serves
6-8
prep
30 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
6-8
people
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
Ash-e-Reshteh is a deeply nourishing Persian noodle soup, a symbol of warmth and community, featuring a rich blend of aromatic herbs, slow-cooked legumes, and tender noodles, enhanced by crispy shallots, mint oil, and yoghurt.
Originally a resourceful way to utilise leftover herb stew, this vegetarian dish is packed with nutrients and can be easily prepared with pre-made herb bases or from scratch, inviting shared meals and promising a comforting, flavourful experience that will become a family favourite.
Ingredients
- 1 (420g) can mixed cooked beans & chickpeas
- 1 (420g) can cooked brown lentils
- 1 bunch each: parsley, coriander, chives OR 1 Exotic Bazaar Persian Herb Stew Meal Base
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp dried mint
- 4 cubes frozen spinach
- 100g whole wheat or soup noodles, broken into halves
- 3 tbsp thick yogurt (or Kashk)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/3 tbsp pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 cup cooking oil (grapeseed recommended)
Optional: 1/4 tsp saffron powder (or 6 saffron strands)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Ingredients:
- Thinly slice the onions.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- If using fresh herbs, finely chop them and combine.
- If using saffron, grind it and steep in 1 shot of boiling water or 2 ice cubes.
2. Make the Garnish:
- In a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, dry-fry the onions until softened and slightly colored.
- Add oil to generously cover the onions and fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add turmeric and 1 tsp salt, fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove onions and set aside.
- If needed, add more oil to the pot. Fry the chopped garlic until golden. Remove and set aside with its oil.
- Clean the pot. Heat 4 tbsp oil, add dried mint, turn off heat immediately. Remove and set aside (some mint oil will remain).
3. Cook the Soup:
- Return the pot to medium heat.
- Add half the fried onions.
- Add fresh herbs or Exotic Bazaar Persian Herb Stew Meal Base.
- Fry for a few minutes.
- Add frozen spinach, canned beans, and lentils (with their liquid).
- Add 1 tbsp of fried mint and its oil, salt, and pepper.
- Add 1L boiling water (or enough to cover ingredients).
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broken noodles.
- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more boiling water if the soup is too thick.
4. Garnish and Serve:
- Mix yoghurt with 1 tsp salt and lemon juice.
- Ladle Ash-e-Reshteh into bowls. Top with yoghurt mixture, fried onions, garlic, mint oil, and saffron (if using).
- Decorate as desired.
Tips:
- Feel free to substitute beans based on pantry availability.
- Use thick noodles if Persian whole wheat noodles are unavailable (udon or thick rice noodles).
- Be generous with fried onions for optimal flavor.
- Use the same pot for garnish and soup to minimize cleanup.
- Traditionally, Kashk (whey sauce) is used. Yoghurt and lemon juice are a good substitute.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Ash-e-Reshteh is a deeply nourishing Persian noodle soup, a symbol of warmth and community, featuring a rich blend of aromatic herbs, slow-cooked legumes, and tender noodles, enhanced by crispy shallots, mint oil, and yoghurt.
Originally a resourceful way to utilise leftover herb stew, this vegetarian dish is packed with nutrients and can be easily prepared with pre-made herb bases or from scratch, inviting shared meals and promising a comforting, flavourful experience that will become a family favourite.
