Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or navy/cannellini beans)
- ¼ cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 8-9 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (low sodium)
- 5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried dill (or about 2 tablespoons fresh if available)
- 4-5 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces wheat noodles or linguine
- ½ cup kashk (or yogurt/sour cream as substitute), plus more for topping
Garnish
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dried mint
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté, stirring frequently for 16-20 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. Remove one-third of the onions and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to use as a garnish later.
- Bloom Spices and Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the remaining onions in the pot and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in turmeric and black pepper, allowing them to bloom in the oil and release their flavors for another minute.
- Simmer Beans and Greens: Add rinsed chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, and 8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock to the pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the spinach, parsley, cilantro, dill, and green onions. When it returns to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes until beans are tender and greens have wilted.
- Sauté Garlic-Mint Garnish: In a small frying pan, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 45-90 seconds until golden and fragrant. Remove the pan from heat, stir in dried mint, and transfer the garlic-mint mixture to a bowl. This can be added to the soup or served separately as garnish.
- Prepare Kashk Mixture: In a medium bowl, add the kashk or yogurt. Ladle hot soup over it gradually while whisking to thin out the kashk. Add a second ladle of soup and set aside.
- Add Noodles and Final Simmer: Remove the lid from the soup pot and increase heat to high. When boiling, add the noodles and stir to prevent sticking. Cook for 10-12 minutes until noodles are tender. Stir in the thinned kashk and allow the soup to return to a simmer. Add any remaining chicken stock if the soup seems too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
- Serve: Mix the garlic-mint oil garnish into the soup or spoon it individually into bowls along with the reserved caramelized onions. Serve soup drizzled with extra kashk if desired for added tang and creaminess.
Notes
- Bean types can be substituted with similar varieties like navy or cannellini beans.
- Using vegetable stock makes this dish vegetarian-friendly; chicken stock adds additional richness.
- Kashk is a fermented whey product classic to Persian cooking; if unavailable, yogurt or sour cream can be substituted, although flavor will differ slightly.
- Adjust water or broth quantities depending on desired soup consistency.
- Fresh herbs enhance flavor but dried herbs are acceptable if needed.
- This soup can be made ahead; flavors improve after resting, and leftovers reheat well.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Persian
- Diet: Vegetarian
