Asia → Azerbaijan → Baku
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Dushbara
Tiny hand-pinched lamb dumplings floated in a clear garlicky broth, finished with vinegar and mint.
Azerbaijani · advanced · serves 4
prep 60 min · cook 20 min
~497 cal · 28g protein · 65g carbs · 12g fat · 3g fiber · 2g sugars · 5g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Dushbara are Azerbaijan's tiny dumplings, minuscule parcels of spiced lamb floated in a clear, garlicky broth scented with mint and vinegar. Like Turkish manti, the mark of quality is their smallness; a skilled cook can fit dozens on a single spoon.
The dish belongs to the dumpling traditions of the Caucasus and Central Asia, a comforting soup that warms against cold weather. The delicate dumplings in the fragrant broth until tender, the whole bowl brightened with herbs and a splash of vinegar.
Made patiently by hand, often as a family effort, dushbara is eaten across Azerbaijan, a dish of both skill and warmth.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally dairy-, nut- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
- 2.5 cups flour
- 1 egg (for the dough)
- 8 oz ground lamb
- 1 small onion, minced
- 6 cups clear broth
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp dried mint
Instructions
- 1Knead the flour, egg (or water), and a little water into a firm dough, then rest it 30 minutes.
- 2Mix the lamb (or mushrooms) with the grated onion, salt, and pepper.
- 3Roll the dough paper-thin, cut into small squares, add a pinch of filling to each, and pinch into tiny dumplings.✎ Chef’s noteDushbara are prized for being tiny, so cut small squares and use just a pinch of filling. Traditionally many should fit on a single spoon.
- 4Simmer the dumplings in the broth for 6 to 8 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender.
- 5Ladle into bowls and serve with garlic vinegar and a scatter of dried mint.
Baku tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Baku. The bottom crust has its own name and its own recipes. Qazmaq is laid into the pot before the rice goes on, made from a dough of flour, egg, butter and yogurt, or from sheets of lavash, or from sliced potato, and it comes out at the end as the piece everyone reaches for.
🗺️
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani cuisine sits on the old Silk Road, famous for saffron plov, herb-stuffed kutab, and an abundance of fresh herbs eaten by the handful. Pomegranate, quince, and tea served in pear-shaped glasses define the table.
🌍
Asia. A grain line runs across the continent. Rice dominates the wet south and east, wheat the drier north and west, and the tools follow it: the wok and the steamer where rice is milled, the tandoor and the griddle where wheat is ground. Tea travels the other way, drunk green, black, salted, buttered or with milk depending how far it got from China.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Azerbaijan
PitiA slow-baked crock stew of lamb, chickpeas, and chestnuts scented with saffron and dried plum.
QutabThin, half-moon griddle breads stuffed with greens and herbs, folded and cooked until charred.
LavangiChicken stuffed with a tangy walnut, onion, and sour-plum paste and roasted, a specialty of Azerbaijan's Caspian south.
Browse all Azerbaijan recipes →
Good to know
Storing it: Soup keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and freezes well. Reheat gently and loosen with a little water or stock if needed.
Make it an Azerbaijan meal
Azerbaijani ChayDrink
ŞəkərburaDessert
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Frequently asked questions
What is Dushbara?
Tiny hand-pinched lamb dumplings floated in a clear garlicky broth, finished with vinegar and mint.
Where does Dushbara come from?
Dushbara is an Azerbaijani dish from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Can Dushbara be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Dushbara recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions. Treat the substitutions as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Dushbara safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we still count coconut as a tree nut to be cautious, although the FDA stopped listing it as one in 2025), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Dushbara take to make?
About 80 minutes total (60 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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