Turkish Rice Yogurt Soup Recipe
A smooth, creamy rice soup finished with mint butter and carefully tempered yogurt.
Keep the Yogurt Mixture Smooth
Whisk the yogurt, egg yolk, and flour until no lumps remain, then gradually add 3–4 ladlefuls of hot rice cooking water. Once lukewarm, pour it into the pot in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Heat gently for 5–7 minutes rather than boiling vigorously, and add the salt after the soup begins to thicken slightly.
- Yield
- Approximately 1.8 liters of soup
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Total time
- 38 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 28 min
Ingredients for Rice Yogurt Soup
Ingredients
How to Make Rice Yogurt Soup
Enlarges the steps and, on supported browsers, helps keep your screen awake.
-
01
Soften the rice
15–18 minutesRinse the rice and add it to a pot with 1.5 liters water. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15–18 minutes, until the rice grains are completely tender.
-
02
Whisk the yogurt mixture
3 minutesWhisk the yogurt, egg yolk and flour in a large bowl until completely smooth. No lumps of flour should remain in the bowl.
-
03
Temper the yogurt mixture gradually
4 minutesGradually add 3–4 ladlefuls of the hot rice water from the pot to the yogurt mixture, whisking constantly after each addition. Once the mixture is noticeably lukewarm, it is ready to add to the pot.
-
04
Add the yogurt mixture to the pot
6–7 minutesReduce the heat to low-medium. Slowly pour the tempered yogurt mixture into the pot while stirring the soup constantly. Heat gently for 5–7 minutes; do not let it boil vigorously.
-
05
Adjust the salt and consistency
2 minutesAdd the salt when the soup starts to thicken slightly. If it is too thick, gradually add 100–200 ml hot water until it reaches a pourable soup consistency.
-
06
Prepare the mint butter
1 minuteMelt the butter in a small skillet. Add the dried mint and red pepper flakes, and stir for 10–15 seconds until fragrant; remove from the heat before they burn.
-
07
Finish the soup
2 minutesStir most of the mint butter into the soup. Drizzle the rest over the bowls. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes, then serve hot or lukewarm.
Mastery Guide
Review the technical details, common mistakes and correct practices that determine the recipe result.
Critical Tips
Temper the yogurt mixture gradually
If the cold yogurt mixture meets the very hot liquid all at once, the proteins may curdle unevenly.
Best practice: Gradually add the rice water in 3–4 ladlefuls, whisking constantly.
Pour in the yogurt mixture slowly
Pouring in the mixture all at once creates a sudden temperature difference in the pot.
Best practice: Slowly pour the lukewarm yogurt mixture into the pot, stirring constantly.
Do not bring it to a hard boil
High heat increases the risk of curdling and lumping in the yogurt-based soup.
Best practice: After adding the yogurt mixture, heat the soup gently over low to medium heat.
Common Mistakes
Adding the cold yogurt mixture directly
The temperature shock can cause the soup to curdle.
Best practice: Always temper the yogurt mixture first with hot soup liquid.
Boiling rapidly over high heat
The yogurt proteins can tighten and create a grainy texture.
Best practice: After adding the yogurt mixture, keep the heat on low to medium.
Burning the Mint
Dried mint will taste bitter and burnt if it stays in the butter too long.
Best practice: When the butter foams, add the mint and stir for only a few seconds.
Why Does This Happen?
Why Does the Soup Curdle?
The yogurt mixture can curdle because of a sudden change in temperature or excessive boiling.
Best practice: Bring the yogurt mixture to room temperature, then use gentle heat.
Why Does the Soup Become Too Thick?
As the rice sits, its starch thickens the liquid and the yogurt base becomes denser.
Best practice: Add hot water gradually as you reheat the soup.
Why Does the Soup Taste Like Flour?
If the flour-based yogurt mixture is not cooked enough, it can retain a raw flour flavor.
Best practice: After adding the yogurt mixture, cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring.
Mayana Tips
Whisk the Yogurt Until Smooth
Lumps in the yogurt mixture may not dissolve completely once they reach the pot.
Best practice: Whisk the yogurt, egg yolk and flour until smooth before adding the hot water.
Adjust the Consistency Before Serving
The rice thickens the soup as it sits.
Best practice: If needed, add hot water gradually before serving.
Prepare the Mint Butter at the Last Minute
The flavor of fresh mint weakens if it sits for too long.
Best practice: Prepare the butter and mint mixture before serving, then add it to the soup.
Ingredients & Measurements
Plain Whole-Milk Yogurt
Thick yogurt gives the soup a smooth, balanced consistency.
Best practice: Use plain yogurt without sugar or added flavoring.
Rice
Rice provides a pleasantly grainy texture and natural thickness from its starch.
Best practice: Cook the rinsed rice directly in water until completely tender.
Egg Yolk and Flour
They add body to the tempering mixture and help keep the yogurt mixture stable.
Best practice: Do not increase the amount; too much flour makes the soup unnecessarily thick.
Cooking Techniques
Tempering
Gradually bringing the cold tempering mixture up to temperature reduces the risk of curdling.
Best practice: Add the hot rice water to the tempering mixture one ladleful at a time, whisking constantly.
Gentle Heating
Yogurt soup can curdle unevenly over high heat.
Best practice: Once it is back in the pot, stir frequently over low to medium-low heat.
Making the Aromatic Butter
Butter carries the fragrant oils of dried mint.
Best practice: Stir the mint in the hot butter for only a few seconds, then remove it from the heat immediately.
How to Store and Make Rice Yogurt Soup Ahead
- Serving temperature
Serve hot or lukewarm.
- Best resting time
Let the soup rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the heat, then check the consistency.
- Refrigerator storage
Cool it quickly and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Room-temperature limit
Do not leave the yogurt soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Freezing
Freezing is not recommended; the yogurt may separate and the texture may deteriorate after thawing.
- Reheating
Reheat over low heat, stirring often; do not boil. If it has thickened, add hot water gradually.
- Make-ahead steps
Preparing the yogurt mixture on the day you serve the soup gives the best result; if you made the soup ahead, use low heat when reheating it.
- Serving suggestion
Drizzle with mint butter and serve with bread or pide.
Nutrition
1 serving: 1 bowl (1/6 of the recipe); including serving additions
Approximate values are calculated for 1 bowl (1/6 of the recipe) using standard nutrition values for yogurt, rice, egg yolk, and butter. Values are approximate calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rice Yogurt Soup
Why does rice yogurt soup curdle?
The most common causes are adding the cold tempering mixture all at once to very hot soup or boiling it over high heat afterward. Warm the mixture first with hot water.
Should you use the whole egg or just the yolk in yogurt soup?
This recipe uses 1 large egg yolk. The yolk adds body and stability to the tempering mixture, while leaving out the white keeps the texture smoother.
When should you add salt to rice yogurt soup?
Add the salt after the tempering mixture has been added to the pot and cooked gently for a few minutes.
What should you do if yogurt soup is too thick?
Add the hot water in small 100 ml increments, stirring the soup over low heat. Since the rice may thicken the soup as it sits, check the consistency again before serving.
Can you freeze rice and yogurt soup?
Freezing is not recommended. The yogurt may separate when thawed, which can spoil the smooth texture; it is better to eat the soup within 3 days when refrigerated.
You may also like
