Tas Kebabi (Turkish Lamb and Potato Casserole)
Tender lamb, potatoes and sweet peppers gently simmered in tomato sauce with Turkish chilli flakes.
Made with Basic tomato sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 50
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £4.66 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the lamb dry. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat and brown the lamb in 2 batches for 5 minutes each. Lift out.
10 min - 2
Lower the heat, add the onions and peppers and cook for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
9 min - 3
Return the lamb and add your ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe), the water and the salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low heat for 1 hour.
60 min - 4
Add the potatoes, cover and cook for 25 minutes more, until the lamb and potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
25 min - 5
Taste and add salt if needed. Scatter with parsley and serve with rice, bulgur or flatbreads.
Tips
- Pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes) is mild and slightly fruity. Use half the amount of hotter chilli flakes.
- Cut the potatoes the same size as the lamb so they cook at the same rate.
- Do not stir too hard once the potatoes are in. They should stay whole.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through. The potatoes soften when frozen, so freeze only the lamb and sauce.
Questions
Can I use beef instead of lamb?
Yes. Use stewing beef and add 30 to 40 minutes to the first simmer, until the beef is tender.
What is tas kebabi?
A Turkish home cooked stew whose name means bowl kebab. It is made with cubed meat, vegetables and tomato, simmered in a pot.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the lamb, then cook everything on low for 7 hours, adding the potatoes for the last 3 hours.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.