Persian Ash Reshteh
A huge amount of herbs, beans and noodles cooks into a thick Persian soup finished with tangy kashk and mint oil.
About this dish
Ash reshteh is a Persian herb-and-legume soup featuring reshteh noodles and often kashk, a fermented dairy product. It is thick, green and substantial enough to be a meal, with fried onion and mint adding contrast on top.
Why this dish matters
Ash reshteh is associated with gatherings and seasonal celebrations including Nowruz-related traditions. The noodles can carry symbolic associations with paths and good fortune, though household meanings and serving occasions vary.
Kashk gives the most characteristic finish; thick yogurt is only a partial substitute.
Preparation notes
They should dominate visually.
They thicken the soup quickly.
Ash should be thick but still spoonable.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup cooked kidney beans
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 2 cups parsley
- 2 cups cilantro
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup scallions
- 1 onion
- 8 oz reshteh noodles
- 8 cups stock
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 cup kashk
- 2 tbsp dried mint
- 3 tbsp oil
- Salt
Method
- 1.Fry sliced onion until golden; reserve half.
- 2.Add turmeric, legumes and stock to the pot; simmer 20 minutes.
- 3.Add chopped herbs and simmer 20 minutes.
- 4.Break in reshteh noodles and cook until tender.
- 5.Checkpoint: soup should be thick enough that herbs and legumes stay suspended.
- 6.Fry dried mint briefly in oil.
- 7.Serve with kashk, fried onion and mint oil.
Worth finding before you cook
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links below are affiliate links; if you buy through them, Fringe Table may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
These links are included only for ingredients that can be meaningfully harder to find in a standard supermarket.