Lamb Stew With Chickpeas and Butternut Squash Recipe (2024)

I have this recipe on a yellowed, frayed page torn from the NYT Magazine in 1994. I've made it dozens and dozens of times. I've substituted sweet potatoes for butternut squash and even ground lamb (made into meatballs) for the lamb stewing meat in a pinch. I do usually triple or quadruple the dry spices--older recipes like this with South Asian flavors are usually too timid with seasonings, imo. A family favorite that we will keep coming back to again and again.

I'm up-ing the spices next go-round (esp tumeric and coriander). Maybe try with some lamb sausage instead of stewing meat?

I agree that the spices should be doubled. Also a tablespoon of tomato paste works well and punches up the color. Have made it twice so far. It's a keeper.

Great dish. Roasted sweet potato is even better than squash.

I doubled this recipe and used pork shoulder instead of lamb. Because I only had 1 can of chick peas, I added a cup of frozen peas about 10 minutes before it was done. It was delicious and my husband could not stop raving. Since it was only for the 2 of us, I froze half the leftovers and we devoted the rest the next day. Yum!

Made this in an Instant Pot using dried chickpeas. Browned the lamb (leg meat) and the onions on the Sauté setting, added the chickpeas and the stock and cooked at high pressure for 30 min. Did a natural pressure release which took about 25 min., then added the cubed squash and simmered on Sauté for about 20 min. Meat was beautifully tender and beans were cooked but not mushy.

I added more spices and about 1 1/2 chopped dates. The stew was amazing!

I agree with some of the other commenters. This was a really nice dish, but the spice mixture, while warm and interesting, came off a bit bland. I wonder if they were muted somewhat by the flour. I even added a lot more cayenne than prescribed, so I got some heat, and I ground the cumin fresh, but in the end I would have liked more of the primary spices. the butternut squash cooked surprisingly quickly. Served it w/ Israeli couscous, which was an excellent accompaniment.

As a white American woman who is married to a South Asian-born man, I know why we often have to double/triple ratios for South Asian spices here in the US (cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper...). Whenever my in-laws visit, they bring fresh spices directly from their place of origin and processing, in India. They tell us to use them quickly, and keep them in a cool dark place. When beginning a dish, they are dry roasted or fried, sometimes after freshly grinding.

Highly recommend doubling the spices. I used 1x spices in the flour (reserving the remaining flour after coating the lamb for thickening later), and the other 1x after adding the lamb back to the pot. I also included about a tbsp of tomato paste and harissa to taste for added flavor. Our grocery store had smaller honey butternut squashes, which added a nice note of sweetness. Serve with crusty bread or cous cous and you're golden!

FWIW, I used freshly ground spices--coriander, cumin, and cardamon ground up in a mortar just before adding--and the flavor was strong from the specified quantities.

By the time I browned my meat cut into ~1 in cubes, it was mostly cooked! Some completely cooked, others up to about 120 degrees. After an hour in the pot it would be very overcooked! Also, it’s already quite tender. Why cook for an hour in the pot? What do you think would be the ideal temperature of the lamb before cooking it for 1 hr in the pot?

This is amazing! I pureed the squash and used herbed Italian, vegan sausage instead. I also used dried chick peas that I cooked in the Instapot with salt and rosemary in advance. Garnished with cilantro. Blew my mind!

By the time I browned my meat cut into ~1 in cubes, it was mostly cooked! Some completely cooked, others up to about 120 degrees. After an hour in the pot it would be very overcooked! Also, it’s already quite tender. Why cook for an hour in the pot? What do you think would be the ideal temperature of the lamb before cooking it for 1 hr in the pot?

As a white American woman who is married to a South Asian-born man, I know why we often have to double/triple ratios for South Asian spices here in the US (cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper...). Whenever my in-laws visit, they bring fresh spices directly from their place of origin and processing, in India. They tell us to use them quickly, and keep them in a cool dark place. When beginning a dish, they are dry roasted or fried, sometimes after freshly grinding.

Instant pot. Sauté onions, garlic in a cast iron pan, put in a cold instant pot, and brown the lamb in the same frying pan over relatively high heat, then add them to the instant pot. More control over done-ness. It took my chickpeas about 45 minutes at high pressure to become tender plus natural release time (old beans?) Instead of waiting for the squash to cook after the beans are done, soften them in the cast iron pan with the lamb residue. Then all in the instant pot to keep warm and meld

Highly recommend doubling the spices. I used 1x spices in the flour (reserving the remaining flour after coating the lamb for thickening later), and the other 1x after adding the lamb back to the pot. I also included about a tbsp of tomato paste and harissa to taste for added flavor. Our grocery store had smaller honey butternut squashes, which added a nice note of sweetness. Serve with crusty bread or cous cous and you're golden!

Double spices

I tripled all the spices, and it was still a nicely delicate but ever present level of flavour...even increasing the spices so, the flavour of the lamb shone. I added maybe a table spoon of tomatoe paste from the end of a tube I had as well as about a tablespoon or less of Harissa, to spice it up abit. I let it simmer on the stove for some time after the designated amount of time. Very good. I will make it again.

Doubled the spices! This was delicious.

This was brilliant! SO good! What I thought was one piece of stewing meat to cut up turned out be lamb ribs (it was frozen) - but made it anyway. Doubled the spices as many have advised but left out the squash as I didn’t have any. Simmered the ribs just over 2 hours and meat was very tender - another hour or so and it would be falling off the bone. Definitely a keeper!

Quite wonderful. Thanks to those who suggested doubling the spices. Besides omitting the cilantro garnish I basically followed the instructions but instead of cooking over the stove I put a piece of parchment between my pan and the lid and put it into the oven at 325 for a couple of hours. I didn't need the flour to thicken it up at the end after I added the chickpeas and squash to finish on the stove. Flavors were lovely. Less squash next time or more lamb!

Incredibly good. I (like everyone else) upped the spices, especially the heat. Perfect for cold fall and winter days, I will absolutely be making again

This recipe was really fairly simple to make and deeply satisfying. Used my own homemade vegetable stock and a small butternut squash from the farm stand. Served over some leftover wilted chard tossed with some mustard vinaigrette and sliced, seared Delicata squash, but the mustard blended beautifully with these flavors. Don't believe I would double or triple spices as one reader suggested, because I wouldn't want to overwhelm the lamb and bury it. Wonderful dish.

This stew was delicious! We added two golden potatoes and 2 additional cups of water to the broth as well as some peppers (cooked these with the onions) to make it a bit spicier.

Double spices 2 boxes ras handout, 2 cup chickpeas dried, more cumin. Added carrots. 2 pounds lamb,2cups broth or chickpea liquid

Delicious. Doubled the spices and let it cook about 19 minutes longer and it was a nice thick stew. Huge favorite and will be made again many times!