Tarhana Soup

• servings: 8
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup powdered tarhana (can find recipes, but store-bought is totally fine)

7½ cups hot broth or water

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp tomato paste

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp mint / thyme, dried

1 tsp black pepper

Salt to taste

Olive oil and aleppo pepper for garnish

Directions

Mix the powdered tarhana with 1½ warm broth or water. Let it soften for 1½ - 2 hours, covered with a towel.

Heat the butter in a deep pot over medium heat and add the garlic and tomato paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the salt, pepper, paprika, and mint / thyme and stir to combine. Add the soaked tarhana and liquid, as well as the remaining 6 cups of warm broth or water.

Whisk everything constantly over medium heat until the tarhana powder is completely rehydrated and dissolved, and the soup has thickened considerably (may take a bit but will happen eventually.

Add any more warm broth or water as desired to thin out the texture, then serve hot with olive oil and aleppo pepper for garnish.

Notes

One of the most popular soups in Turkey. Tarhana starts out as a dough made with bulgur wheat, legumes, yogurt, yeast, spices, and other vegetables and stock. It’s spread out thin and dried, then it’s processed into a powder of crumbled little balls. It was originally a method for preserving spoilable foods for future meals, and is eaten in some surrounding countries as well. For a western palette, tarhana soup tastes similar to lentil soup, with some slightly sour notes and a unique bulgur wheat taste. Like all soups, this is best served in the winter alongside some crusty bread.