Shavuot Soup Recipes.

Last Updated on October 22, 2021

Nothing beats a bowl of hearty soup – a winter comfort food, served with crusty, artisanal breads or a light gazpacho or fruit soup on a summer’s day.

Whether it be for a midweek meal, at a party or family gathering, whether you serve it in a bowl, in a mug or in a pumpkin, with croutons or pastry, soup is satisfying and nourishing.

Aviva R, Bakaa, Jerusalem sent us her recipe for Carrot & Lentil soup.  She says “This soup is loved by every single person I have ever served it to and is a great starter to our Shavuot meal”.

It’s easy and quick to make and tastes delicious every time…

Carrot & Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils
4 cups of water
1 medium yam or sweet potato, diced
1 bouillon cube (veggie or herb)
some soya sauce
quarter teaspoon of thyme
1 1/2 TBSP of olive oil
1 medium or large onion, diced
3 medium size carrots, diced
sprinkle of dried parsley
some fresh lemon juice

1. Cook the lentils with the bouillon cube, yam and parsley until thoroughly cooked (about 20 – 30 minutes) Add two of the diced carrots during the last 10 minutes of cooking
2. In the meantime, fry the onion in the olive oil and soya sauce, and add one diced carrot…fry until onion and carrot are soft…. 10 – 15 minutes
3. Add this mixture and the thyme to the cooked lentils and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes
4. Let cool. Once cooled, put into blender (or use hand blender) until creamy.
5. Once ready to serve put a little lemon juice in the bottom of the soup bowls… then pour the heated soup on top.

Chef’s Tips

1. Serve with fresh, crusty bread!
2. You can also serve the soup with some grated cheese or with a dollop of sour cream or plain yoghurt.
3. This soup freezes very well and looks and tastes the same once heated up again.

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Ashe Mast – Green Yoghurt Soup

Ashe Mast is a Persian dish (Iran), it translates as “Thick Yoghurt Soup” and is widely popular throughout Iran. Traditionally, Ashe Mast is served as an entrée.  The Ashe Mast when cooked, slightly resembles a risotto.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped finely
• 2 tblsp red lentils
• 125g long-grain rice  (200ml)
• 1 liter water
• 500g spinach, rinsed and shredded (Heb: tered)
• a small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (Heb:koos’bara)
• a small bunch of fresh chives, chopped (Heb: irit)
• a small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped (Heb: petrozilya)
• 600ml of natural yogurt
• salt and pepper

To garnish

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh mint, chopped finely

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat oil and cook the chopped onions until soft.  Add rice and lentils, salt and pepper.  Cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes, until the rice and lentils are tender.  Add the spinach, coriander, chives and parsley. Cook for about 10 minutes until the spinach is soft.  Add a little water if the soup is too thick.  Let it cool.
2. Beat then yogurt, stir it in to the mixture and then transfer into a serving bowl.
3. Garnish: fry the sliced onion in olive oil until golden.  Add mint and then spoon the mixture over the soup.

Chef’s Tips

• Basmati rice cooks perfectly and gives the best results.
• You can use Swiss chard (Heb: man’gold) instead of spinach, just remember to remove the white “spine”
• Make sure the soup is well chilled before adding the yoghurt, otherwise it may curdle.
• There are recipes for Ashe Mast that incorporate small meatballs.  In a kosher kitchen, adding meatballs to this recipe would be forbidden.