Welcome to Ash Reshteh, a one pot Persian Noodle soup filled with fresh herbs, leafy greens, legumes and noodles. It's traditionally eaten on Persian New Year, it's jam packed with flavor and comes straight to you from my childhood kitchen!
Ash Reshteh, also known and pronounced in farsi as 'Ash e Reshteh', takes me back to childhood and is the perfect Persian comfort food. It's a hearty soup that is full of nutrients, protein and fibre and will warm your soul. It's a staple in Persian cuisine and here I'll be sharing the recipe which was taught to me by my mother and aunty, passed down generations from my grandma. In my recipe, I've simplified it, so anyone can make it!
We traditionally eat Ash Reshteh on Persian New Year we call "Nowruz". It's celebrated approximately around the 20th of March every year which is on the Spring equinox. Iranians all around the world will be eating a bowl of this magnificent soup at the same time, making it not only delicious, but very special also.
Some other Persian dishes eaten on Nowruz are sabzi polo which is a herb rice, kuku sabzi a herb frittata and kashke bademjan an eggplant dip.
Ash Reshteh is a green machine powerhouse of a soup with a range of different green herbs and tonnes of spinach. Layered with a combination of beans, legumes and chewy noodles in a thick creamy broth… ah yum!!! Anytime that my mum or grandma would make this soup, you can smell the aromas miles away. Your house will smell amazing and it makes you feel good from the inside out.
What makes ash reshteh creamy is a magic ingredient Kashk, which is simply liquid whey from fermented yogurt and has a tangy unique flavor. Not to worry if you can't find it, you can easily make this soup without it with some simple substitutions. I've used thick Greek yogurt but sour cream will do just fine too. It's a forgiving soup so you can use the herbs and legumes you have on hand.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love Ash Reshteh
- Healthy and Nutritious. Ash Reshteh is a one pot powerhouse with protein, fiber, and vitamins from the legumes, leafy greens and fresh herbs
- Flavor Explosion. The combination of different herbs and ingredients creates a truly unique and addictive flavor bomb with every spoonful
- Symbolic Persian Tradition. Enjoy a bowl of Persian comfort food filled with so much meaning, as its traditionally eaten on Nowruz festivities - Persian New Year
- Versatile. You can customize this recipe by adding different herbs, beans or legumes you have on hand. Its a forgiving soup which you can make how you like
Persian New Year (Nowruz)
Ash Reshteh isn't just a soup, it holds a special place in Persian and Iranian culture, especially during the festivities of Nowruz also known as Norooz which is the “Persian New Year”. Nowruz is celebrated on the spring equinox (usually around March 20th), and is a time for hope, fresh starts, family and loved ones, and sharing yummy food together. Its also celebrated by many other cultures including Kurdish, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Turkey and several others.
Ash Reshteh also has beautiful symbolic meanings in the spirit of Nowruz .The noodles which are called “reshteh” represent the threads of life. The vibrant green herbs represent new fresh beginnings and the start of spring and the lentils symbolize prosperity and abundance for the year to come.
We traditionally eat ash reshteh on Chaharshanbe Soori which is a pre-Nowruz festival on the eve of the last Wednesday of the solar year. It traditionally involves jumping over bonfires which symbolizes cleansing away sickness, any problems, or misfortune from the previous year, for a prosperous new year.
We also eat ash on the last of the nowruz festivities called Sizdeh Bedar. Its on the 13th day after the new year and literally translates to “13 the door”. It's a day to get rid of any bad fortune of the previous year, be outdoor with family and loved ones, pack a picnic including a big pot of Ash e Reshteh.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Ash Reshteh
- Fresh green herbs including spinach, cilantro (coriander), parsley, green onions (scallions) are the essential greens. Fresh herbs are always best but substitute with frozen spinach if needed. If you aren't a fan of cilantro, feel free to increase the other herbs, fresh dill and chives are also common
- Reshteh noodles are thin, flat, chewy soup noodles which are the traditional noodle in Ash "Reshteh" as per its name. Find them in Persian or Middle Eastern supermarkets, but don't worry if you can't, as you can substitute with dried udon noodles or linguine
- Legumes with a combination of lentils, chickpeas, and red kidney beans are typical. Dried beans are soaked which are slowly cooked in the broth, but canned beans are commonly used for a speedy soup. Pinto beans, barlotti beans or even navy beans (cannellini beans) are good substitutes - use what you have on hand!
