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Home » Italy's Regions » Sardinia » Sardinian Fregola with Lamb

September 12, 2019

Sardinian Fregola with Lamb

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Sardinian Fregola with Lamb.

Sardinian fregola with lamb may seem similar to North African couscous with lamb! However, fregola is a pasta that is unique to Sardinia and in this traditional recipe, the lamb is cooked very simply without any spices or strong seasoning.

Sardinian fregola with lamb

Fregola sarda con agnello.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big lamb lover! Sadly, lamb isn’t so traditional here in Northern Italy! In fact, it’s only widely available at Easter. However, I can find very meaty back ribs at one particular supermarket. So, I used those to make this fabulous Sardinian fregola with lamb!

Sardinian fregola with lamb

The advantage of using ribs was that I could make homemade broth with the bones. I used this broth to cook the fregola. I think it gave the dish an even more intense flavour. But, if you don’t want to make your own lamb broth you can use a normal chicken, veg or beef boullion to make this delicious dish!

toasted Sardinian fregola in glass jar

What is Sardinian fregola?

Fregola is a unique pasta from Sardinia. I recently featured it for the first time here on The Pasta Project, making it the 65th type of pasta I have used and written about in my posts and recipes so far! I say so far because here in Italy there are over 360 different types of pasta (some say 400+).  My goal is to ultimately share recipes with ALL the kinds of pasta that are made and eaten in Italy.

ingredients for Sardinian fregola with lamb

This Sardinian fregola with lamb recipe is the second fregola recipe I have published. The first was fregola with clams, a divine traditional recipe that seafood lovers will really enjoy.

chopped onions and sun-dried tomatoes in white bowl with 2 bay leaves

You can read more about the history and origins of this pasta in my post about Sardinian fregola, also called fregula. But, in short fregola is small balls of durum wheat semolina and water, rolled by hand and usually toasted in the oven. This pasta is uniquely Sardinian and not found in other Italian regions.

cubes of lamb meat in skillet with olive oil

Where can you buy fregola?

Fregola isn’t as widely available as other typical Italian pastas. But, it can be bought online or at some Italian food shops. I know US readers can buy it online from Supermarket Italy, a well-known online gourmet Italian food store that I worked with recently.

lamb cubes, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and bay leaves in skillet

Lamb in Sardinia

Although lamb isn’t so popular in Northern Italy, it’s very traditional in Sardinia. In fact, Sardinia is home to 4 million sheep and the island produces most of Italy’s pecorino Romano! Needless to say, there are quite a few delicious traditional Sardinian lamb recipes including lamb pasta dishes. Apart from this Sardinian fregola with lamb, you might also like the malloreddus (Sardinian gnocchi) with lamb ragu.

lamb cubes, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and bay leaves cooking in skillet

Making this Sardinian Fregola with lamb.

Like so many other traditional Italian pasta recipes, this dish is pretty simple to make. Apart from the lamb and the fregola, all you need is some sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaves, onion, white wine and broth (lamb, chicken, vegetable or beef). The only other seasoning in this version of Sardinian fregola with lamb is salt and pepper. However, I have come across versions which include herbs such as parsley or fresh thyme and garlic.

uncooked fregula in skillet with broth and cooked lamb in white bowl

Some people also make this dish with tomato passata or fresh peeled sauce tomatoes. You can choose to sub the sun-dried tomatoes with those if you wish. The sun-dried tomatoes I used were actually semi-dried, so still a bit soft.  They were preserved in olive oil. I added some of the oil to the pan as I think it adds a great flavour.

cooked fregola in skillet

If using sun-dried tomatoes that aren’t preserved in oil you will need to soften them by leaving them to soak in water for a little while. Tomatoes that have been preserved in salt need to be thoroughly rinsed under cold running water.

cooked lamb cubes and cooked fregola together in skillet

I’m sure you’ll love this recipe.

Whichever kind of tomatoes you decide to use, I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with this traditional Sardinian fregola with lamb recipe. The first time round, we loved it so much that I made it again after only 3 or 4 days!

Sardinian fregola with lamb

If you do try this fabulous fregola lamb recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback means a lot to me!

Buon Appetito!

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Sardinian fregola with lamb
Sardinian fregola with lamb

Sardinian fregola with lamb

Jacqueline De Bono
Sardinian fregola with lamb is a unique recipe made with fregola, a pasta that is unique to Sardinia. In this traditional pasta dish, the lamb is cooked very simply without any spices or strong seasoning.
5 from 22 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, Sardinia
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg lamb (2.2lbs) I used back chops ( see recipe notes below)
  • 8-10 sun-dried tomatoes I used semi-dried tomatoes (see recipe notes below)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion
  • 1/2 glass white wine
  • 1 lt lamb broth (4-5 cups) you can also use beef, veg or chicken broth
  • 300 g fregola
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • pecorino romano grated (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Peel and chop the onion. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces (if using). Cut the lamb into small cubes, trimming most the fat as you go.


















