Vegetarian Kubbeh in Beet Soup
A vibrant, tangy-sweet Kurdish beet soup filled with comforting semolina and plant-based dumplings.
Ingredients
- •1 cup fine semolina (180g)
- •1/2 cup water (120ml)
- •1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- •1/2 teaspoon salt
- •1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (100g)
- •1 small onion, finely diced
- •2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- •3 large beets, peeled and diced
- •1 large onion, sliced
- •2 cloves garlic, minced
- •4 cups vegetable broth (1 liter)
- •2 tablespoons lemon juice
- •1 tablespoon sugar
- •2 tablespoons olive oil
- •Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the fine semolina, water, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing well to form a pliable dough, then let it rest for 15 minutes.
- 2
For the filling, heat a small skillet with a splash of oil, sauté the diced onion and mushrooms until soft and browned, stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.
- 3
For the soup, heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the sliced onion and sauté until translucent, then add the minced garlic and diced beets, cooking for 3 minutes.
- 4
Pour in the vegetable broth, lemon juice, and sugar, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the beets are tender.
- 5
Wet your hands slightly, take walnut-sized pieces of the semolina dough, flatten them into disks, place a small teaspoon of the mushroom filling in the center, and shape them into oval dumplings.
- 6
Gently drop the formed kubbeh dumplings one by one into the simmering beet soup.
- 7
Simmer the soup gently on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the kubbeh float to the top and are tender.
- 8
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with extra lemon juice or salt if needed, then serve hot.
💡 Chef tips
- Keep your hands slightly damp with water while shaping the kubbeh so the semolina dough does not stick to your fingers.
- You can freeze the uncooked kubbeh dumplings on a tray before transferring them to a bag, and drop them straight into the boiling soup frozen.
- For a deeper ruby color and earthier flavor, you can grate one of the raw beets directly into the soup base.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish features tender, savory dumplings floating in a brilliantly deep-magenta, sweet-and-sour broth that is both warming and refreshing.