Deliciously Herby Persian Bean Soup with Croutons

Have you ever had a dish cooked by someone else that you just had to recreate at home?

I was recently staying at a friend’s house and her husband had made a batch of this Persian soup packed with these translucent noodles.

We ate some for breakfast the next day. Yes, I know, soup for breakfast, and I immediately fell in love.

The combination of fibre packed beans, chickpeas, and green spinach perfectly paired with a pinch of spice, lemon, and a hit of dried mint was breathtaking and mouth-watering all at the same time.

It was absolutely gorgeous, and I knew right there that I had to recreate this dish at home, so as soon as I walked through the door, I was in the kitchen making a start on re-creating.

I decided to not include the noodles, like he did, as it’s already got so many wonderful ingredients in the soup, I didn’t want those nutrient-dense veggies to get lost.

Traditionally, this soup has natural yogurt stirred in at the end to make it super creamy and luxurious and all that more warming and comforting.

I used coconut yogurt instead, as it’s renowned for adding an extra layer of velvety richness but also imparting some of that coconut nuttiness into the already fragrant broth.

If you’re not that keen on coconut or want to keep the dish to a more traditional recipe, you can use a natural soy yogurt to the same effect.

My friend’s husband also made homemade croutons to float on top, and the crunch of these was definitely what made this dish such a star in my eyes.

If you have never made homemade croutons, now is the time to start–they are super simple and super quick, but they add such a different flavour and texture that is almost impossible to describe. You just have to try it for yourself to see what I mean.

Wanting to add my spin to the recipe, I stirred in some fresh spinach and walnut pesto as a last flourish, that I had in my fridge from another recipe.

The recipe is super simple to create and because it’s cooked all in one pan, makes the washing up a breeze!

I always make extra portions when creating this recipe because the flavours are even better the next day once they have developed and infuse all the wonderful components.

Plus, it freezes really well, making it the perfect meal-prepping dish.

Just portion out and freeze in jars or individual portions and thaw overnight in the fridge – it can be kept in the freezer for a few weeks.

And your croutons can also be kept for a few days. Just keep them in an airtight container or bag and store in a cool, dry and dark place.

It’s also super adaptable, meaning you can use up any leftover veggies in the fridge or swap out for your favourite ingredients.

You could, swap out the chickpeas for butter beans or another white bean variant.

Try using curly kale instead of spinach, or add a swirl of coconut yogurt or a drizzle of tahini dressing for extra creaminess and luxury.

Green lentils or green split peas work well instead of red lentils.

Or add a little more extra liquid (stock or water) while cooking to make a more stew based texture, then serve with herbed or spiced rice, saffron works very well, or mashed or boiled potatoes.

If you like this recipe, why not give one of my other soup recipes a try?

My Smoky Red Pepper and Lentil soup is perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons, especially if it’s a little grey outside.

My Creamy Mushroom Soup, drizzled with truffle oil, and made even more luxurious with the addition of sourdough toasts, which are the perfect to dip and dive into the creamy velvet soup.

And finally, my all-time-favourite, my Moroccan Spiced Lentil and Chickpea Soup – you seriously need to try it!

Happy souping, love Niki xx