- Onion and garlic are the foundation of the soup adding flavor and depth
- Dried mint is essential for that classic Persian touch!
- Turmeric adds a earthiness and beautiful golden color - ensure its fried down well to release all the aroma
- Vegetable broth is the flavorful base for the soup, I always prefer to use a low sodium vegetable stock. You can substitute with chicken or beef stock if you aren't vegetarian or simply water
- Kashk is a fermented whey product which gives this soup its unique tangy flavor. If you can't find kashk, substitute with sour cream or thick plain Greek yogurt and a good squeeze of lemon for some tang
How to make Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup)
Make this traditional Persian Ash Reshteh passed down from my mother, aunty and grandma. Follow my simple steps below.
- Saute diced onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low heat. When translucent, add diced garlic, turmeric, dried mint and a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute for 3-5 minutes
- Add 4 cups of water and 4 cups of vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper.
If using dried chickpeas and kidney beans (that have been soaked overnight), add to the pot at this time. Simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on - Add the dry lentils and simmer with lid on for 15 minutes
- Chop fresh herbs, spinach, parsley, cilantro and green onion. Disregard any coarse stems and roughly chop all of the leaves
- Add all chopped herbs and spinach to the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes with lid on. If using canned chickpeas and kidney beans, add them at this time
- Break noodles into 3 even pieces and add to the pot (cook as per package instructions) TIP - if the broth is too thick, add 1-2 cups of water if needed. Taste for seasoning and adjust, also check if legumes are cooked
- Add the kashk or a substitute (see notes in the recipe card below) and stir through until the broth is nice and creamy. Add a good squeeze of lemon and allow to cook for a few minutes
- To serve, garnish with crispy fried onions, fried dried mint and a dollop of kashk and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Brown the onion and ensure to saute well with the turmeric and dried mint. This is the base of the soup and will give it a deeper, richer flavor
- Fresh herbs are best for Ashe Reshteh. It will elevate your soup and will have the most beautiful green color and flavor. You can use frozen or dried herbs, but it wont taste the exact same
- Cook low and slow. This soup needs time for it's unique flavor and ingredients to develop together
- Leftovers are the best. Make a big batch to save time and freeze as per storage tips below
- Garnish is key with this soup. Fry extra onions to crispy golden brown perfection, along with a drizzle of fried dried mint oil and dollop of kashk or yogurt / sour cream
Storage Instructions
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Ash Reshteh always tastes better the next day, so leftovers are usually mandatory
- Reheat in a small pan or pot over stovetop on a medium heat until heated through. You can add a splash of water if its thickened too much. You can also reheat in the microwave
- Freeze leftovers if you have decided to make a big batch - I usually do this. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and pop in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a few hours and reheat as above
FAQs
Ash reshteh is made with caramelized onions, a mix of fresh herbs, spinach, beans and legumes and chewy noodles in a flavorful thick broth
The word ash is believed to have originated back from the very old Persian term for “food”
Its now a nowruz staple (Persian New Year) with the noodles themselves, called “reshteh” having a symbolic meaning representing good fortune for the new year and herbs symbolizing a fresh start to spring
Kashk is a form of liquid whey and has a thick, creamy and tangy flavor. You easily replace it with sour cream or also thick plain Greek yogurt with a good squeeze of lemon juice
More Persian Recipes
- Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)
- Ghormeh Sabzi
- Barbari Bread (Persian Flatbread)
- Adas Polo
- Shirazi Salad
- Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)
- Persian Rice with Crispy Tahdig
- Lubia Polo (Green Bean Rice)
- Persian Ice Cream (Bastani Sonnati)
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup) photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle and Herb soup)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large onion - diced
- 4 large garlic cloves - diced
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried mint
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight (or 1 cup canned chickpeas)
- ½ cup dried kidney beans soaked overnight (or 1 cup canned kidney beans)
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 bunch (~ 2oz / 60g) fresh parsley
- 1 bunch (~2oz / 60g) fresh cilantro/coriander
- 12oz / 340g fresh spinach
- 4 green onions/scallions
- 4oz / 120g reshteh noodles (or dried udon noodles / linguine)
- ½ cup liquid kashk mixture *see notes (or ¾ sour cream or thick Greek yogurt)
- 4 cups vegetable broth - I've used low sodium
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish (optional)
- Fried crispy onions, fried dried mint, extra dollop kashke or sour cream / thick yogurt
Instructions
- In a large pot, saute the diced onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a low heatOnce lightly golden brown, add the diced garlic, turmeric, dried mint and the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil. Saute for 3-5 minutes until aromatic and fragrant
- Add the vegetable broth and 4 cups of water, season well with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium heatIf using dried chickpeas and kidney beans that have been soaked overnight, add these in now. Allow to simmer slowly for 30 minutes (lid on)
- After 30 minutes, reduce back to low heat, add the dried lentils and simmer for 15 minutes (lid on)
- Whilst the broth is simmering, prepare the fresh herbs. Disregard any coarse stems but finely chop the remaining stems of the parsley, cilantro, green onions and spinach. Roughly chop all of the leaves
- Add all of the fresh herbs and spinach and simmer for 30-40 minutes until all the greens are cooked through and wilted (lid on)If using canned chickpeas and kidney beans, add these in now
- Break the noodles into 3 even pieces and add them to the broth to cook as per the package instructions. They should be fully cooked through and not al dente*Note if the broth is too thick, you can add 1-2 cups of water if needed. Ensure to taste the broth and legumes to ensure they are cooked and season if needed
- Add the kashk, sour cream or Greek yogurt and stir through until the broth is nice and creamy. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and allow to cook for a few minutes Serve up your delicious Ash Reshteh with an optional garnish of crispy fried onions, fried dried mint oil and dollop of kashk / sour cream or yogurt and enjoy this bowl of Persian comfort food!
Notes
- When using liquid kashk, it typically comes in a jar and might still be quite thick. Add 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk to create a thick sauce consistency
- If using dry kashk, dissolve with boiling water and whisk together to create a thick sauce consistency
- As a substitute to kashk, use ¾ sour cream or thick Greek yogurt. I have used Greek yogurt in this recipe
Fatima says
Delicious. I followed the recipe exactly (except I didn’t have any dried mint). I used soured cream and linguine within the soup, and served with fried crispy onions as a garnish. Came out perfectly - light, fragrant. Even my little ones ate it!
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely to hear Fatima! What a beautiful compliment that your little ones loved it too 🙂
Ween says
I made this today for Iftaar. Wow, this warmth my soul as I was feeling rather unwell. Thank You! Will definately bring this dish to my next Eid gathering.
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely to hear this! Eid Mabarak 🙂
Orla says
Can I use canned green lentils? My local stores don't do dried ones.
Ayeh Manfre says
Yes you sure can 🙂 Add the canned lentils and beans in step 5 so they don't get too mushy xxx
Ze says
Omg I’ve been looking for an Ash recipe for so long and this was perfect and authentic 10/10
Ayeh Manfre says
Yay love this! So happy you loved it so much too xx
Melinda says
I made this soup tonight and it was easy and tasty. I used your suggestions to substitute Greek yogurt for the kashk and linguini for the noodles, and I thought they worked well. The instructions were very straightforward and easy to follow. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear Melinda! So happy you loved the recipe 🙂
allie says
very yummy
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it Allie!
kristen says
Great for meal prep! I replaced the noodles with macaroni and used vegan yogurt but otherwise followed it. Very yummy and not challenging to make.
Ayeh Manfre says
Sounds delicious and love that you easily made it vegan too 🙂
Regina L Kamilar says
I really enjoyed this recipe. I love lentils my husband not so much.
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you loved it dear, you can also add different beans for your husband next time too 🙂
Yolanda Salas says
Married into the Persian culture.
Ash-e-rested
One of my favorite dishes.
Ayeh Manfre says
Love that 🙂 Its a childhood favorite of mine too xxx
Gayatri Patil says
Thank you for this incredible recipe and thank you for simplifying it .. I made this last night and cluld not stop eating it. The soup turned our delicious . I used chicken bullion base for tbe stock and that gave it more depth and you said.
