The traditional Persian comfort food, ash reshteh, is a symbol of good luck. Whether lucky or not, the dish is delicious and full of healthy ingredients to keep you nourished. Vegetarian. Gluten Free.
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Ash Reshteh is the first Persian dish I tried making on my own. My mother-in-law told me the basic recipe and I purchased on her recommendation the New Food of Life cookbook by Najmieh Batmanglij which is the basis for this recipe with a few alterations to make it healthier. If you are new to Persian Cooking, I highly recommend the cookbook.
The noodles used in this ash recipe are called reshteh in Farsi. They are a symbol of good luck and fortune. It is a tradition for family members to eat the soup when a loved one travels to ensure a safe journey, typically eaten on the third day after departure. It is also the customary dish of the Persian Holiday, Chaharshanbe Suri, which kicks off the Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebrations. Now, on to the good stuff…
Tips for Making Ash Reshteh
Soak the beans. The night before preparing ash reshteh, soak the kidney beans, lentils, and garbanzo beans in water with a pinch of salt. If you forget to soak the beans, you can do a quick soak. Simply place the beans in a pot with double the amount of water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Set aside for 1 hour.
Chop the herbs in advance. Wash and chop the herbs. You can do this in advance, placing the herbs in an airtight container with a paper towel and refrigerate. I prep herbs this way every week. At the end of the week, any leftover herbs I label with the approximate amounts of each herb and put in the freezer. Once I have enough herbs stored to make a pot of Ash, I pull them out, no need to defrost.
Don’t overdo it with the noodles. Most ash reshteh recipes will call for 1 lb noodles. I find this takes away from the nutrient-rich dish and makes it too starchy. Go easy and use my recommended 4-6 oz of brown rice pasta noodles. You can actually use any kind of noodles, but I prefer brown rice for this dish.
Hard to Find Ingredients:
Khashk is a fermented yogurtThe khashk in the recipe can be found in most Middle Eastern Markets, but with the pandemic, you can find it on Amazon and this is the brand I like although it is pricey online.
I have not yet tried making my own khashk, but it seems relatively simple: I found this guide from a reputable source – I will try it soon and let you know how it goes.
Alternatively, you can use Greek yogurt mixed with a teaspoon white vinegar and a pinch of sea salt.
Print
Ash Reshteh – Herbed Noodle Soup For Good Fortune
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 min
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Persian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A traditional Persian comfort food, ash reshteh, is a symbol of good luck. Whether lucky or not, the dish is delicious and full of healthy ingredients to keep you nourished. Vegetarian. Gluten Free.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb green lentils, soaked, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 10 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground fresh
- 1 Tbsp Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 8–10 cups water or broth of choice
- 4–6 oz brown rice noodles, uncooked
- 3 stalks spring onions, chopped
- 1 cup fresh dill weed, chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lb frozen spinach, chopped
- 1 cup kashk or 1 cup yogurt + 1 tsp white vinegar + 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 lemons, juiced or 1/2 cup lemon juice
Optional Garnish:
- 1 Tbsp dried mint
- 1/2 Cup Kashk
- 1 onion or 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Soup:
- Soak 1/3 cup kidney beans, 1/3 cup garbanzo beans, and 1 lb lentils overnight with 6-8 cups water and 1/2 Tbsp sea salt. Drain and Rinse.
- Heat a large dry pan for 2 minutes on medium heat. add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 chopped onions, 10 chopped cloves garlic. Sauté until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add beans and season. Add drained bean mixture, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 Tbsp ground cumin, and 2 tsp ground ginger. Sauté another 2 minutes.
- Add liquid. Add 8-10 cups water or broth (depending on the consistency you choose – you can always add more later so start with 8 cups and add from there). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.
- Bean check. Taste the beans, if they are still firm, cook until tender.
- Add Noodles and Herbs. Add 4-6 oz uncooked brown rice noodles, 3 chopped spring onions, 1 cup chopped parsley, 1 cup chopped dill, 1 cup chopped cilantro, and 1 lb frozen spinach. Bring back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered an additional 20 minutes or until the noodles are cooked through. Check the liquid occasionally to see if you need to add.
- Add Kashk and Lemon Juice. Add 1 cup kashk (or 1 cup greek yogurt + 1 tsp white vinegar + 1/4 tsp sea salt) and juice from 2 lemons. Stir until combined. – Go slowly while adding the lemon and add to taste.
- Enjoy with the optional garnish
For the garnish:
- Heat a small dry skillet for about 1 minute on medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and immediately add 1 thinly sliced onion. Fry until brown and crispy.
- Add 1 Tbsp dried mint and 1 tsp ground turmeric to the pot and sauté for one minute before removing from heat.
- Top the ash reshte with a dollop of khask and the fried onion-mint mixture.
- Mix and enjoy – Nushejan!
Notes
The khashk in the recipe can be found in most Middle Eastern Markets, but with the pandemic, you can find it on Amazon and this is the brand I like although it is pricey online. Alternatively, you can use Greek yogurt mixed with a teaspoon white vinegar and a pinch of sea salt.
Some people prefer the soup partially puréed. To do so, use a hand mixer before step 6 – before you add the noodles. Purée to your desired consistency.
Go slow when adding the lemon at the end and add enough to your taste – always adjust salt to taste as well.
Make it your own and tell me what you created in the notes 🙂 Nushejan – Enjoy!
Keywords: Persian, Ash Reshteh, Soup, Noodle soup, Bean Soup, Vegetarian, Chaharshande Suri
Health Talk
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor. I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking and my hope is to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.
Ash Reshteh is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, protein and fiber. Plus, it’s Gluten Free, and Vegetarian.
Health Benefits of Beans in Ash Reshteh
Of all the lentils, green lentils are the healthiest. They are full of fiber and protein, as well as beneficial nutrient, such as iron, potassium, folate, and calcium.
As a legume, garbanzo beans (also called, chickpeas) are rich in fiber and protein as well as iron, selenium, and B vitamins. The benefits of garbanzo beans are plentiful, ranging from diabetes prevention to weight management and improves iron deficiency.
Furthermore, the high fiber content of kidney beans has a range of health benefits, helping to prevent diabetes, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of colon cancer. They are also high in protein and antioxidants.
Added Health Benefits of Herbs and Greens in Ash Reshteh
Spinach is a vitamin powerhouse with one cup delivering more than 25% daily value of vitamins A,K, B2,B6, E, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, and copper. The health benefits of spinach are plentiful, most notably it’s anti-inflammatory properties, and may help regulate hunger and blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, the large quantities of cilantro (coriander) and parsley found in this dish are excellent sources of viatmins K, C, A, Folate and Iron. Parsley is known for its carcinogenic balancing effect and can protect against heart disease, certain cancers, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Animal studies have linked dill to lowered blood sugars, reduced cholesterol, and decreased cancer risk. Results in humans have been mixed, but it is certainly rich in antioxidants, which are good for health.
Moreover, Coriander leaves (Cilantro) and seeds may contribute to lower blood sugar, keep infections at bay, and promote heart, brain, skin, and gut health.
Normally, we don’t eat enough parsley, dill, or cilantro to realize their benefits, but each serving packs 1/4 cup of these powerful herbs.
REsources:
For more in-depth information on the health benefits of these ingredients, see the sources:
Kitchen Starts, Parsley
Healthline, 8 Surprising Benefits of Coriander
Medical News Today, What are the Benefits of Chickpeas?
Organic Facts, 12 Amazing Benefits of Kidney Beans
WebMD, Benefits of Lentils
Healthline, All you need to know about Dill
World’s Healthiest Foods, Spinach
