Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle and Bean Soup)

Ingredients

• 0.33 cups dry chickpeas , garbanzo beans
• 0.33 cups dry kidney beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided, or as needed
• 1 large red onion , thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 2 large yellow onions , thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic , or to taste, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 3 bunches scallions , green parts only
• 3 cups packed chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups packed chopped fresh mint
• 0.5 cups dry lentils
• 0.5 pounds linguine pasta
• 1 pound fresh spinach , chopped
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. 1

   Place chickpeas and kidney beans into a large container; cover with several inches of cool water. Let stand 8 hours to overnight; drain.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add red onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking and stirring until onion is tender and golden brown, about 40 minutes more. Stir in dried mint; cook until onions become dark brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Set aside for garnish.

3. 3

   Heat remaining olive oil in a stock pot; stir in yellow onions. Cook and stir until onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas, kidney beans, and turmeric; toss to combine. Stir in vegetable stock; simmer soup for 1 hour.

4. 4

   Stir scallions, parsley, cilantro, mint, and lentils into soup; simmer 30 minutes more. Break linguine into 3 sections, stir into soup, and cook at a low boil until noodles are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir 1/2 of the spinach into the soup until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining spinach and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. 6

   Stir flour with 3 tablespoons of the soup liquid together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir flour mixture back into soup. Continue to simmer soup over low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Serve soup with yogurt and fried red onions.