Delicious Kabuli Pulao recipe made with lamb shanks, basmati rice, spices, carrots, and raisins—a comforting Afghan dish everyone will love.

We first tried Kabuli Pulao around two years ago at a local Afghan restaurant, and from the very first bite, we were hooked. The blend of tender meat, aromatic rice, sweet raisins, and soft carrots was unforgettable. Ever since then, I’ve been meaning to recreate this iconic Afghan dish at home—but I always assumed it would be way too complicated.

Recently, a friend of mine made it for dinner and it looked so good I had to ask her for the recipe. I’m so glad I did, because once I gave it a try, I realised it’s actually a lot easier than it seems! This version of Kabuli Pulao with lamb shank is now one of our favourite comfort food dinners—it’s rich, warming, and full of flavour.

I just had to share this easy Kabuli Pulao recipe with you all because it’s honestly too good to keep to myself. Whether you’re cooking for your family or hosting guests, this dish is guaranteed to impress. It’s the perfect balance of savoury and sweet, and the slow-cooked lamb shanks take it to the next level.

So if you’re looking for the best Kabuli Pulao recipe that’s both comforting and surprisingly simple to make, this one’s for you. Your feedback means a lot to me, so do leave a rating and a comment down below! And if you decide to share your recreation don’t forget to tag me on Instagram – @Lotsoflovemariam.

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Kabuli Pulao With Lamb Shank Recipe

Kabuli Pulao Ingredients

For the lamb shanks:
– Lamb shanks
– Salt
– Cayenne pepper
– Turmeric
– Black pepper
– Paprika
– Ghee (for frying)

For the broth:
– Thinly sliced onions
– Ginger and garlic paste (or minced garlic and ginger)
– Cinnamon stick
– Coriander powder
– Black pepper
– Black cardamoms
– Star anise
– Black cloves
– Cumin
– Boiling water (enough to fully cover the lamb shanks)

Extras:
– Carrots (cut into thin matchsticks)
– Raisins

For the rice:
– Washed and soaked rice
– More boiling water (if needed)

How to Make This Easy Kabuli Pulao Recipe

Marinate the lamb shanks with the spices and leave them overnight or for a few hours. If short on time, they can be cooked immediately like I did.
In a large, deep pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and sear the lamb shanks for about 2 minutes on each side until golden but not fully cooked. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan, fry the carrots until soft, then remove. Add the raisins and cook until they puff up, then remove them as well.
Sauté the onions until soft, then add the ginger and garlic paste, mixing well. Stir in the spices (under broth), add the lamb shanks back to the pan, and pour in boiling water until they are fully covered. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for at least 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent sticking. After 1.5 hours, check if the meat is soft and falling off the bone. If needed, continue cooking for another 30 minutes (I found 2 hours was perfect), adding a little water if necessary (if the water is slightly going down that is absolutely ok – but if it has completely gone just add a little more).
Once the lamb is fully cooked, remove it from the pan. Add the washed rice to the same broth, mix well, and cook as normal (if there isn’t enough broth just add a little more hot water to be able to cook the rice).
When the rice is nearly done, gently mix it so the top layer moves to the bottom. Place the carrots and raisins on top without stirring, followed by the lamb shanks. Cover with foil, place the lid on, and reduce the heat. Let it steam for 5–10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.

Carefully remove the lamb shanks, mix in the carrots and raisins, then serve the rice on a plate with the lamb shank on top.

Enjoy!

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Print Recipe

Kabuli Pulao Recipe

A simple and delicious Kabuli Pulao recipe made with tender lamb shanks, fragrant basmati rice, warming spices, sweet carrots, and raisins—perfect for a comforting meal or special occasion.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2

Total Time2 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Afghan

Keyword: afghan kubali pulao, afghanistan rice, Authentic kabuli pulao recipe, kabuli pulao

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Foil
Large deep pan
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

For The Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper or less if you want it less chilli
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
2-3 tbsp ghee for frying

For The Broth (to cook the lamb shanks in)

2 white onions thinly sliced
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste or you can mince 5 garlic cloves and add 2 tsp of freshly minced ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp black pepper
2 black cradamoms
1 star anise
6 black cloves
2 tsp cumin
boiling water enough to cover the lamb shanks

Extras (will be added to mix in the rice)

4 carrots cut into matchsticks
1 cup raisins

Rice

3 cups white rice washed and soaked
boiling water if needed

Instructions

Marinate the lamb shanks with the spices and leave them overnight or for a few hours. If short on time, they can be cooked immediately like I did.
In a large, deep pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and sear the lamb shanks for about 2 minutes on each side until golden but not fully cooked. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan, fry the carrots until soft, then remove. Add the raisins and cook until they puff up, then remove them as well.
Sauté the onions until soft, then add the ginger and garlic paste, mixing well. Stir in the spices (under broth), add the lamb shanks back to the pan, and pour in boiling water until they are fully covered. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for at least 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent sticking.
After 1.5 hours, check if the meat is soft and falling off the bone. If needed, continue cooking for another 30 minutes (I found 2 hours was perfect), adding a little water if necessary (if the water is slightly going down that is absolutely ok – but if it has completely gone just add a little more).
Once the lamb is fully cooked, remove it from the pan. Add the washed rice to the same broth, mix well, and cook as normal (if there isn't enough broth just add a little more hot water to be able to cook the rice). Make sure you do not overcook the rice so it's not sticky!
When the rice is nearly done, gently mix it so the top layer moves to the bottom. Place the carrots and raisins on top without stirring, followed by the lamb shanks. Cover with foil, place the lid on, and reduce the heat. Let it steam for 5–10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
Carefully remove the lamb shanks, mix in the carrots and raisins, then serve the rice on a plate with the lamb shank on top.
Enjoy!

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