lamb, cut into pieces
• 1 cupfreekeh (cracked green wheat)
• 1 canchickpeas, drained
• 2 mediumtomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 1 largeonion, finely chopped
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspras el hanout
• 1 tspcumin
• 1/2 tspturmeric
• 1 tspsalt
• 1.5 literswater
• 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat oil in a large pot. Brown lamb pieces over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft.

2. 2

   Add spices and tomato

   Add ras el hanout, cumin, turmeric, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir and cook 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Add water and simmer

   Add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 40 minutes until lamb is tender.

4. 4

   Add freekeh and chickpeas

   Add freekeh and chickpeas. Simmer for 25 minutes until freekeh is tender.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Adjust seasoning. Stir in cilantro. Serve with crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Make with chicken instead of lamb

• •

  Add lemon juice at the end for brightness

• •

  Use regular wheat berries if freekeh is unavailable

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezes well for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions