Yayla corbasi (or Turkish Yoghurt Corbasi or Yoghurtlu Corba) is a delicious & filling Turkish Soup made with yoghurt, rice and mint sauce. You can make this rice soup with a minimum of preparation and only a few basic ingredients. Serve it as an appetiser at your dinner parties or a light meal with a piece of Bazlama (Turkish Bread) and a bowl of tangy Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi).
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Corba (means soup in Turkish) has a very important place in Turkish cuisine and almost every meal starts with a bowl of delicious soup such as Yayla Soup, Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup) and Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup). Yayla Corbasi is specifically served during the winter as it is very healthy, easy on the stomach and a perfect dish if you are fighting with cold or flu.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Yogurtlu Corba is made with healthy ingredients such as eggs, yoghurt and mint.
- It is a great soup if you are fighting a cold or recovering from an illness.
- This healthy soup is also very light, filling, and has perfectly balanced tangy & salty flavors.
- It is very easy to make with a few simple ingredients.
- You can prepare it a couple of days in advance and warm it before serving.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Rice - I prefer long grain rice for this soup such as Osmancik or Basmati. You can use any type of rice you have in hand. However, the cooking time and the consistency of the soup might be different. Osmancik rice is available in Turkish shops and also online on Amazon.
- Yoghurt - This Turkish soup is traditionally made with homemade yoghurt. In the old days, it was difficult to keep milk fresh so it was turned into yogurt as soon as possible. If you don't have homemade yoghurt, store-bought plain natural or Greek yoghurt would also work perfectly with this delicious soup.
- Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter for the best results. You can substitute it with olive oil.
- Dried mint - It is a very commonly used ingredient in Turkish Cuisine and a perfect flavouring for soups. It also has a calming effect on the digestive system.
- Salt - Adjust the amount to your taste. Add it at the end of the cooking process to avoid the soup curdling.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this healthy Yoghurt Soup is very easy. However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Cook the Rice
Combine the 350 ml of water and rice in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Cook the rice until it is soft and tender, and the water is absorbed. Add the remaining 1150 ml of water to the pan and bring it to a boil.
Thicken the Soup
While the water is coming to a boil, combine the yoghurt, egg and flour in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly add one ladle of boiling water to the yoghurt mixture. Give them a quick whisk until they are fully mixed.
Cook the Soup and Serve
Bring the mixture to a boil and gently simmer for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add some salt at this point. Do not cover with a lid as this would cause the soup to curdle. Make the mint sauce while the soup is cooking. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the dried mint along with paprika or chilli flakes.
Serve the soup in individual soup bowls and garnish with a drizzle of mint&butter sauce. You can mix the mint sauce with the soup or serve it as it is.
Related Recipes
For more delicious soup recipes why not try:
It might be very tricky to cook with yoghurt as it tends to curdle with the heat. The most important thing to pay attention to is to bring the temperature of the yoghurt up slowly by adding a little bit of boiling water.
This step should be done with patience, slowly and gradually, meaning you need to add water little by little to the yoghurt and mix well after each addition.
After safely finishing this step, bring the mixture back to a boil and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Do not place a lid over the soup during or after cooking as otherwise, the soup could curdle.
You can freeze this soup after cooling it completely down. However, it will lose its texture and won't be as creamy as freshly done. The best option is to keep the soup refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days.
Place the soup in a pan and add a little bit of water to loosen it a bit. Put the pan on low heat and gently reheat it until the soup is piping hot. Stir it occasionally to ensure that the soup is evenly heated.
Top Tip From the Chef
The amount of rice for this recipe is 100 grams which might seem too little. However, since the rice will be overcooked and multiplied in size, it will be enough for 4 servings.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this healthy and refreshing Yayla Soup as much as you enjoy eating it!🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Yayla Corbasi - Turkish Yoghurt Corbasi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 100 g rice (long grain rice such as Osmancik or Basmati)
- 1 ½ l water (350 ml and 1150 ml separately)
- 1 egg
- 330 g yoghurt (Turkish yoghurt or natural yogurt)
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
- 30 g butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon paprika or flaked chilli
Instructions
- Combine the 350 ml of water and rice in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
- Cook the rice until it is soft and tender, and the water is absorbed.
- Add the remaining 1150 ml water to the pan and bring it to a boil.
- While the water is coming to a boil, combine the yoghurt, egg and flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly add one ladle of boiling hot water to the yoghurt mixture. Give them a quick whisk until they are fully mixed together.
- Add another ladle of the boiling water and mix well again, repeat it until the yoghurt mixture is slightly warmed up.
- Slowly add the yoghurt mixture back to the pan with rice, stirring continuously until all combined.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and gently simmer for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add some salt at this point. Do not cover with a lid as this would cause the soup to curdle.
- Make the mint sauce while the soup is cooking. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the dried mint along with paprika or chilli flakes.
- Serve the soup in individual soup bowls and garnish with a drizzle of mint&butter sauce.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
Shahan
Such a delicious and silky soup! Definitely a new family favourite.
Ayla Clulee
Lovely to hear that Shahan 🙂
Anita
I love this soup! It is simple, healthy and delicious. Fab recipe!
Irina
This recipe is perfect. Thank you!
Senem
Perfect soup for anytime of the year. Absolutely love it!
Aisha
What a delicious soup. I had it hot at night, but ate it cold the next morning. I loved it both ways.