Shurpa
Non-vegetarian
Sho'rva
A clear, deeply savoury Central Asian soup of lamb simmered slowly with big pieces of potato, carrot, pepper and tomato, finished with fresh dill and coriander.
Shurpa is an Uzbek soup, ready in about 2 hours 25 minutes and made with lamb shoulder and potato. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 2 h 25 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 434
Method
Step 1
Put the lamb in a large pot with the cold water, bring slowly to the boil and skim off the foam carefully until the broth runs clear.
- 15 min
- medium heat
- Stockpot / large pot (opens in a new tab)
Step 2
Add the whole onion (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), coriander, bay and pepper (opens in a new tab), then cover and simmer very gently until the meat is nearly tender.
- 75 min
- low heat
Step 3
Discard the whole onion (opens in a new tab). Add the carrots (opens in a new tab), potatoes (opens in a new tab), sliced onion, pepper (opens in a new tab) and salt (and chickpeas (opens in a new tab), if using) and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- 20 min
- low heat
Step 4
Add the tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and simmer gently for the last 10 minutes, until they soften but keep their shape. Take off the stove, rest 10 minutes, then serve in deep bowls with a piece of meat and plenty of herbs.
- 10 min
- low heat
How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Not attributed to one place · Commonly attributedMeat soups called shurpa or shorpa are made across Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Volga region.Also popular in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Main courses
- Cooking method
- Simmered, Slow-cooked
- Taste
- savoury, herby, mild
- Diet
- No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-proteinWithout the optional extras: Paleo-styleWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Low-sodium · Calorie-conscious - Good for
- One-pot · Batch cooking · Freezer-friendly
- Cook more with
- Lamb shoulder · Potato · Onion · Carrot · Red bell pepper · Tomato
- Techniques
- Simmering · Stock making
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
434 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 758 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 20%
- Carbohydrate 24%
- Fat 56%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 434 kcal | 57 kcal |
| Protein | 22.3 g | 2.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 26.6 g | 3.5 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 22.1 g | 2.9 g |
| Sugars | 5.2 g | 0.7 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 4.5 g | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 27.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 11.6 g | 1.5 g |
| Trans fat | 1.4 g | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg | 9 mg |
| Sodium | 887 mg | 117 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2.2 g | 0.3 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 1029 mg
- Calcium
- 100 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 250 µg
- Vitamin C
- 58 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.2 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- —
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: chickpeas.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Never let the broth boil hard — a lazy simmer keeps it clear.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the skimming at the start — the broth turns cloudy and grey.
Serve with
- With flatbread (non) and green tea.
Food safety
- Simmer until the lamb is tender (well above 71 °C).
- Cool the soup quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat until boiling.
Storage
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen (better without potato).
Reheating
- Reheat gently until piping hot.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Lamb shoulder, in large pieces, ideally with some bone700 g
- Carrot, cut into large chunks2 piece · 120 g
- Potato, halved3 piece · 600 g
- Red bell pepper, cut into wide strips1 piece · 120 g
- Tomato, quartered2 piece · 240 g
- Chickpeas, drained (optional)1 can · 240 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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