European · Lunch · Dinner
Icelandic Lamb Soup
Kjötsúpa
A hearty, warming Icelandic soup of tender lamb simmered with rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, cabbage and leek in a clear, herb-scented broth lightly thickened with oats. This version uses lean leg meat and skims off the fat for a lighter bowl that still tastes like a Reykjavík winter classic.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 80 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 42% · Fat 20% · Protein 38%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 700 gLean boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 3 cm chunks
- 8 1/2 cups (2 litres)2,000 gWater
- 1 large150 gOnion, chopped
- 1/3 cup30 gRolled oats
- 1 tspDried thyme
- 1 tbspDried parsley
- 2 tsp10 gSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1 small400 gRutabaga (swede), peeled and cubed
- 4 medium500 gPotatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 medium180 gCarrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 2 cups200 gWhite cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1 medium120 gLeek, sliced
- small handful10 gFresh parsley, chopped, to serve (optional)
Steps
- 1
Trim any visible fat from the lamb and cut it into 3 cm chunks.
- 2
Put the lamb in a large pot with the water and bring it slowly to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 3
Skim off the grey foam and any fat that rises to the surface.
- 4
Add the onion, rolled oats, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt and pepper.
- 5
Lower the heat, cover partly and simmer gently for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally.
- 6
Add the rutabaga, potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 7
Stir in the cabbage and leek and simmer for 10–15 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and the lamb is very soft (at least 71 °C / 160 °F inside).
- 8
Skim any remaining fat from the surface, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 9
Ladle into bowls and scatter with fresh parsley if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use lean beef stew meat instead of lamb if lamb is hard to find, simmering it the same way until very tender.
- Replace the rolled oats with 50 g of white rice, or use oats labelled certified gluten-free, for a gluten-free soup.
- Swap the rutabaga for an extra potato or a small turnip if your shop doesn't stock swede.
- Use savoy cabbage or kale in place of white cabbage for a darker, leafier bowl.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot throughout. The broth and lamb freeze well for up to 3 months, though the potatoes may turn a little soft and grainy after thawing.
Make ahead
Make the whole soup a day ahead and chill it overnight, then lift off the set fat and reheat until steaming hot. You can also peel and cube the rutabaga, carrots and potatoes a few hours ahead, keeping the potatoes covered in cold water in the fridge.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Gluten
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (716 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 304 kcal | 42 kcal |
| Protein | 30.2 g | 4.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32.5 g | 4.5 g |
| of which sugars | 8.3 g | 1.2 g |
| Fiber | 6.6 g | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 6.8 g | 0.9 g |
| of which saturated | 2.8 g | 0.4 g |
| Sodium | 811 mg | 113 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
