Eskişehir's provincial tourism guide describes Kuzu Sorpa with large bone-in pieces of lamb, first cooked in their own juices, then simmered with water and fresh herbs. A flour, yogurt and egg-yolk mixture finishes the soup. The six-serving quantities and stovetop timings below are a home-kitchen adaptation of that method, rather than a fixed regional formula.
Kuzu Sorpa — Recipe Card
Eskişehir Lamb and Yogurt Soup with Fresh Herbs
Makes 6 servings · Makes 6 generous soup bowls, each with a portion of bone-in lamb and about 300 ml of herbed broth.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Kuzu Sorpa
Start the lamb in its own juices
Pat the lamb dry and place it in a heavy 4-litre/4-quart pot with half the salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until its fat and juices begin to collect. Do not let the pot scorch.
Simmer until tender
Pour in 1.68 litres/7 cups water and bring to a gentle simmer. Skim off foam, partially cover and cook for 75–95 minutes, until the lamb yields easily to a fork. Add a little hot water if the level drops markedly.
Check the broth
Lift the lamb onto a plate. Strain the broth through a fine sieve to remove loose bone fragments, then return it to the pot. Measure or top up to 1.5 litres/6¼ cups with hot water. Return the lamb and any juices to the broth.
Add the fresh greens
Add the spring onions, mint, dill and remaining salt. Simmer gently for 5 minutes so the onion softens and the herbs flavor the broth.
Temper the yogurt liaison
In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, flour and egg yolk until completely smooth. Take the pot off the heat. Slowly whisk 480 ml/2 cups hot broth into the yogurt mixture, adding it in several small pours.
Finish over gentle heat
Pour the warmed mixture back into the pot in a thin stream, stirring gently around the lamb. Return to low heat and stir along the base for 5–7 minutes, until the broth lightly coats a spoon and the finished soup reaches at least 74°C/165°F. Keep it steaming gently without a rolling boil.
Serve meat and broth together
Divide the bone-in lamb among six warm bowls and ladle over the smooth herbed broth. Serve immediately, with a separate small plate for the bones.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-lamb-and-yogurt-soup-kuzu-sorpa. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Regional method
This version follows the lamb, spring onion, mint, dill and yogurt liaison described in Eskişehir's tourism guide. It uses the lamb's own fat, without an added butter or pepper-oil topping.
Lamb choice
Bone-in shoulder gives a flavorful broth and suits slow simmering. Ask the butcher for serving-size pieces; check the strained broth and meat for loose bone fragments before serving.
Yogurt texture
Use plain full-fat unstrained yogurt. Whisk the flour and yolk into it before tempering; adding cold yogurt directly to a hot pot can make it separate.
Heat level
No added chili. This herb-led version contains neither hot pepper nor pepper oil.
Dietary and allergens
Contains milk, egg and wheat. The flour in the liaison means the base recipe is not gluten-free; the lamb also makes it unsuitable for vegetarian diets.
Make ahead
The lamb and unthickened broth can be cooked a day ahead. Cool and refrigerate them promptly, then reheat thoroughly before adding the fresh herbs and freshly prepared yogurt liaison.
How to store and reheat Kuzu Sorpa
Divide leftovers into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C/40°F or below, or within 1 hour in temperatures above 32°C/90°F. Use within 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring, until the soup and lamb reach 74°C/165°F throughout. For better texture, freeze the lamb and plain broth before adding the yogurt mixture for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before finishing the soup.
Kuzu Sorpa: questions and answers
Is Kuzu Sorpa the same as Yayla Çorbası?
No. This version is built around bone-in lamb and its broth, with fresh spring onions, mint and dill. It does not include the rice used in many versions of Yayla Çorbası.
Why does the yogurt need tempering?
Gradually whisking hot broth into the yogurt mixture narrows the temperature difference before it enters the pot, helping the finished broth stay smooth.
Can I use boneless lamb?
Yes. Use 600 g/21 oz boneless lamb shoulder cut into large pieces and follow the same method. Begin checking tenderness after 60 minutes; the broth will have a lighter flavor without the bones.
Why is the soup thicker after chilling?
The flour and yogurt give it more body as it cools. Loosen it with a small splash of water during reheating and check that the whole portion reaches 74°C/165°F.
