Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup)

BY Ayeh Manfre · UPDATED: Mar 18, 25 · PUBLISHED: Mar 10, 24 · 40 Comments

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
Persian New Year (Nowruz)
Ingredients and Substitutions for Ash Reshteh
How to make Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup)
Tips and Tricks
Storage Instructions
FAQs
More Persian Recipes
Recipe
Comments

Ash Reshteh Persian Noodle Herb Soup in a big pot

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.

Fresh herbs, spinach, cilantro, parsley, green onions

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!

Ash Reshteh garnished with crispy onion, kaske and fried dried mint

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

What is Ash Reshteh made of?

Ash reshteh is made with caramelized onions, a mix of fresh herbs, spinach, beans and legumes and chewy noodles in a flavorful thick broth

What is the history of Ash Reshteh?

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

What can I use instead of kashk?

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

Spoon coming out of a bowl of ash reshteh

More Persian Recipes

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