Top 7 Armenian Soups

Spas is a traditional soup that's tart, creamy, and very filling. It's typically made with a combination of yogurt, flour, butter, water or chicken broth, and wheat grains, but the grains can be replaced with rice or pearl barley, while spinach and eggs or egg yolks are added to the combination often, but not always. The soup is usually garnished with cilantro or mint on top. This soup is served warm in the winter and chilled in the summer. For the warm version, eggs or egg yolks are necessary as they keep the yogurt from curdling, but omit the eggs in the cold version of spas.Expand

Widely regarded as an excellent hangover cure and a great remedy, khashi is a soup made by boiling beef intestines, tripe, shank, as well as other organs such as kidneys. Carrots, onions, bell peppers, and various greens may also be used. After the broth has been prepared, milk or pieces of milk-soaked bread can be added to the pot along with salt, pepper, and chopped garlic. It is said that khashi was invented when the poor had to give away all their meat to the rich, being left only with the organs, heads, and hooves of the animals. Ever since the promotion of the soup as a particularly healthy dish, it became popular among all social classes.Expand

Mantapour, or mantabour, is a traditional yogurt soup with manti, a type of Armenian stuffed dumplings. The soup is typically made with strained yogurt, beaten eggs, flour, minced garlic, water or meat broth, to which meat-filled dumplings are added, either raw or pre-cooked. Cooked white rice or wheat berries are often added to the soup. Manti are small, boat-shaped dumplings consisting of a dough made with flour, water, and salt, and filled with a mixture of fried seasoned ground lamb or beef, onions, and scallions or parsley. Creamy and filling, the yogurt dumpling soup is seasoned with dried mint and consumed hot. There is also another version of mantapour, which consists of meat-filled dumplings simmered in a clear broth, and then eaten with a dollop of matzoon or sour cream and some fresh parsley on top. In the past, mantapour used to be called angaj abour or agantch abour.Expand

Kololik is a traditional meatball soup. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground lamb, rice, onions, parsley, and seasonings. The soup is prepared with a combination of onions, beef stock, rice, and tarragon or basil, and sometimes potatoes. Both the soup and the meatballs are simmered together until the rice and meatballs become tender and springy. If the soup is not thick enough, it's recommended to use beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Kololik is ladled into soup bowls while still hot, but the leftovers also make for a great meal the next day.Expand

Arganak is a type of traditional Armenian soup that is based on chicken broth and meatballs. It is typically made with meatballs consisting of seasoned ground beef, cooked rice, and onions which are cooked in a chicken broth flavored with lemon juice and egg yolks. Warm and filling, the chicken soup with meatballs is usually consumed right away, garnished with some freshly chopped parsley on top. In Armenian, the word arganak used to refer to a type of soup seasoned with herbs or prepared with herbs.Expand

Kyalagyosh is a traditional yogurt soup served over toasted pieces of flatbread. In order to prepare the soup, eggs, flour, strained yogurt, and sour cream are combined until smooth, and then simmered with boiling water and chicken bouillon. The soup is then traditionally flavored with a mixture of dried maralot’i, thyme, mint, or cilantro and onions which have been previously sautéed in some butter and oil. Aromatic and warming, the soup is poured over crispy toasted pieces of flatbread (traditionally lavash) and it can be consumed hot or chilled. Typical accompaniments include fresh bread, onions, vodka, lentils, beef, and spiced garlic. An age-old dish, the soup was a typical morning dish prepared for guests in Armenian villages. Hailing from Nakhijevan, a part of historical Armenia, this creamy soup is nowadays commonly prepared throughout the country.Expand

Vospapour or vospabour is a hearty Armenian lentil soup. There are numerous versions of this soup; nevertheless, it is usually made with brown lentils cooked in water or broth with chickpeas, carrots, celery stalks, and coarse bulgur, simmered until all ingredients are tender and thoroughly cooked. The soup is typically flavored with a mixture of fried onions, mint, parsley, and cumin. Other variations of Armenian lentil soup contain interesting spices, including cayenne pepper and cinnamon, and ingredients such as tomatoes, eggplants, or even dried fruits, especially dried apricots, which are symbolic of this country and widely used in Armenian cuisine. In Armenia, lentil soup is often topped with freshly chopped herbs and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, while some variations call for the addition of meat, such as lean hamburger or sirloin steak.Expand