This creamy yogurt soup is one of my favorite childhood dishes. Variations of this recipe exist throughout the traditional cuisines of many ancient cultures including the Indian, Greek, Turkish, Armenian and Persian societies. I am not exactly sure where my family acquired this recipe but it is one that we have enjoyed for over three generations.
In my family, we serve this creamy yogurt soup hot in the winter and cold in the summer. As a child I remember loving the creaminess and mild flavor of this soup best when it was served cold. But now, as an adult living in NYC, I can’t get enough of this soup, served hot, with a side of garlic bread, in the freezing winter months.
A Few “Pointers” Regarding This Recipe
- This soup must be made with plain, whole fat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has a much thicker consistency than commercial yogurts and is slightly more sour in taste. Your soup will not be as thick and creamy as it should be if you make it with another type of yogurt.
- Never put the yogurt on high heat and never let it boil completely. This will cause the yogurt to curdle and spoil the soup.
- Once cooked, do not cover the hot soup until it has cooled completely. Placing a lid on the saucepan will cause the yogurt to curdle and spoil the soup.
- This soup can be made with both white rice and pearl barley. Children often prefer the taste of white rice to pearl barley. So, if you are looking for a way to encourage your children to eat more yogurt by preparing this soup for them you’re more likely to be successful if you prepare it with white rice.
- Pearl barley has a much lower glycemic index rating than white rice. The GI rating of pearl barley is 25; whereas the GI rating of white rice is 80+. Therefore, if you are looking to make a healthier, low-carb version of this recipe it is best that you prepare it with pearl barley.
Greek Yogurt Soup Ingredients
- 32oz plain, whole fat Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 6 stalk of celery with the leaves, peeled and diced small: Use only the soft, non-fibrous portion
- 1 bunch cilantro, coarsely diced
- 3/4 cup white Jasmine rice or 1/2 cup pearl barley (pre-cooked) Note: To pre-cook pearl barley simply boil it in 21/2 cups of water for 15 minutes
- 1 egg
- Salt & white pepper
Greek Yogurt Soup Preparation Instructions
- In a large, deep, non-stick saucepan mix yogurt, buttermilk, rice/pearl barley
- Beat egg, lightly, and mix into the yogurt mixture
- Stir mixture till egg blends in completely
- Put yogurt mixture on medium-low heat and stir constantly till yogurt just begins to boil
- Mix in veggies
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Lower heat to low and stir slowly for 10-15 minutes
- Yogurt soup is ready once the rice/barley is cooked
Optional Garnish
- In a small, nonstick pan heat 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp dried mint leaves and 3 cloves of garlic (crushed).
- Sprinkle over soup and ENJOY!
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July 30, 2011 at 12:11 AM
Thank you Paulin. As usual you wowed me by recommending this delicious soup. I believe there is another name for this soup. Assyrian call it “Booshala”, and it is very healthy and great food for vegetarian. You can change the taste of it by adding other kind of vegetables such as spinach.
July 30, 2011 at 3:17 PM
Thank you for the pointers Roseline
I like Spinach and that’s a great way to eat more of it. This soup has such a mild taste you can add pretty much any veggie to it. I think some people also add a whole jalapeno for heat …right?
July 30, 2011 at 8:50 PM
Yes, you are right, jalapeno makes it even more tasty.