Spas (Armenian Yogurt and Wheat Soup)

About This Recipe

Spas is a warm, tangy soup built on matsun, Armenia's thick cultured yogurt, thinned and simmered with cracked wheat or fine bulgur until it becomes a silky, savory porridge-soup. The trick to spas is temperature control: yogurt curdles under high heat, so the pot is stirred constantly and kept at a bare simmer while an egg-and-flour or cornstarch slurry stabilizes the dairy. Fresh herbs, most often cilantro and mint, are stirred in near the end, giving the finished soup a bright, herbaceous lift against the soup's sour creaminess. Spas is considered restorative, often served to soothe an upset stomach or a cold, and it appears on Armenian tables year-round, hot in winter and occasionally chilled in summer, when it resembles a savory, wheat-thickened lassi.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 150 gfine bulgur or cracked wheat
• 1 literplain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 literwater or chicken broth
• 1large egg
• 2 tbspall-purpose flour
• 3 tbspunsalted butter
• 1yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tspdried mint
• 1/2 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cupfresh mint, chopped
• 1.5 tspsalt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bulgur

   Rinse the bulgur in cold water and set aside to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Stabilize the yogurt

   In a large pot, whisk the yogurt, egg, flour, and a cup of the water or broth together until completely smooth — this prevents the yogurt from splitting once it heats.

3. 3

   Combine and heat gently

   Whisk in the remaining water or broth and salt. Set the pot over low heat and bring to a very gentle simmer, whisking constantly and never letting it boil hard.

4. 4

   Add the wheat

   Stir in the drained bulgur. Continue simmering gently, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until the wheat is tender and the soup has thickened to a light, creamy consistency.

5. 5

   Sauté the aromatics

   In a small pan, melt butter and sauté the onion until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in dried mint at the end.

6. 6

   Combine

   Stir the buttery onion mixture into the soup along with fresh cilantro and mint. Simmer 2–3 minutes more.

7. 7

   Season and serve

   Taste and adjust salt. Ladle hot into bowls; some cooks finish each bowl with a small extra pat of melted butter.

Variations

• •

  Serve chilled in summer, thinned with a little extra cold water, similar to a savory ayran-based soup.

• •

  Add cooked chickpeas or small meatballs for a heartier, more substantial version.

• •

  Some regions use rice instead of bulgur for a softer, more delicate texture.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat very gently over low heat, stirring constantly, as high heat will cause the yogurt to separate; add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions