European (Balkan)-style Farmer’s Lamb Soup – a traditional dish often served around Easter. It’s made with tender lamb, fresh greens like dock leaves (also called sorrel) / baby spinach/ Swiss chard, and gently thickened with rice. Flavored with oregano and other fragrant herbs, this simple yet hearty soup makes a comforting meal for either lunch or dinner.
This lamb soup is a proper family classic, the sort of recipe that always makes an appearance around Easter or St. George’s Day (so, April–May time). It’s at its absolute best with organic dock leaves from my mum’s garden – nothing quite compares.
Because it’s so rich and hearty, we also love making it in winter (that’s if I’ve been clever enough to stash some dock leaves in the freezer). The flavors are bold, comforting, and utterly moreish – the kind of dish where everyone clears their bowl in record time and still asks for seconds… even our three-year-old.
Be sure to check out Grandpa’s Simple Cabbage Salad (4 Ingredients) recipe. It’s simple, yet very satisfying.
Behind the Bites:
The Balkan region has a long tradition of raising and enjoying lamb, going back thousands of years. Lamb dishes play a central role in Bulgarian, Serbian, Greek, and other Balkan cuisines, especially around Easter and St. George’s Day, when lamb is most often roasted or baked.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lamb meat- all cuts of meat are acceptable, including lamb chops
- Spinach – greens can be substituted with dock/sorrel leaves, broccoli leaves or whatever green you prefer
- Butter – or lard, or vegetable oil of choice
- Spring onion – or any other type of onions or a mix
- Rice – white or whole grain rice works
- Spices: oregano, spearmint, parsley, salt and black pepper
- Water – for soup, as lamb meat is very rich and fatty, I never use stock or bone broth for the soup, just pure water
How to cook Lamb Soup:
1st: Sauté lamb meat in butter, add rice sauté for another minute and set aside.
2nd: Sauté spring onions in butter, add sorrel/spinach/ and sauté further. Pour over the water and cook on low until fully cooked. Season and serve.
Best Tips:
- The secret to this soup is really in the combination of lamb and spices. The main flavor base comes from spring onions, oregano, mint, and parsley.
- Dock or sorrel leaves add extra flavor, but they are completely optional. If they’re out of season, I usually leave them out or swap them for baby spinach.
- Lamb: You can use any part of the lamb, as long as it has meat on it. Where we live, lamb is often sold in large portions, so we buy a big pack, divide it, and freeze the different parts for soups and other meals. Tip: Always label your freezer packs with the date – it makes meal planning so much easier.
- Cooking tips: If butter feels too heavy, you can substitute with a neutral vegetable oil, like canola or sunflower. If you want the lamb but prefer a lighter soup, avoid using the cooking broth. Instead, use plain water or chicken broth.
Farmer’s Lamb Soup (so simple)
Ingredients
- 300 g Lamb chops
- 4 tbsp. white rice
- 8 tbsp. fresh spring onions, minced
- 200 g wild sorrel, or spinach
- 4 tbsp. butter optional
- 1 liter water, or more as needed
Seasoning
- 2 tbsp. dried oregano
- 2 tbsp. spearmint, dried or fresh
- 2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, cut lamb meat into small cubes. Sauté in 2 tbsp. butter on the stove top until meat changes color. Add rice and sauté for another minute. Set aside. Alternatively, cook lamb in cold water on the stove top, then debone and use as per directions.
- In the same pan, add remaining butter, minced spring onion and cleaned & cut sorrel leaves (stems removed). Sauté until onions are soft and leaves change color.
- Next, add greens to lamb and rice soup pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Let soup simmer until rice and meat are fully cooked.
- Finally, a few minutes before removing the soup from the stove, season with spearmint, oregano, parsley, salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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