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Traditional Libyan Mbakbka (Spicy One-Pot Pasta with Lamb, Chickpeas, and Tomato Broth)
Libya's beloved one-pot soul food: short pasta cooked directly inside a rich, bubbling ('mbakbka') spicy tomato broth loaded with tender braised lamb chunks, chickpeas, garlic, turmeric, and whole fiery green chilies.
Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
65 min
Ingredients
servings
5
- Boneless lamb shoulder cut into cubes600 g
- Short pasta (ditalini, tubetti, or small penne)350 g
- Cooked chickpeas150 g
- Crushed canned or ripe tomatoes400 g
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Yellow onion diced150 g
- Garlic cloves minced4 pc
- Whole green hot chili peppers slit2 pc
- Libyan Bzar spice blend (turmeric, cumin, coriander)1 Ā½ tbsp
- Olive oil40 ml
- Salt7 g
Preparation Steps
1
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Brown lamb cubes for 6-8 minutes, then add onion and garlic, cooking 4 minutes until fragrant.
2
Stir in tomato paste, bzar spice mix, crushed tomatoes, and salt. Pour in 1.2 liters of boiling water, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes until lamb is very tender.
3
Toss in chickpeas, whole slit green chilies, and uncooked pasta straight into the bubbling broth. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 9-11 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente and sauce is rich and saucy. Serve steaming hot.
Cooking Journal
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Nutrition Facts
per servingCalories
560
Protein
36g
Carbohydrates
62g
Fat
18g
Allergens
Gluten
*estimated values per serving
Provenance & Public Domain Audit
Source: Traditional Middle Eastern & North African Gastronomic Archives / Public Domain Cookbooks (Historic Culinary Archives & Public Domain Heritage Collections)
Legal status: Public Domain (Traditional Heritage / CC0-compatible) ā¢ 17 U.S.C. Ā§ 105
License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal
