If you haven't tried lobahashu yet, now is the time to correct that. This traditional Armenian soup is made without meat but turns out thick, hearty, and very aromatic. Red beans, walnuts, and bulgur create a rich texture, while the spices give the dish its characteristic warm flavor.
Why You Should Make Lobahashu
Lobahashu is perfect for the cold season and a fasting menu. It is very filling, easily digestible, and does not require complicated ingredients. The soup can be varied in spiciness and thickness, adjusting to your taste.
Ingredients
- red beans — 450 g
- bulgur — 100 g
- onion — 250 g
- walnuts — 70 g
- garlic — 3 cloves
- tomato paste — 2 tbsp
- adjika — 1 tbsp
- ground cumin — 1 tsp
- ground coriander — 1 tsp
- dried basil — 1 tsp
- dried thyme — ½ tsp
- sweet paprika — 1 tbsp
- ground black pepper — ½ tsp
- salt — 2 tsp
- vegetable oil — 3 tbsp
- fresh cilantro — to taste
- water — 2.5 l
How to Prepare Lobahashu
Soak the beans in cold water overnight. In the morning, drain the water, rinse the beans, place them in a pot, and cover with 2.5 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer for about an hour on low heat.
In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil, add finely chopped onion, and sauté for 6–7 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and heat for about a minute, then add adjika, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, basil, thyme, and black pepper. Mix and heat for another minute.
In the pot with the beans, mash some of the beans with a potato masher — this will make the soup thicker. Add the rinsed bulgur, the sautéed mixture, salt, and sweet paprika. Mix and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.
At the end, stir in the chopped walnuts, bring the soup to a boil, and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Serving and Tips
Garnish the finished lobahashu with fresh cilantro and an extra portion of walnuts. Serve hot.
If you do not like spicy food, you can reduce the amount of adjika or omit it completely — the flavor of the soup will not suffer from this.
