By Candice Walker on November 19, 2024 (Last updated November 19, 2024) This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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Ash Anar is a traditional Persian pomegranate soup with a distinct and memorable sweet and sour flavor. This comes from a key ingredient, pomegranate molasses, which is pomegranate juice rendered down and thickened until sweet and slightly tangy. The soup is made with rice, onions, fragrant herbs, and succulent meatballs.
In Farsi, the word “Ash” often refers to a hearty, thick soup typically made with a mix of grains and legumes. Another example is Ash Reshteh. Meanwhile, “Anar” translates to pomegranate.
🌟 Why You’ll Love Ash-e-Anar
Dish with a rich cultural history: The recipe is traditionally made with pomegranate juice and seeds, yellow split peas, mint leaves, spices like turmeric and cumin, and meatballs of beef or lamb. It’s often topped with pomegranate seeds for a burst of bright color and flavor.
Irresistible sweet and sour flavors: The sweet-tart tang of this soup is something you won’t forget any time soon! All the savory goodness of the rice, sauteed onions, and meat is matched with bright fresh herbs and that unique tangy pomegranate molasses.The sweet and sour combo is in many Persian dishes, like in Fesenjoon.
🧾 Ingredients in Persian Pomegranate Soup
Basmati rice: Always use long-grain basmati rice, and recommend this particular long grain basmati rice.
Ground beef or lamb: You can leave this out if you want to make the Ash-e-Anar vegan or vegetarian. If you do this, you won’t need the grated onion or ground meat ingredients.
Pomegranate molasses: This recipe tastes best with homemade pomegranate molasses which does not add ingredients like sugar or citric acid and tastes more like fresh pomegranate concentrate. You can also use pomegranate concentrate, but increase the amount in the recipe to 1 cup.
Angelica powder (golpar): ground angelica (golpar) is traditionally included and I’ve marked it as optional. I have tested the recipe both with and without it and it tastes close enough to leave out, but I would encourage you to include it. It does offer a slight medicinal kick that is pretty special.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳How to Make this Recipe
Before you begin, wash your rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain the water from the rice and set aside.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn translucent in color. Continue cooking the onions until they are golden brown rather than just lightly cooked. This can take up to 20 minutes.
While the onion is caramelizing, continue mincing the herbs if you haven’t finished. Remember to stir the onions so they don’t burn. Thinly slice the scallions.
Add the washed split peas and 6 cups of water to the onions, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the split peas are half-cooked, approximately 10 minutes.
Add in the washed rice and continue to simmer the soup.
In a medium bowl, mix about 1/3 of the herbs, the grated onion, ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
Roll the mixture into equal-sized meatballs. You want them to be ping-pong-sized, not golf-ball-sized.
⭐️ Pro Addition ⭐️
This soup is often garnished with mint oil, which you can make by slowly heating up 1/4 cup of flavorless oil and adding 1/4 teaspoon of dried mint. Warm it, but do not boil it, then let steep for 5 minutes before straining it out.
Once the rice is al dente, add the scallions and the remaining minced herbs, then drop in the meatballs. Bring back to boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the pomegranate molasses and (optional) angelica golpar to the soup and mix until combined.
Serve your soup while fresh and hot.
🥗 What to Serve Alongside Ash Anar
Persian Pomegranate Soup is doubly delicous alongside fresh bread like noon barbari. If you want to add a light, vegetable side, a classic shirazi salad is a fantastic choice.
🥣 More Incredible Persian Soups & Stews
These soups and stews are flavored with a wonderful array of spices and herbs. I guarantee they will leave you feeling pleasantly satisfied!
2tablespoonsflavorless oillike canola or vegetable
salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Wash the rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain the water.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the sliced onions and cook them until they turn translucent in color. Continue cooking the onions until they start to get golden brown, rather than just lightly cooked. This can take up to 20 minutes.
While the onion is caramelizing, continue mincing the herbs if you haven't finished. Remember to stir the onions so they don't burn. Thinly slice the scallions.
Add the washed split peas and 6 cups of water to the onions, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the split peas are half-cooked, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the washed rice and continue to simmer.
In a medium bowl, mix together about 1/3 of the herbs, the grated onion, ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
Once the rice is al dente, add in the scallions and the rest of the minced herbs, then drop in ping-pong sized (do not go as big as golf balls) meatballs. Bring back to boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Add in the pomegranate molasses and (optional) angelica golpar to the soup and mix. Serve hot.
Notes
The ground angelica (golpar) is optional and I have tested the recipe both with and without. Traditionally it is included in this recipe, but the difference is subtle. It does offer a slight medicinal kick that is pretty special.If making the recipe without the meatballs to make it vegan or vegetarian, you do not need the grated onion or ground meat ingredients.This recipe is often garnished with mint oil, which you can make by slowly heating up 1/4 cup of flavorless oil and adding 1/4 teaspoon of dried mint. Warm, do not boil, then let steep for 5 minutes before straining.Nutrition has been calculated using anise instead of golpar.
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
