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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Lamb rishda, fresh noodles in tomato chickpea sauce

Lamb rishda is a Libyan dish of fresh noodles cooked in a tomato sauce with lamb and chickpeas, seasoned with cumin and paprika. It serves 4 people, takes 1h15, is medium difficulty, and costs about €3.30 per person. The key to getting it right is simmering the lamb until tender and cooking the noodles directly in the sauce so they soak up the flavor.

Tonight it's Libyan cooking, long fresh noodles simmered in a tomato sauce with lamb, chickpeas, and spices.

Lamb rishda, fresh noodles in tomato chickpea sauce
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
660 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Rishda is built on a rich tomato sauce, simmered slowly with lamb until the meat nearly falls apart on its own. Cumin and paprika give it a gentle warmth, sweet chili powder adds just enough edge, and chickpeas bring softness without ever taking over the dish. The fresh noodles finish cooking right in that sauce, coming out soaked in tomato and spice.

This is a weekend kind of dish, the sort you start early and let simmer while you get on with other things. Kids generally love noodles well coated in sauce, and adults appreciate how generous the dish feels. Serve it on a winter Sunday, or any evening you want something warming without much fuss.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Lamb shoulder 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Canned chickpeasoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sweet chili powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Fresh tagliatelle style pasta 500 g

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the lamb cubes in the oil with the sliced onions. 10 min

    Take the time to really brown the meat, it builds flavor in the sauce.

  2. Add the garlic, spices, and tomato paste, and let cook for a few minutes. 3 min

    The spices bloom in the oil before the liquid goes in, which brings out more of their aroma.

  3. Pour in the tomatoes and two glasses of water, cover, and simmer gently until the lamb is tender. 45 min

    If the sauce reduces too much, add a little hot water.

  4. Add the drained chickpeas, then the fresh noodles straight into the sauce. 8 min

    Stir occasionally so the noodles don't stick together.

  5. Taste, adjust the salt, let it rest covered for five minutes, and serve hot. 5 min

    The noodles keep absorbing the sauce as they rest, so don't wait too long to serve.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the lamb into even 3 cm cubes so they cook evenly and stay tender after 45 minutes of simmering.
  • If you're using thick fresh pasta, add a splash of hot water before dropping it into the sauce, it needs extra liquid to cook through properly.
  • Make the lamb sauce the day before, it only gets better, and all you'll need to do is cook the noodles in it right before serving.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb shoulder for beef chuck or beef cheek, the simmering time stays the same and the result is just as tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and double the chickpeas, adding a bit more tomato paste to keep the sauce rich.
  • For picky kids, leave out the sweet chili powder and serve a milder sauce over regular pasta instead of fresh.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber mint salad
  • Flatbread for scooping
  • Mint tea

Storage

Lamb rishda keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze the lamb sauce on its own for up to 3 months, but it's better to cook fresh noodles right before serving. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried pasta instead of fresh noodles?

Yes, but cook the dried pasta separately in boiling water before mixing it into the sauce. Fresh noodles cook faster and soak up more flavor when simmered directly in the sauce.

Can you make the lamb sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually a good idea, the sauce tastes better after resting overnight in the fridge. Just reheat it and cook the fresh noodles in it right before serving.

Is lamb rishda a good dish for kids?

Yes, noodles well coated in tomato sauce tend to be a hit with kids. You can cut back on the sweet chili powder for a milder version for younger eaters.

Can you freeze rishda once it's fully assembled with noodles?

That's not ideal, fresh noodles lose their texture after freezing and thawing. It's better to freeze just the lamb sauce and cook fresh noodles on the day you plan to serve it.

How long does it take to make a lamb rishda, fresh noodles in a tomato sauce with chickpeas?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a lamb rishda, fresh noodles in a tomato sauce with chickpeas?

About 660 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a lamb rishda, fresh noodles in a tomato sauce with chickpeas cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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