1
Brown meat
Heat olive oil and brown the lamb or beef. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Brown meat
08:00
Libya | Soup
Sharba Libiya
Libyan lamb and orzo soup with tomato paste, chickpeas, cinnamon, turmeric, dried mint, lemon, and fresh herbs.
Country
Libya
Region
North Africa
Time
75 min
Serves
6
Level
easy
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Sharba Libiya is the soup people mean when they simply say sharba. It should be meaty, tomato-red, minty, and bright with lemon.
What the dish tastes like
Libyan lamb and orzo soup with tomato paste, chickpeas, cinnamon, turmeric, dried mint, lemon, and fresh herbs.
When to cook it
Best for Ramadan iftar, with a easy cooking level and about 75 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Bread, dates, lemon wedges, and extra dried mint
Regional lane
Libya national table. A verified Libya dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Sharba Libiya
Bread, dates, lemon wedges, and extra dried mint
Best route from here
Libya national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
75 min total
easy
2
Build base
Add onion, tomato paste, turmeric, cinnamon, and half the dried mint. Cook until the paste darkens.
Cook base
05:00
3
Simmer soup
Add chickpeas and water or stock. Simmer until the meat is tender.
Simmer meat
40:00
4
Add pasta
Stir in orzo and cook until tender, stirring often so it does not stick.
Cook orzo
12:00
5
Finish
Stir in lemon juice, parsley or cilantro, and remaining dried mint. Adjust salt and serve hot.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.