Turkish Lamb Stew (Kuzu Guvec)

Kuzu güveç, is a classic traditional Turkish stew that is commonly served with rice pilav. It is a rich, hearty, and comforting dish that is easy to prepare in one pan!

You can cook it either on the stove top or in the oven. In this post, we've shared  both methods. The oven method takes longer but is definitely another great, hands-free technique to try.

What is Kuzu Guvec?

Turkish Kuzu guvec means lamb stew or lamb casserole. Kuzu: lamb. Guvec: stew or casserole. It is extremely similar to Turkish beef stew dana guvec. 

They are both classic dishes in Turkish cuisine. You can find them in any Turkish restaurant serving homemade dishes. And as lamb meat is always more expensive, this stew is always considered more special than the beef version. 

So, what exactly is kuzu guvec then?

Güveç is the word used to describe the dishes that are cooked in clay pots. Traditional Turkish lamb stew is also originally made in these earthenware pots. This technique has become significantly less common because clay pots are hard to find, expensive, and not as easy to use as regular pots.

No matter what type of pan is used, the dish is called guvec today when it is slow cooked and has a thicker consistency than a soup. In this post, we use a stainless pan, so you can easily make it with whatever pan you have.

And it is a matter of preference to combine lamb with vegetables or cook it alone. 

Today, you can make this lamb stew in a pot on the stove top or inside the oven in a Dutch oven. We will look at both methods in this post.

About The Ingredients and Substitutes

Lamb:

For this Turkish casserole recipe with lamb, you can use either a shoulder cut or leg chunks. Whichever you choose, the meat shouldn't be extremely fatty. That will make the dish oily and give it a very uncomfortably heavy flavor.

And if you can't find, you can substitute beef or chicken for it. Just keep in mind that the cooking duration will be longer for beef.

Veggies:

In our authentic lamb guvec recipe, we use a combination of shallots (small onions), potatoes, Turkish green peppers, carrots, garlic and tomatoes.

This is the most popular combination when making kuzu güveç in Turkish cuisine. It creates a deliciously hearty, savory, and meaty casserole that is also very colorful.

You can always add more veggies in this stew. Some other veggies that are often used in Turkey are eggplants, green beans, green peas, okra and zucchini (courgettes). You can combine lamb meat either with all of these veggies or with one of them. 

Spices:

Lamb guvec is one of those Turkish dishes that rely on the natural flavors of veggies and meat. So, we only add salt and black pepper.

We’ve also added fresh thyme, which you can replace with oregano. You can also add 2 bay leaves if you have them on hand.

If you do want to make it a little more interesting, you can add some cumin, paprika or pul biber (red pepper flakes).

Tomato paste:

This staple Turkish ingredient adds more depth to this lamb stew. Not to mention some color as well! Use either store-bought or homemade tomato paste.

And again, to make it even richer, you can also add some red pepper paste.

How To Cook Guvec On The Stove Top

Our Turkish lamb stew is incredibly easy to make on the stove top and essentially is broken down into 4 easy steps. It's hearty, meaty, rich, and super filling. 

1. Cook the diced lamb: To start, place the diced lamb inside a cast iron or stainless steel pan. Add the butter as well. Then, place these ingredients over medium-high heat and allow them to cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. The lamb should release all of the water and reabsorb it back.

Once there is very little water left in the pan, lower the heat to medium-low. Leave the lamb to cook without a lid for another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

2. Add the remaining ingredients: Add the shallows, potatoes, peppers, carrots, garlic cloves, and tomatoes first. Mix them well so they can be coated with the pan juices first.

Then, season these ingredients with salt and pepper. Finally, add a few sprigs of thyme or oregano on top.

3. Thin the tomato paste: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and hot water. Add this liquid to the lamb and vegetable mix.

4. Cook the stew: Cover the pan and allow the ingredients to simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat, let it rest for 15 minutes and then serve.

How To Bake Lamb Guvec In The Oven

You can cook this traditional kuzu guvec in the oven as well. Make sure to use an oven-proof pan or baking dish for this. 

1. To start, preheat your oven to 325ºF (160ºC). In terms of recipe prep, you will need to blitz or grate the tomatoes instead of dicing them. Because you won't stir the dish as much when it is inside the oven, this is the a good way to ensure the tomatoes release all of their juices.
2. In a casserole dish, combine the lamb, vegetables, salt and pepper. Make sure the ingredients are well seasoned with salt and pepper. Then, add dollops of butter in between the ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the hot water and tomato paste. Add this liquid with the grated tomatoes to the baking dish. Finally, add thyme or oregano.
4. Cover the dish with a  lid or sheet of foil. Leave the ingredients to bake for roughly an hour before checking them. After 1 hour, stir the ingredients and cover the dish again. Add extra water if it gets too dry. Bake the stew for another 1 hour.

More Hearty Dishes

• Dana Guvec
• Meatball Stew
• Kapuska

More Turkish Lamb Dishes

• Adana Kebap
• Lamb Shish Kebab
• Sac Kavurma (Sauteed Lamb)
• Kofta Kebab

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