Turkish Milk Soup with Rice "Süt Çorbası"

Did you know Türkiye has over 300 soups? I didn’t either, but I’ve made it my mission to try them all. Some are bold and spicy, others light and then you get something totally unexpected like Süt Çorbası. A soup made almost entirely with milk and rice. This one caught me off guard. It’s super simple, made with just a handful of ingredients, but the flavour? Surprisingly sweet & delicate, nothing like the tangy yogurt soups I love. But here’s the thing: my grandma absolutely adored it, and that’s reason enough to keep it on the list.

What is Süt Çorbası?

Süt çorbası means “milk soup” in Turkish. It’s a minimalist comfort soup, often served to kids, the elderly or just when you want something light and nourishing. The base is milk, the body comes from soft rice, and the flavour? It’s built with an aromatic drizzle of dried mint, chili flakes, and olive oil or butter.

Ingredients

• 500 ml milk

• Slightly less than ½ cup of white rice (about 80–90 ml), rinsed

• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

  
  

For the topping (flavour drizzle)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp butter or ghee

• 1 tbsp dried mint

• ½ tsp Turkish chili flakes (optional)

• Salt to taste

  
  

Instructions

1. Cook the rice: In a small pot, add the rinsed rice and just enough water to cover. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the rice starts to soften but still has a little bite. Don’t let it get mushy, it’ll finish cooking in the milk.

2. Warm the milk: Meanwhile, in a separate pot, warm up the milk on low heat. Once the rice is ready, drain any extra water and gently stir the rice into the milk. Add salt and let it simmer together for a few more minutes.

3. Make the flavour drizzle: In a small pan, heat olive oil and butter (or ghee). Add the dried mint, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. Let it sizzle gently for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, but don’t let it burn.

4. Finish the soup: Pour the minty oil into your soup, give everything a stir, and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot.

   
   

A Few Notes

• If you’re used to savoury soups, this one might surprise you: the natural sweetness of the milk and rice really comes through.

• You can use just olive oil or just butter, but the mix gives a richer depth.

• Want it heartier? A handful of boiled chickpeas wouldn’t hurt.

  
  

Final Thoughts

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about milk soup... and truthfully, I’m still on the fence. But cooking this felt special, because it made my grandma smile, reminded her of something from her childhood... and let me check off another soup from my 300-soup adventure.

Would you be curious to try it or is this a hard pass for you? 😅