Lamb Broad Bean Stew

Name: Lamb Broad Bean Stew
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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roubashahin.com.au

Mains

Tender lamb backstrap and fresh broad beans in a light, fragrant broth, finished with golden garlic.

PREP TIME

25 minutes

COOK TIME

30 minutes

SERVES

Serves 6-8

About this recipe

This Lamb Broad Bean Stew is the version without the tomato — the one my mum used to make on quieter nights, when she wanted the broad beans and lamb to be the whole story rather than sharing the spotlight with anything else. Without the tomato, the broth turns light and golden, almost like a gentle lamb broth studded through with tender beans, and it’s the kind of dish that feels just as nourishing as it does comforting.

What’s more, this Lamb Broad Bean Stew comes together with exactly the same method as my tomato version — sautéed onion and garlic, lamb browned until deeply coloured, and broad beans simmered through until soft. The only real difference is what’s missing from the pot, and a little extra water in its place to keep the consistency right. As a result, you end up with a dish that’s lighter on the palate but still rooted in the same garlic, Bharat spice and fresh coriander flavours I grew up with.

If you love broad beans as much as I do, you’ll also want to try my Lamb Broad Bean Stew with tomato for a richer version, or my Broad Bean Dip with Garlic and Lemon, which is the perfect way to use up any extra beans you have on hand.

Ingredients

1.5 kilograms fresh broad beans, de-stringed and cut into pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
700 grams lamb backstrap, diced into bite-sized pieces
2 large onions, diced
1 teaspoon Bharat spice
Salt, to taste
5 cups water
7 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup coriander, chopped

Notes from Rouba

Broad beans, also known as fava beans, are a great source of protein and fibre.
If the outer skin is rough or tough, remove it and just use the beans inside.
Make sure to de-string the stalks before cutting — you can also do this with a peeler.
Prefer a different cut of lamb? You can use it here too — just give it a head start by simmering it until nearly tender before adding the broad beans (see the Q&A below for the full method).
No fresh broad beans on hand? Frozen ones work just as well here.

Method

Step 1. Prepare the Broad Beans

De-string the broad beans and roughly cut them into pieces. Place them in a bowl of water and set aside until ready to use (you can also de-string with a peeler).

Step 2. Brown the Lamb and Beans

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until translucent. Add the lamb pieces and fry until they turn a rich brown colour, then season with salt and the Bharat spice. Add the prepared broad beans straight into the pot and toss everything together.

Step 3. Simmer the Stew

Pour in the water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until both the broad beans and lamb are tender and the liquid has reduced slightly.

Step 4. Finish with Coriander

In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee over medium heat and fry the crushed garlic until fragrant and lightly golden. Pour the garlic over the stew, then stir through the chopped coriander. Serve over a bed of Lebanese Vermicelli rice.

A FEW THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

What's the difference between this and the tomato version?
Honestly, it comes down to how you're feeling on the day. Every Lebanese household has their own version of this stew, and mine swings between the two depending on my mood — some days I want that richer, slightly tangy tomato base, other days I want the broth to stay light and let the lamb and broad beans speak for themselves. Same ingredients, same method either way, just a different version of comfort depending on what you're after.

Can I use a different cut of lamb instead of lamb backstrap?
Lamb backstrap is what makes this version work the way it does — it's naturally so tender that it doesn't need any pre-cooking, which is why it can go into the pot together with the broad beans from the start. If you'd like to use a cheaper cut instead, that's completely fine, but you'll need to give the lamb a head start. Sauté your onion, brown the lamb, then pour in the water and simmer on low-medium for about 25 minutes until the lamb starts to turn tender, before adding your broad beans and cooking everything together for a further 20 to 25 minutes.

Will the broth be thin without the tomato?
It's meant to be more of a light broth than a thick stew. The beans and lamb still thicken it slightly as everything cooks down together.

Can I add tomato back in if I change my mind partway through?
Yes — just stir a can of crushed tomatoes in during Step 3 and pull the added water back down to 4 cups.

Can I freeze this stew?
Yes, it freezes really well. Cool it completely before freezing in an airtight container, then thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove.

When is broad bean season?
Here in Australia, broad beans are a spring vegetable, so you'll find the best ones from around September through to November. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, look for them earlier in the year, from around April through to June. Either way, that's when they're at their most tender and sweetest, so it's the time I always stock up and make this stew.

Do I really need to de-string the broad beans?
Yes, every time. I tried skipping it once years ago when I was short on time and thought I'd get away with it — I didn't. You end up with tough, stringy bits running through every bite, and it ruins the whole dish. It only takes a few extra minutes and it's genuinely worth it.

Why do the cut broad beans go into a bowl of water?
This keeps them bright green while you finish prepping the rest. Once they're cut and left sitting out, they start to discolour quite quickly, so a bowl of water keeps them looking fresh until they go into the pot.

Can I just add the garlic in with the onions instead of frying it separately at the end?
Of course — there's no one right way to do this, and it really comes down to how you feel like making it on the day. I like frying the garlic on its own at the end this time because without the tomato in this version, I want that garlic flavour to really come through and sit on top of the stew rather than melt into the background. But if you'd rather keep things simple, go ahead and add the garlic in with the onions at the start, and skip that last step altogether.