Beet Kubbeh Soup
A vibrant, sweet-and-sour Iraqi-Jewish classic featuring tender semolina dumplings swimming in a rich, ruby-red beet broth.
Ingredients
- •4 medium beets, peeled and diced
- •1 large onion, finely chopped
- •2 stalks celery, sliced
- •4 cups vegetable broth
- •2 tablespoons tomato paste
- •3 tablespoons lemon juice
- •2 tablespoons sugar
- •2 tablespoons olive oil
- •1 cup fine semolina
- •1/2 cup water
- •1/2 teaspoon salt
- •200g ground beef
- •1 small onion, finely grated
- •1/2 teaspoon baharat spice blend
- •1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion and celery until softened.
- 2
Add the diced beets, vegetable broth, tomato paste, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 3
While the soup simmers, prepare the kubbeh dough by mixing semolina, water, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until a pliable dough forms.
- 4
In a separate bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion, baharat, and parsley for the filling.
- 5
Take a small amount of dough, flatten it in your palm, place a teaspoon of meat filling in the center, and seal it into a smooth ball.
- 6
Gently drop the prepared kubbeh balls into the simmering soup.
- 7
Cover the pot and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes until the dumplings are tender and the beets are soft.
💡 Chef tips
- If the dough feels too dry, add water one teaspoon at a time; if too sticky, add a sprinkle more semolina.
- This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld, making it a perfect make-ahead meal.
- You can freeze the uncooked kubbeh balls on a tray before adding them to the soup for easy future weeknight dinners.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished soup should be a deep, brilliant magenta color with a perfectly balanced sweet-and-sour profile and tender, savory dumplings that melt in your mouth.