Ash Reshteh (Persian Beans, Greens, and Noodle Soup)
By Claudia CatalanoPublished on March 14, 2026
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided1 tablespoon ground turmeric, divided8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)3 tablespoons dried mint 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry1½ cups thinly sliced scallions (10-12 scallions)1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems1 teaspoon pepper 3 ounces reshteh or linguine, broken in half½ cup kashk or plain yogurt
Before You Begin
We prefer jarred, refrigerated kashk rather than dehydrated because it is easier to work with. While its flavor is not as deep and full-bodied, plain yogurt can be used as a substitute for the kashk. To prevent any bits from scorching, be sure to wipe the nonstick skillet clean in between caramelizing the onions, browning the garlic, and cooking the mint.
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end and ¼ teaspoon table salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ¾ teaspoon turmeric and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and set skillet aside.
- Combine 8 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1 cup dried green lentils, rinsed, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt in Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer. Stir in 1 rinsed can chickpeas and 1 rinsed can red kidney beans and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, adjusting heat as needed.
- Meanwhile, in now-empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon turmeric and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer garlic and oil to second bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add remaining ¼ cup oil to again-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons dried mint and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to third bowl and set aside.
- Stir half of reserved caramelized onions, half of reserved browned garlic, 12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1½ cups thinly sliced scallions, 1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, remaining 2 teaspoons turmeric, and 1 teaspoon pepper into pot with bean mixture. Cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens, lentils, and beans are uniformly tender and stew has thickened, about 30 minutes.
- Stir 3 ounces reshteh, broken in half, into pot and cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and let sit until stew is thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Add water to ½ cup kashk in bowl, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Serve soup, topping individual portions with remaining reserved caramelized onions, remaining reserved browned garlic, reserved mint oil, and thinned kashk.
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 tablespoon ground turmeric, divided
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 tablespoons dried mint
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1½ cups thinly sliced scallions (10-12 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces reshteh or linguine, broken in half
½ cup kashk or plain yogurt
Ingredients
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 tablespoon ground turmeric, divided
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 tablespoons dried mint
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1½ cups thinly sliced scallions (10-12 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces reshteh or linguine, broken in half
½ cup kashk or plain yogurt
Ingredients
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 tablespoon ground turmeric, divided
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
1 cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 tablespoons dried mint
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1½ cups thinly sliced scallions (10-12 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces reshteh or linguine, broken in half
½ cup kashk or plain yogurt
Why This Recipe Works
Ash reshteh is a comforting and hearty Persian soup made from beans, lentils, greens, herbs, onions, and noodles. The dish relies on two key ingredients unique to the cuisine: reshteh, the wheat noodles for which the soup is named, and kashk, a salty, tangy, fermented dairy product. Iranian cooks use all sorts of legumes in ash; we opted for lentils for body and chickpeas and kidney beans, which are easy to find canned and hold up well to long simmering. Heaps of spinach, parsley, cilantro, and scallions give the soup its signature earthy color and flavor; we used frozen chopped spinach to reduce knife work. We incorporated caramelized onions and golden sautéed garlic into the soup to infuse the whole pot with sweetness and complex savor and reserved some of each to top individual bowls of soup, along with the garlic’s oil, mint oil, and thinned kashk.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We prefer jarred, refrigerated kashk rather than dehydrated because it is easier to work with. While its flavor is not as deep and full-bodied, plain yogurt can be used as a substitute for the kashk. To prevent any bits from scorching, be sure to wipe the nonstick skillet clean in between caramelizing the onions, browning the garlic, and cooking the mint.
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 large onions, halved and sliced thin through root end and ¼ teaspoon table salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ¾ teaspoon turmeric and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and set skillet aside.
- Combine 8 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1 cup dried green lentils, rinsed, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt in Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer. Stir in 1 rinsed can chickpeas and 1 rinsed can red kidney beans and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, adjusting heat as needed.
- Meanwhile, in now-empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon turmeric and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer garlic and oil to second bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Add remaining ¼ cup oil to again-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 tablespoons dried mint and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to third bowl and set aside.
- Stir half of reserved caramelized onions, half of reserved browned garlic, 12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1½ cups thinly sliced scallions, 1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, remaining 2 teaspoons turmeric, and 1 teaspoon pepper into pot with bean mixture. Cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens, lentils, and beans are uniformly tender and stew has thickened, about 30 minutes.
- Stir 3 ounces reshteh, broken in half, into pot and cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and let sit until stew is thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Add water to ½ cup kashk in bowl, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Serve soup, topping individual portions with remaining reserved caramelized onions, remaining reserved browned garlic, reserved mint oil, and thinned kashk.
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