Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle and Bean Soup)

Ash reshteh is a wonderful soup that’s traditionally made with Persian noodles called “reshteh.” You can find them in Middle Eastern stores or use linguine pasta as a substitute. This hearty spiced soup topped with yogurt and fried red onions is a Persian New Year tradition.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 3 hrs 40 mins

Total Time: 12 hrs

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• ⅓ cup dry kidney beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, or as needed
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, or to taste, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 3 bunches scallions, chopped (green parts only)
• 3 cups packed chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups packed chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup dry lentils
• ½ pound linguine pasta
• 1 pound fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup Greek yogurt

Steps

1. Place chickpeas and kidney beans into a large container; cover with several inches of cool water. Let stand 8 hours to overnight; drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking and stirring until onion is tender and golden brown, about 40 minutes more. Stir in dried mint; cook until onions become dark brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Set aside for garnish.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a stock pot; stir in yellow onions. Cook and stir until onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas, kidney beans, and turmeric; toss to combine. Stir in vegetable stock; simmer soup for 1 hour.
4. Stir scallions, parsley, cilantro, mint, and lentils into soup; simmer 30 minutes more. Break linguine into 3 sections, stir into soup, and cook at a low boil until noodles are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Stir 1/2 of the spinach into the soup until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining spinach and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir flour with 3 tablespoons of the soup liquid together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir flour mixture back into soup. Continue to simmer soup over low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Serve soup with yogurt and fried red onions.