Saffron Pistachio Soup is a gloriously rich and flavorful soup, possessing great depth and simultaneous lift with bright notes of citrus and saffron. This recipe takes simple ingredients and very little preparation—and turns that into a dish that could easily sit on a core menu in a five-star restaurant.
“Oh my God.”
“OH MY GOD.”
“OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDD.”
I found myself humming as I placed one spoonful after another into my mouth. You know it’s good when you can’t help but express audible pleasure.
I stumbled upon this recipe quite by accident and was intrigued by the idea of a pistachio soup. A long-time lover of pistachios with ice-cream and cheeses and breads, I was only too excited to try an entire soup with pistachios as the main ingredient.
The soup is traditional of the Iranian Jewish community, and it was so delicious that I wanted to eat a huge bowlful of it. It was so rich, however, I only got through a small bowl before I was completely 100% stuffed full to bursting. Even so, I had one more bite.
OMG IT IS TO DIE FOR.
Saffron Pistachio Soup: Ingredients
2 TBSP boiling water
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1-2/3 cups roasted pistachios
2 TBSP butter
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 inch of ginger, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
3 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Crème Fraîche
Saffron Pistachio Soup: Instructions
First, in a small dish, pour your 2 TBSP of boiling water over the saffron threads and set aside.
Next, heat the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven, and add the whole cumin seeds. Cook the seeds in the butter for 60 seconds to allow the oil to penetrate the seed and become aromatic. Then, add the shallots, ginger, and leek, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes, sautéing until the shallots are softened.
Next, add the chicken stock and 1 TBSP of the saffron water, cover, and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
After simmering, pour all but 1 TBSP of the pistachios into a blender or food processor, along with half the soup. Blitz the pistachios and soup until smooth. Then pour this back into the saucepan. Crush the remaining pistachios and set aside.
Add the orange juice and lemon juices to the saucepan along with a little zest, if you like.
Simmer for another 5 minutes before serving with a dollop of crème fraîche, a splash of saffron water, and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios.
Now, die and go to heaven.
Are those whole peppercorns in the picture?
Yes, they are.