Ash Reshteh (Persian Beans, Greens and Noodle Soup)

Ash reshteh, named for the square-edged, linguini-like noodle called reshteh, is one of those soups that seems to have as many variations as home cooks who make it. Some recipes call for only chickpeas, others for chickpeas and one to three other kinds of beans. Some recipes say to stir in a whole bottle of kashk (a fermented whey sauce) before serving while others use kashk as a garnish and still others omit it in favor of yogurt, kefir or a vegan cashew cheese sauce. Variations include or exclude garlic, dill and mint. One recipe asks for a bunch of spinach, another a pound, a third for 2 pounds. It’s a you-can’t-make-a-mistake kind of soup. The make-it-even-if-you-can’t-find-one-ingredient kind of soup. A generous soup.

Note that this hearty vegetarian soup can be made vegan by garnishing with a non-dairy yogurt in place of the kashk (which is sold in many Middle Eastern markets).

From the story: The ‘soup for dinner’ diet: It’s easy, delicious. A never-boring way to slim down