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Azerbaijan · Soup
Azerbaijani Dushbara Soup
Local name: Düşbərə
Tiny thick-dough lamb dumplings boiled in lamb broth and served with dried mint and garlic vinegar.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h 20 min
- Cooking1 h 40 min
- Total time3 h
- DifficultyMedium
Contains glutenContains egg
About this dish
Dushbara (düşbərə) is an Azerbaijani soup of small dough squares filled with ground meat, folded into little shells and boiled in broth or salted water. The same family of dumplings is known across Central Asia as chuchvara or tushpara.
In Azerbaijan the dumplings are smaller and the dough thicker than elsewhere. The filling is lamb with onion, the broth is made from lamb bones, and the soup is finished with dried mint. Vinegar mixed with garlic is served alongside.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Dough
Filling
Broth and serving
Method
Rinse the bones and put them in a pot with 2 litres of cold water. Skim the foam once it boils, then simmer gently for 90 minutes.
Knead the flour, egg, water and salt into a stiff dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Mix the ground lamb with the grated onion, salt and black pepper to make the filling.
Roll the rested dough out on a floured surface to about 2-3 mm thick.
Cut the dough into squares of about 3-4 cm.
Put a very small amount of filling in the centre of each square, fold into a triangle and press the edges, then pinch the corners together into a little shell.
Strain the broth, discard the bones, return the broth to the pot, season with salt and bring to a boil.
Drop in the dumplings and boil, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until they float.
Stir the crushed garlic into the vinegar.
Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with dried mint and serve hot with the garlic vinegar.
💡 Tips
- Keep the dough stiff; a firm, thick dough holds together when boiled.
- Use very little filling per dumpling or the tiny shells will open.
- Moisten the edges with water and press firmly to seal.
- Add dumplings in batches so the broth keeps boiling.
- Shape extra dumplings ahead and freeze them on a floured tray.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Ground lamb — Ground beef or chicken works; add a little butter or fat for juiciness.
- Lamb bones — Beef bones or chicken thigh bones work; cut the simmering time to 60 minutes.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
