Ash-e Reshteh (Hearty Persian Noodle Soup)

A thick, herbaceous and flavorful Persian noodle soup, brimming with assorted beans, lentils, and fresh herbs, traditionally topped with a dollop of kashk (whey) and crispy fried mint.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 1 hr 30 min
• Total: 2 hr
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Persian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.56/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• boil
• steam
• comfort food
• healthy
• rich
• classic

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (large, thinly sliced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can kidney beans (15-ounce, rinsed and drained)
• 1 can chickpeas (15-ounce, rinsed and drained)
• 0.5 cup green lentils (rinsed)
• 8 cup vegetable broth
• 1.5 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh dill (chopped)
• 4 cup fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
• 6 ounce Reshteh noodles
• 0.5 cup kashk
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (for frying mint)
• 1 whole pita bread (for serving)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced yellow onion and cook until softened and golden, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon dried mint, ground turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the pot. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in the rinsed and drained kidney beans, chickpeas, and rinsed green lentils. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
4. Add the chopped fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, fresh dill, and roughly chopped fresh spinach to the soup. Stir well and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the herbs to wilt.
5. Break the Reshteh noodles into 3-inch pieces and add them to the soup. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or according to package directions, until the noodles are tender. Stir in 1/2 cup of kashk. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. For garnish: In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon dried mint and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant but not burnt. Be careful as dried mint burns quickly.
7. Ladle the hot Ash-e Reshteh into bowls. Garnish each serving with a dollop of kashk and a drizzle of the fried mint oil. Serve immediately with pita bread.

Notes

Ash-e Reshteh is often served for Nowruz (Persian New Year) or to welcome travelers. If you can't find Reshteh noodles, thin spaghetti or linguine broken into short pieces works well. The soup thickens as it cools, so you may need to add a little more broth when reheating.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 550
• Protein: 28.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 80.5 g
• Fat: 15.6 g
• Fiber: 20.3 g
• Sodium: 1100 mg
• Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
• Sugar: 9.5 g
• Cholesterol: 15 mg