Yayla soup with chickpeas and wheat Calories

Cook the chickpeas and wheat until tender, then stir together yogurt, egg, and flour for the soup’s tempering. Gradually whisk hot broth into the yogurt mixture, add it to the pot, and simmer gently while stirring; finish with mint butter.

The yogurt can split if it is added cold to a very hot pot or brought to a hard boil. Whisk hot soup liquid into the yogurt mixture gradually first, then pour it into the pot slowly while stirring over gentle heat.

This version uses wheat, often whole wheat kernels or cracked wheat, rather than the rice common in many yayla soup recipes. Chickpeas add another tender, substantial element, so the soup has a more textured feel than the simpler rice version.

Yes, drained and rinsed canned chickpeas work well because they are already cooked. Add them near the end of cooking so they warm through without becoming mushy, while the wheat should be cooked separately until tender.

Yayla means a highland pasture in Turkish, and yayla soup is a traditional Turkish yogurt-based soup associated with that food culture. Recipes vary, but yogurt, a grain, and a mint finish are common; this version includes chickpeas and wheat.

Dried mint is the characteristic finishing herb, often warmed briefly in butter or oil and spooned over the soup. Some cooks add black pepper, but keep the seasoning gentle so the tang of the yogurt and the grains remain noticeable.

Serve yayla soup with chickpeas and wheat with crusty bread, a fresh salad, or simple roasted vegetables. Since the soup already contains chickpeas and wheat, a lighter side works well instead of another hearty grain or legume dish.

Store cooled yayla soup with chickpeas and wheat in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat it gently, stirring often, and avoid a rolling boil because the yogurt-based broth may separate.

You can freeze it, but the yogurt broth may separate and become grainy after thawing. For a smoother result, freeze the cooked chickpeas and wheat without the yogurt tempering, then prepare and stir in the yogurt mixture when reheating.