Ayeh Manfre says
This made me so happy! Thrilled you loved it so much x
Orkideh Sayari says
Thank you, Ayeh, for creating a simplified recipe for delicious ash reshteh. I've always wanted to learn how to make this soup and was often intimidated by all the prep work. This recipe is so good and takes me back to my childhood.
Ayeh Manfre says
This made my heart so happy! You are so very welcome xxx
Tracy L says
It’s perfect! I was skeptical that 2 bunches of fresh herbs would overwhelm me, but they cook down into it amazingly well. Loved the flavors!
Ayeh Manfre says
Yay so glad you tried it and loved it Tracy!
C K says
Made this today and the cooking instructions were so helpful! So happy to have found this recipe! Will definitely make it again! Thank you so much!
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it so much too 🙂
Maricon says
Always nice dishes her I really love it
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely to hear xxx
Mojgan Skelton says
Fabulous and easy to make. Just like my grandmothers cooking. Thank you
Ayeh Manfre says
What a lovely compliment, so happy you loved it 🙂
Natalie says
10/10! Perfect recipe and the directions were very helpful.
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely to hear Natalie 🙂
Elexis says
Made this last night and it was delicious! Homemade ash reshteh is the best. I am Filipino and made this for my Persian husband and our daughter. He said it was perfect and my daughter loved it very much. It was very easy to make. We didn’t have the noodles, so i used linguine instead. Great recipe,, this will be in our regular rotation.
Ayeh Manfre says
What a lovely message!! So happy you all loved it Elexis 🙂
Kristin Neiswender says
I’ve never had this before, so I have no basis for comparison…but it was so yummy. Got the ingredients from a local Halal market. It was perfect on this come, rainy day!
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it Kristin, sounds great for a rainy day 🙂
Knarik Pananyan says
I looooooove everything ❤️♥️you are amazing ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy to hear you love my recipes 🙂
Jenny Lynch Kuntz says
Made this yesterday for Nowruz (today.) I omitted the beans, pasta (I used dried udon), and yogurt until I rewarmed it today so nothing would get soggy. I always think soups and stews are better the next day anyway! Boy howdy is this delicious. Served with a dollop more of yogurt, toasted walnuts, home-fried onions, and a lightly fried dried fenugreek leaf and dried mint leaf oil. Amazing!! Thank you so much!
Ayeh Manfre says
Sounds amazing and I totally agree that it tastes better the next day 🙂 Happy Nowruz 🙂
Les from Melbourne, Australia says
Fantastic! Very easy and tremendous flavour, esp when you add the lemon and yoghurt at the end - it transforms it. And I love the colour of the tumeric! Recipe was clear and the little video was helpful and fun! Thanks.
Ayeh Manfre says
Thrilled you tried and loved this recipe Les 🙂
Jan says
just delicious! I substituted kashk with sour cream and used linguine. Undortunately I didn't have any parsley but it was still lovely and I served it with the crispy fried onions. My husband came back for seconds. Thank you!
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear!!Especially that your husband loved it so much 🙂
Jutta says
Love love LOVE this recipe and soup! I made this for my half Persian spouse and he absolutely loved it also, the taste reminded him of his childhood trips to Iran. As he is gluten free, I substituted the reshteh noodles with rice noodles, and it worked perfectly.
Ayeh Manfre says
Such a lovely compliment, so glad you both enjoyed it and reminded him of his childhood 🙂
Sybille Sasse says
Best recipe ever
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it Sybille 🙂
Pamela says
My Husband is Persian. He is raving about this soup. He even said his Aunt Betty would be so proud of me.She was the one who would always make Ash Reshteh for the family. Thank You for this recipe!!
Ayeh Manfre says
This is so lovely to hear and a huge compliment, you are so very welcome 🙂
Dee says
This was east to make and delicious. Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe!
Ayeh Manfre says
You are so very welcome Dee, so glad you loved it 🙂
Teresa says
This is a very flavorful soup!! I love it!
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it Teresa 🙂
Tabitha says
Salam!
I was thinking of making this for a game night with family/friends (majority being Persian family). I love that this seems to be a simplified version my husband’s family makes. How many does this recipe serve? I apologize if that’s included and I missed it.
Kheili Mamnoon!
Ayeh Manfre says
Salam Tabitha! Oh how fun 🙂 This makes 6 good servings, it's also at the bottom in the recipe card for next time. Hope everyone loves it xxxx