Ground Lamb and Pearl Cous Cous Stew

Hi there my blog-loves!

I've been kind of MIA for the past few weeks. I'm sorry about that. This hiatus is just temporary, I promise. I have just been a busy little bee with work, and studying, and wedding planning and life in general. I am cooking though, I promise, and I am cooking things that I absolutely want to share with you!

Fall is my favorite time of year to cook, so expect me back in full force come mid-October. Although I will try to get a few tasty recipes to you between now and then, I can't make any solid promises. However, I will be posting some throwback recipes on my Facebook page to get us ready for fall--I'm talking all thing pumpkin, apples, warm casseroles, and delicious soups!

Be sure to like my Facebook page HERE  and share with your friends to keep up with those posts, as well as any new posts so you never ever miss a recipe!

Today I have a wonderful recipe for Ground Lamb and Pearl Cous Cous Stew. This stew is rich and warm, with rustic Middle Eastern flavors throughout every bite.

I absolutely love ground lamb and encourage you to give it a try in this recipe if you've never cooked with it before (previously here, here, and here on GSG and boy do they need new pictures!). It has a uniquely gamey taste that pairs well with tomatoes, cinnamon (seriously!), oregano and thyme.

This stew is a one pot meal--hooray--that comes together in just about 30 minutes. In my original vision, I would have made meatballs out of the lamb, but I didn't defrost my meat soon enough so I had to keep it ground. Turns out, it worked just as well as I could have hoped and made the meal come together that much sooner.

Cuddle up to a big bowl of this hearty stew and welcome the cool weather with open arms.


Here's what you need for Ground Lamb and Pearl Cous Cous Stew (Print Recipe!)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
dash of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon curry powder
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 6-oz box pearl cous cous
3 packed cups chopped fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and stir it around to awaken the flavor of the paste.

Add the ground lamb and cook until brown and crumbled, stirring occasionally. Mix in all the spices and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and turn the heat to high. Stir in the cous cous and bring everything to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 10 minutes until the cous cous is tender.

Drop the spinach into the soup and cook a minute or two until it is just wilted but still a vibrant green color. Adjust your seasonings and serve immediately with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

*Gas Stove Girl Original Recipe