  • Heat some olive oil in a deep skillet and add the lamb and brown it on all sides over a medium heat.






  • Add the onion, bay leaves and sundried tomatoes and continue cooking over a medium heat until the onions have softened.







  • Add the white wine and once the alcohol has evaporated add 2 ladles of broth. Continue
    cooking until the lamb is cooked through. About 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.







  • Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Remove the bay leaves then add half of the
    remaining broth. Bring the broth to a boil and then add the fregola. Reduce the heat and cook the fregola as you would rice for a risotto. Stirring frequently and adding more stock if the sauce dries out. If you run out of stock, you can also use water.







  • When the fregola is cooked (about 15 minutes) add the lamb back to the skillet. Mix everything together well and cook for a couple of minutes so the lamb gets hot again and the fregola absorbs more of the lamb flavours.






  • Serve immediately with pecorino Romano if required.






Notes

Some people also make this dish with tomato passata or fresh peeled sauce tomatoes.You can choose to sub the sun-dried tomatoes with 500g peeled tomatoes or passata if you wish.
I used meaty back chops to make this recipe. I used the bones to make a simple broth beforehand. Other cuts of lamb such as fillet or leg would work too. Cooking times may need to be adjusted to make sure the lamb isn’t under or overcooked.
Keyword authentic Italian pasta recipe, fregola, fregula, Italian food, Italian recipe, lamb, Sardinian recipe

Filed Under: Fregola (fregula), Meat Pasta Dishes, Sardinia Tagged With: Fregola, lamb, meat pasta, Sardinia

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarDavid says

    October 19, 2019 at 2:17 am

    Jacqui, we are a big lamb lovers and pasta lovers as well. We had a soup at a restaurant in Grover Beach which had fregola and now I am dying to try making my own with lamb! I see that I can purchase it both toasted or not. Your recipe does not specify which to use. I have no problem toasting my own, I do that with buckwheat groats and couscous but was wondering what you recommend

    Reply
    • JacquiJacqui says

      October 19, 2019 at 8:53 am

      Hi David, Thanks for your comment. I made this recipe with toasted fregola but you can use fresh fregola too! Personally I like toasted fregola because it adds a slightly nutty flavour! Do let me know how it turns out if you make this dish. I have another fregola recipe I want to publish soon which is fregola with chickpeas. Also very good!

      Reply
  2. AvatarEden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says

    September 23, 2019 at 2:54 pm

    We love lamb in our house! This recipe is going to be well loved here, especially since my son is a big pasta lover, too.

    Reply
  3. AvatarClaire | The Simple, Sweet Life says

    September 23, 2019 at 3:28 am

    I’ve never heard of fregola before, but it sounds delicious! I love that this dish includes lamb. Can’t wait to give it a try!

    Reply
  4. AvatarRebecca Blackwell says

    September 22, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    I am such a pasta lover, but somehow have managed to live my entire life without having ever heard of Fregola. Now I can’t wait to try it! I’ve also never made a pasta dish that involves lamb. These oversights on my part must be remedied immediately. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing such a unique, delicious looking recipe!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 2:53 am

      Thank you, Rebecca! Hope you love fregola as much as we do!

      Reply
      • AvatarRick says

        November 14, 2020 at 11:47 pm

        What is the best method for toasting the fregó la?

        Reply
        • JacquiJacqui says

          November 15, 2020 at 10:32 am

          Hi Rick, thank you for your comment. Re toasting fregola. Most store bought fregola is already toasted. Fresh or homemade fregola should be left to dry in a cool place for 1-2 days and then toasted in the oven at 150°c for about 20-30 minutes. I haven’t yet made or toasted fregola myself but I found this info on various Italian sites.

          Reply
  5. AvatarSHANIKA says

    September 22, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    I’ve never tried fregola, but this recipe looks so good! I love the addition of Lamb!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 2:55 am

      Thank you, Shanika! Lamb is such flavorful meat!

      Reply
  6. AvatarSharon says

    September 21, 2019 at 3:35 pm

    I love using lamb to shake up the usual beef or chicken routine. This dish would be so good on a lazy Sunday with a nice bottle of wine.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 2:58 am

      That sounds perfect Sharon! Lamb is my favourite Sunday meat!

      Reply
  7. AvatarStine Mari says

    September 21, 2019 at 6:37 am

    Lamb is in season here now and I’ll have to look for that fregola. I can’t wait to make it – yum!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 2:59 am

      Hope you love it as much as we do!

