Turkish Creamy Yogurt & Dumpling Soup

Most people know mantı as Türkiye's famous little dumplings, usually served with garlicky yogurt and a delicious buttery chili topping. But have you ever tried them in a SOUP?! Meet Yoğurtlu Mantı Çorbası, a creamy Turkish yogurt soup filled with tiny dumplings and chickpeas, finished with fragrant mint butter. And trust me, if you love mantı, you're going to LOVE this one! What makes this soup even better? You can enjoy it warm on a chilly evening OR serve it cold after chilling it in the fridge.

Servings: 4 people as a main dish or 5–6 people as a starter

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 250 g frozen mantı (Turkish dumplings)

• 150 g cooked chickpeas, drained (or 1 can)

• 200 g plain yogurt

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1.2 litres water

• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

For the mint butter topping:

• 2 tbsp butter (optional)

• 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

• 1 tbsp dried mint

• 1 tsp Turkish chili flakes (pul biber)

Instructions

1. Bring 1.2 litres of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the frozen mantı and cooked chickpeas, then let everything cook for about 8–10 minutes, or until the mantı is tender.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the terbiye (yogurt mixture). In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg and flour until completely smooth.

3. Slowly add 1–2 ladles of the hot cooking water to the yogurt mixture while whisking continuously. This helps prevent the yogurt from curdling.

4. Gradually pour the yogurt mixture into the pot, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and let the soup gently simmer for another 5 minutes until creamy. Avoid boiling vigorously.

5. In a small pan, melt the butter with the vegetable oil. Add the dried mint and Turkish chili flakes, letting them sizzle for about 15–20 seconds until fragrant.

6. Add the salt to the soup and stir. Pour the fragrant mint butter over the soup, either directly into the pot or over individual bowls.

7. Serve warm, or let the soup cool and refrigerate it if you prefer to enjoy it cold!

Afiyet olsun! 🇹🇷🧡