Aush Afghan Noodle Soup (Print-Friendly Version)
Noodles, beans, and spiced beef in creamy tangy broth with yogurt sauce. Heartwarming and savory Afghan comfort.
# Ingredients:
→ Meat Sauce
01 -
3 tablespoons oil
02 -
1 large onion, chopped
03 -
454 g ground beef (or lamb, turkey, or chicken)
04 -
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 -
2 tablespoons tomato paste
06 -
2 teaspoons ground coriander
07 -
2 teaspoons ground cumin
08 -
2 teaspoons paprika
09 -
2 teaspoons dried mint
10 -
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
11 -
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 -
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
13 -
240 ml liquid drained from beans or water
→ Yogurt Sauce
14 -
240 ml plain yogurt
15 -
240 ml sour cream
16 -
1 tablespoon dried mint
17 -
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh or bottled
18 -
1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
19 -
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Soup Base
20 -
2.4 litres water
21 -
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
22 -
200 g spaghetti or other pasta, broken into pieces
23 -
540 g canned kidney beans, drained, liquid reserved
24 -
540 g canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, liquid reserved
→ To Serve
25 -
dried mint, optional
26 -
chopped fresh cilantro, optional
# Steps:
01 -
Drain the canned beans, reserving the liquid for later use.
02 -
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground meat and minced garlic, cooking until the meat is browned and any liquid evaporates. Stir in tomato paste, spices, and seasonings, cooking for 3-4 minutes until caramelized. Add reserved bean liquid or water, simmer on medium-low for 5-10 minutes until thick but fluid. Reduce heat, cover, and keep warm.
03 -
Combine yogurt, sour cream, dried mint, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt in a bowl. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.
04 -
Bring 2.4 litres of water, including any reserved bean liquid, to boil in a pot. Add salt and broken pieces of spaghetti, cooking for half the package-recommended time. Add drained beans, simmer, then mix in half the yogurt sauce and half the meat sauce. Stir to combine, and simmer further. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
05 -
Serve soup with remaining yogurt sauce and meat sauce in separate bowls for topping as desired. Optionally garnish with dried mint, chopped fresh mint, or cilantro.
# Notes:
01 -
Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Stir any remaining meat sauce into the soup before refrigerating. Yogurt sauce should be stored separately. Reheat soup with added water if it thickens.
02 -
You can replace canned bean liquid with cooking liquid from dried beans or use water instead.