      Reply
  8. AvatarSophie says

    September 20, 2019 at 7:27 pm

    That pasta looks and sounds amazing. I would love to make this for my family but a vegetarian.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:01 am

      Thank you, Sophie! You can definitely adapt recipes to make them vegetarian.

      Reply
  9. AvatarEva says

    September 19, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    Thank you for this recipe, I had no idea Sardinia had this kind of pasta. I can see how this could go really well with lamb, it must be delicious.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:03 am

      Thank you, Eva, it really is delicious!

      Reply
  10. AvatarLathiya says

    September 19, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    My husband loves lamb and am sure he will love this. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Will be trying.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:04 am

      Thanks, Lathiya! We love lamb too, hope your husband enjoys it!

      Reply
  11. AvatarJess says

    September 18, 2019 at 3:56 am

    What a deliciously beautiful dish! I love the combination of flavors. I can’t wait to try! YUM!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:06 am

      Thank you, Jess!

      Reply
  12. AvatarAmanda says

    September 18, 2019 at 2:21 am

    Lamb is one of my favorites, and I love that you paired it with sun-dried tomatoes — such a great combo! Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:07 am

      Ours too! Thank you, Amanda!

      Reply
  13. AvatarNeli says

    September 17, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    We don’t eat lamb a lot but now that I have a good lamb recipe, I have to give it a try. It looks flavorful!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 23, 2019 at 3:08 am

      Hope you love it Neli! Lamb is so delicious in this recipe.

      Reply
  14. AvatarKelly Anthony says

    September 15, 2019 at 10:38 pm

    We also love lamb at our house especially my girls. This sardinian fregola is sure to be a hit and on the regular rotation.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 16, 2019 at 3:41 am

      We are big fans of lamb too! Hope they love it!

      Reply
  15. AvatarDawn Conklin says

    September 14, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    I have never heard of fregola before, but this looks so good! I am always up for trying new things 🙂 Going to see about ordering it tho since I am in the US – I will check out the store you recommended. Occasionally we will find specialty items in local stores, but I haven’t seen this before.

    Reply
  16. AvatarDenisse Salinas says

    September 14, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    I love the bold flavors of Sardinian Cuisine! This pasta dish sounds right down my alley – comforting and hearty and perfect for fall and winter!

    Reply
  17. AvatarNatalie says

    September 14, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    This dish looks so interesting and delicious! Perfect for a healthy balanced dinner or lunch ♥

    Reply
  18. AvatarAnnie @ Annie's Noms says

    September 14, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    I’ve never heard of fregola before, but this dish looks wonderful! I used to not really like lamb, but recently I’ve fallen in love with it so we’ll definitely be trying this!

    Reply
  19. AvatarVeena Azmanov says

    September 14, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    Flavorful and looks delicious. I love it.

    Reply
  20. AvatarJeannette (Jay Joy) says

    September 14, 2019 at 10:17 am

    Is it bad that I have never heard of fregola before? So its a different type of couscous, interesting. This traditional Sardinian fregola with lamb recipe looks like amazing comfort food.

    Reply
  21. AvatarTisha says

    September 13, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    Incredible hearty meal! Lamb is a great addition, and I’ve never heard of sardinian fregola before! Can’t wait to try it

    Reply
  22. AvatarTraci says

    September 13, 2019 at 7:05 pm

    So much flavor in this recipe…and so easy too! Love the specialty ingredients like fregola and lamb. Too yummy! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  23. AvatarBeth Neels says

    September 13, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    We have a local Italian grocer and I am running over there to find fregola! I know they have lamb too! This looks so good and my husband’s birthday is coming up, can’t wait to make it for him!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 16, 2019 at 3:40 am

      Thank you, Beth! I hope he loves it (and has a wonderful birthday!).

      Reply
  24. AvatarLisa | Garlic & Zest says

    September 13, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    I don’t believe I’ve ever seen fregola in the stores here in Florida, but I’ll bet I could find it at an Italian market. This dish looks warm and hearty — and I think your lamb stock makes all the difference.

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 16, 2019 at 3:39 am

      Thank you Lisa! I am sure an Italian market would sell it!

      Reply
  25. AvatarAlyssa says

    September 13, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    I love reading about cultural recipes. I am going to hunt for fregola next time I visit an Italian specialty shop in Houston. This looks divine!

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 16, 2019 at 3:38 am

      Thank you Alyssa, we love sharing our passion for pasta!

      Reply
  26. Avatarmehmood says

    September 13, 2019 at 11:16 am

    So yummy looking it makes my mouth water have you seen pakistani food?

    Reply
    • AvatarThe Pasta Project says

      September 16, 2019 at 3:36 am

      Hi Mehmood! We love Pakistani food too, Biryani and Raita are favourites!

      Reply

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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where… Read More

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