Ash-e Shooli is a hearty, gluten-free, and vegetarian beet soup from Central Iran packed with potatoes, lentils, herbs, and finished with a topping of minty caramelized onions.
Why You’ll Love this Beet Soup Recipe
- Earthy beets, lentils, and lots of herbs make this nourishing soup perfect for cooler weather.
- It’s vegetarian and gluten-free.
- The flavors deepen overnight, making it ideal for cook-once, eat-all-week lunches or dinners.
“Ash” (pronounced aah-sh) refers to a thick, hearty dish that sits between a soup and a stew. Iranians use this term to describe soups packed with vegetables, legumes, herbs, and sometimes noodles. Ash recipes are generally a complete meal rather than a starter. Ash is a traditional comfort food in Iran, often served during gatherings and special occasions during the winter months.
Ash-e Shooli is a traditional soup from Yazd in central Iran. It is thick, comforting, and full of fresh herbs, combining spinach, parsley, cilantro, dill, and fenugreek leaves with earthy beets and lentils for a nourishing bowl. Vinegar adds a touch of sourness, and it is garnished with caramelized onions flavored with garlic, turmeric, and mint. The resulting dish is delicious and incredibly unique.
Key Ingredients
- Beets are the star ingredient, delivering an earthy sweetness and a vibrant ruby color. In Iran, Ash-e Shooli is traditionally made with white beets. However, white beets are not commonly available in the U.S., so I used red beets, which are more readily available, resulting in a soup with a vibrant reddish-pink color.
- Potato: The traditional recipe relies on a flour slurry, but I used potato instead to naturally thicken the soup, add texture, and keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Lentils are high in fiber and add a source of plant-based protein; use either green or brown lentils.
- Onion and Garlic serve as a savory flavor base for the soup. A garnish of caramelized onions on top adds a sweet finish.
How to Make Persian Beet Soup
This soup is a lovely balance of earthy vegetables, protein-rich lentils, and fragrant herbs. It all comes together in a single pot. Here’s how to make it step-by-step:
- Cook the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 large, finely chopped onion and sauté until golden. Stir in 2 crushed or grated garlic cloves for 30 seconds, then add 1 teaspoon ground turmeric and stir until evenly coated.
- Add beets and potato. Add 3 medium peeled and diced beets and 1 large peeled and diced potato and stir and cook for approximately 5 minutes, reduce the heat if necessary. The beets will turn the mixture pink.
- Add lentils and simmer. Rinse and drain 3/4 cup brown or green lentils. Mix the lentils into the pot, along with 6 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until the lentils soften somewhat. They don’t need to be completely cooked at this point.
- Add the greens. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, dill, spinach, and fenugreek, if using. Simmer, covered, until the soup thickens and the lentils completely soften, another 20 minutes.
- Prepare the garnish. Meanwhile, place a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and, once it glistens, add 2 finely sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, and lowering the heat as needed to ensure the onions don’t burn, until the onions have caramelized, about 10 minutes. Then add 2 crushed or grated garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, and 1 teaspoon dried mint. Stir until evenly coated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Season and serve. Once the lentils are tender, season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar. Taste, then add up to 2 more tablespoons to suit your taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the fried onions, and serve.
Make it Your Own
- Try a Different Legume: You can replace the lentils with yellow split peas or dry chickpeas for a different flavor and texture.
- Use Golden Beets: Replace the red beets with gold ones, if you have them. Note that the color of the finished soup will be completely different!
- Add pasta: Skip the potato or replace it with a short pasta or spaghetti broken into 2-inch pieces. Add the pasta along with the herbs.
- Try Something Else Sour: Instead of vinegar, you can use pomegranate molasses or lemon juice for the tang needed to balance the earthiness of the soup.
What to Serve with Persian Beet Soup
This hearty soup is perfect eaten on its own, but if you fancy a little extra, then serve with some flatbread such as Barbari Bread (Persian Flatbread) or Easy Pita Bread Recipe.
Persian Lentil and Beet Soup (Ash-e Shooli)
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Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 medium beets, diced
- 1 large potato, peeled and diced
- 3/4 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup fresh parsley, packed tightly and finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed tightly and finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh dill, packed tightly and finely chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach, packed tightly finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seed or 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves, optional
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
For the Garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- Salt
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
Instructions
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Cook the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds, then add turmeric and stir until evenly coated.
-
Add beets and potato. Add the beet and potato and stir and cook for approximately 5 minutes, reduce the heat if required. The beets will turn the mixture pink.
-
Add lentils and simmer. Mix in the lentils and water or broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until the lentils soften somewhat. They don’t need to be completely cooked at this point.
-
Add the greens. Stir in the parsley, cilantro, dill, spinach, fenugreek, and dill. Simmer, covered, until the soup thickens and the lentils completely soften, another 20 minutes.
-
Prepare the garnish. Meanwhile, take a non-stick frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and once it glistens, add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly until the onions have caramelized, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to ensure the onions do not burn. Then add garlic, turmeric and dried mint and stir until evenly coated for about 1 minute. Turn the heat off.
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Season and serve. Once the lentils are tender, season the soup with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or vinegar. Taste, then add up to 2 more tablespoons to suit your taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the fried onions and serve.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil, green lentils, and pomegranate molasses used in this recipe.
- Fenugreek adds a distinctive flavor to the soup, balancing the sweetness of the beets. Though commonly used in curry powders, both the leaves and seeds can be difficult to find in grocery stores. You can add 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves along with the other herbs or 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seed instead, or skip it altogether.
- How to Store + Freeze: Ash-e Shooli tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. Allow the soup to cool completely before storing. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in portions for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat or in a microwave using a microwave-safe bowl. If the soup thickens in the fridge, simply add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
Nutrition
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Drinks
Beet Juice
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