Ash Reshteh

About This Recipe

Ash reshteh is one of the most beloved and symbolically important soups in Persian cuisine, traditionally eaten at Nowruz (Persian New Year) and whenever someone is embarking on a journey. Thick noodles, legumes and spinach are slow-cooked in a herb-rich broth, then finished with kashk (whey), fried onions, dried mint and turmeric. The noodles symbolise the threads of fate.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 200 greshteh noodles(or flat linguine)
• 400 gcanned chickpeas(drained)
• 400 gcanned kidney beans(drained)
• 200 glentils(green or brown)
• 300 gspinach(roughly chopped)
• 1 large bunchfresh parsley(chopped)
• 1 large bunchfresh coriander(chopped)
• 3 largeonions(2 for soup, 1 for crispy topping)
• 150 mlkashk(or sour cream/Greek yoghurt)
• 1 tspturmeric
• 2 tbspdried fenugreek leaves (shambalileh)
• 4 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 litrevegetable stock
• 1 tspdried mint(for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook base

   Fry 2 chopped onions in 2 tbsp oil until golden. Add turmeric. Add stock, chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils. Simmer 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Add noodles and greens

   Add noodles broken in half, spinach, parsley, coriander and fenugreek. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender and soup is thick.

3. 3

   Fry topping

   Thinly slice remaining onion. Fry in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until very dark golden and crispy. In the last minute, add 1 tsp dried mint and stir briefly.

4. 4

   Finish with kashk

   Stir 3/4 of the kashk into the soup. Taste and season generously with salt.

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls. Top with a swirl of remaining kashk, the crispy mint onions, and a drizzle of oil.

Variations

• •

  Add shredded cooked chicken for a non-vegetarian version.

• •

  Use spinach and chard together for a more complex green base.

Storage

Refrigerate for 4 days. Thickens when cold; thin with stock. Add kashk fresh when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions