Afghan Noodle Soup, also known as Aush

Middle East/Central AsiaAfghanistanAfghan Noodle Soup, also known as Aush

September has arrived, and soon the autumn nights will begin to cool. I love all times of the year, but the changing of seasons always makes me happy. And while the weather may still be on the warm side at my house, my thoughts are beginning to turn toward cozy sweaters, cute boots, and, of course, warm soups and stews.

This particular soup – it’s called aush and comes from Afghanistan – is perfect for a cold-weather evening. It is a rich and satisfying comfort food, loaded with hearty pasta, savory beef, plenty of delicious spices, and enriched with cream. Yumm!

The recipe comes from the lovely Sabrina Villanueva, a fellow Food Revolution ambassador. Here’s what she has to say, “my favorite winter dish from childhood is called Aush or Osh, and is a traditional soup from Afghanistan that my grandmother taught my mother before she moved to the United States. It’s the perfect remedy when I feel ill or just need that winter comfort food, followed by a nap, of course. Before I left for medical school, I decided that it was time to learn how to make this dish, and now I am excited to share it with you!”

Grab the original recipe, along with all of Sabrina’s colorful and smile-inducing descriptions HERE.

About Sabrina Villanueva

Sabrina Villanueva

“I’m an American with parents from Afghanistan and Italy. I work as a pediatrician. I love to bake, do yoga, race in triathlons, and explore the world!”

Catch up with Sabrina on her website HERE.

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Afghan Aush beef and noodle soup

Afghan Noodle Soup, also known as Aush


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3 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Sabrina Villanueva
  • Yield: 6 generous portions 1x

Description

Loaded with spices, filled with meat and pasta, and enriched with cream, this divine soup will brighten even the coolest of autumn days or dreariest of winter nights.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • A lug of olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 to1.5 pounds ground beef or turkey
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, freshly ground
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Chicken bouillon to taste
  • 1 pound dried pasta (fettuccine or farfalle work well)
  • Ground black pepper and/or crushed red pepper to taste
  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Dried mint for garnish (note: don’t skip the mint! It may seem like an unusual flavor to add to this soup, but it seriously works!)


Instructions

  1. Heat a generous lug of olive oil in a big soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, and the onions, and sauté until they begin to brown.
  2. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for about 30 seconds.
  3. Next, add the ground meat, and cook until almost completely done.
  4. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, and tomato paste.
  5. Add just enough water to make it look like a soup. At this point, it will be bland, so add in enough chicken bouillon to make it taste a little overly salty, along with black pepper and/or crushed red pepper to taste.
  6. Bring the soup up to a boil, add the dried pasta, and give it a stir so that the pasta can absorb all that spicy, salty goodness.
  7. Stir in the garbanzo beans and kidney beans, along with enough water to bring it back to a soupy consistency.
  8. Bring everything back up to a boil, and cook until the pasta is tender.
  9. Give it all a taste, and adjust the spices or add salt as desired. As Sabrina puts it, “This is the fun of Afghan cuisine – Our recipes get passed down by observation, not paper, and every time I make this dish, the amount of spice I use may change.”
  10. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt and sour cream. Mix a small amount of the hot soup into the dairy to temper it and prevent curdling, then stir the dairy into the soup.
  11. Serve the delicious, steaming bowls of hot Aush with a generous sprinkling of dried mint on the top.

Notes

The quality of your spices will make a huge difference in the flavor of your finished soup. Use the freshest spices you can, and in the case of the coriander seeds and black pepper, grind them fresh just before use. The flavor and aroma of freshly ground spices are worlds away from the bland pre-ground stuff available in most grocery stores. If you are looking for an online source to buy fresh spices, my absolute favorite spice source is Savory Spice Shop.

Interested in trying more tasty dishes from Afghanistan? Afghan Mantu are tasty dumplings stuffed with seasoned beef and onions, topped with an herby yogurt sauce. And Afghan Bolani is a fun street food style recipe made by stuffing thin crust with savory ingredients. Delicious!

  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: Afghan
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More Tasty Recipes From Afghanistan

Afghan Mantu dumplings

Afghan Mantu – savory beef & onion filled dumplings

Seasoned beef and onions, tucked away in a tender wrapper, and topped with an herby yogurt sauce make this delicious recipe for Afghan mantu, or dumplings, a perfect crowd pleaser for your next party! Each bite is a perfect balance of tender dough and spiced meat, complemented by the cool, minty yogurt sauce.

Stuffed Afghan Bolani

Afghan Bolani – veggie stuffed flatbread

Savory veggies stuffed inside a crispy, yet tender flatbread – yes, please! This recipe from Afghanistan is a fun and flavor filled street food called bolani. Serve them up as a light entree, side for a soup or salad, or pack them up for lunch or a picnic.

Comments

4 responses to “Afghan Noodle Soup, also known as Aush”

  1. Carolyn A Whitney Avatar
    Carolyn A Whitney

    I had super high hopes for this recipe. Soup was very bland and gritty. We ended up throwing this out and ordering pizza. 😞






    1. Julie A. Cockburn Avatar

      Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it, Carolyn. Did you try the suggested steps for making it spicier or saltier?

      As Sabrina, the recipe contributor, puts it, “This is the fun of Afghan cuisine – Our recipes get passed down by observation, not paper, and every time I make this dish, the amount of spice I use may change.”

  2. VTMam3 Avatar
    VTMam3

    So good! My husband was interested in this dish after watching a show on Food Network. We don’t have Afghani Restaurants near us, so I took a chance. This is delicious and I will definitely make it again.






    1. Julie A. Cockburn Avatar

      I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for stopping by! <3

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Julie Cockburn with the Taste Of The Place cookbook

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