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Overview

Yayla Soup

Yayla Çorbası, Yoğurtlu Çorba, Turkish Yogurt Soup

This yayla soup recipe cooks rice until soft in salted water, then stirs in a tempered mixture of yogurt, egg and flour, and finishes it with butter bloomed with dried mint and paprika. The soup is creamy and tangy, never heavy. One serving is about 490 g.

Yayla çorbası, also called yoğurtlu çorba, is a traditional Turkish soup of round rice, yogurt and dried mint. Its name comes from yayla, the high summer pasture where herders spent the warm months, and it is one of the most common soups in Turkish home cooking. The yogurt is tempered with egg and flour so it stays smooth, and the soup is finished with butter in which dried mint is bloomed — the sizzling mint butter is its signature.

Pairs well with: Warm bread, a shepherd's salad and grilled chicken.

Provenance

Turkey flag Turkey

Anatolian Highland Soup Classic

Middle Eastern

Time Dedication

45m

10m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

243 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 490 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Light lunches, Ramadan iftar, cold evenings, family dinners Cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home
Tags: Vegetables Savory Vegetarian Soup
A bowl of creamy Turkish yayla soup with a drizzle of paprika butter

Anatolian Highland Soup Classic

Photo: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)

Rice simmered in a tangy yogurt broth, finished with sizzling mint butter.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 45m
P

Prep Stage: Rice, Yogurt & Mint Butter

10 Mins • Rinsing & Whisking

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Set the yogurt and egg out to reach room temperature, whisk them together with the flour and lemon juice, and measure out the butter, dried mint and paprika for the topping.

Maestro Tip: Room-temperature yogurt is the single best defence against splitting: cold yogurt hitting hot soup is what curdles it.

  1. 1

    Cook the rice

    20 Mins Simmer, ~95°C (200°F)

    Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, add the rinsed rice and a pinch of salt, then simmer over low to medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is soft and the water is cloudy with starch.

    Do not drain the rice: the starchy cooking water is what thickens the soup.

    Done when: Rice soft and swollen, water cloudy and starchy.

  2. 2

    Whisk the yogurt mixture

    5 Mins No heat — room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)

    While the rice cooks, whisk the yogurt, egg, flour and lemon juice in a bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps of flour left.

    Whisk in the flour first, then the egg: flour added last clumps.

    Done when: Mixture smooth, pale and lump-free.

  3. 3

    Temper and stir in the yogurt

    5 Mins Gentle simmer, ~85°C (185°F)

    Ladle a little hot rice water into the yogurt mixture, whisking constantly, then pour the warmed mixture into the pot in a thin stream, stirring all the time. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes; never let it boil hard.

    If the soup starts to boil, lift the pot off the heat for a few seconds and keep stirring.

    Done when: Soup creamy and smooth, rice suspended, no curdling.

  4. 4

    Bloom the mint butter

    3 Mins Medium heat, ~150°C (300°F)

    Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat, add the dried mint and paprika, and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds, until the mint smells fragrant and the butter turns golden.

    Count to thirty and take it off: mint burns fast and turns bitter.

    Done when: Butter golden, mint fragrant, paprika blooming.

  5. 5

    Finish and serve

    2 Mins Serving, ~70°C (160°F)

    Stir the salt into the soup, taste and adjust, then ladle into warm bowls and drizzle the sizzling mint butter over each one. Serve at once with warm bread.

    Salt goes in last: salting early can make the yogurt split.

    Done when: Soup seasoned, mint butter drizzled on top.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Ladle the yayla soup into warm bowls, drizzle the sizzling mint butter over the top and serve at once with warm bread.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

243

kcal / serving

Protein

8g

Complete AA

Carbs

29g

Complex

Fats

11g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 490 g)
Energy243 kcal
Protein8 g
Carbohydrates29 g
Fat11 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar4.9 g
Sodium600 mg
Per 100g
Energy50 kcal
Protein1.6 g
Carbohydrates5.9 g
Fat2.2 g
Fibre0.2 g
Sugar1 g
Sodium122 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Yogurt supplies calcium and B12; rice adds B vitamins; mint and lemon add vitamin C.

Calcium from Yogurt

One serving carries about 150 mg of calcium from the yogurt, plus live-culture yogurts add gut-friendly bacteria.

Gentle on the Stomach

Rice and yogurt together make a gentle, easy-to-digest meal that is kind to a tired stomach.

Simple Pantry Soup

Made from five pantry staples, it is ready in 45 minutes and costs very little per bowl.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Warm Bread

Warm flatbread or crusty bread is made for this soup: it soaks up the creamy broth and turns a light bowl into a filling meal.

Vegetables

Shepherd's Salad

A crisp shepherd's salad of tomato, cucumber and onion adds crunch and freshness against the soft, creamy soup.

Full Menus

Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken or köfte gives the meal the protein the soup itself lacks, and the mint butter works just as well over the meat.

Drinks

Ayran

Ayran, the salted yogurt drink, doubles down on the tangy yogurt flavour and is the traditional drink with Turkish soups.

Complete menu

Warm bread, a shepherd's salad and grilled chicken or köfte.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Adding Yogurt to Boiling Soup

Yogurt splits into grainy curds if it hits boiling soup. Always temper it with hot liquid first, and never let the soup boil hard after the yogurt goes in. This is general cooking information, not medical advice.

Burning Dried Mint in Hot Butter

Dried mint burns in seconds in hot butter and turns bitter. Bloom it for only about 30 seconds, until it smells fragrant. This is general cooking information, not medical advice.

Leaving It Out for Hours

Yogurt soup spoils quickly at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsLight and comforting at about 243 kcal per serving — a gentle lunch or a starter before grilled meat.
  • ChildrenMild and creamy, and children usually like it; go light on the paprika butter for small children.
  • ElderlySoft, easy to swallow and easy on the stomach; serve it warm, not piping hot.
  • Pregnant womenFine as written; the egg is cooked through in the hot soup. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Breastfeeding womenLight but satisfying; pair it with bread and a salad for a full meal.
  • AthletesLight on protein at about 7.6 g per serving, so pair it with grilled chicken or beans after training.
  • Weight gainLight on its own, so add bread and a main dish alongside it.
  • Weight lossAbout 243 kcal per serving, so it fits a weight-loss plan well; keep the butter to the stated amount.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 28.7 g carbohydrate per serving from the rice; keep to one serving and skip extra bread. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureOne serving carries about 600 mg sodium, so keep the salt as stated and skip extra salty sides. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Kidney diseaseModerate in protein and salt, which matter for some kidney diets, so keep portions modest. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • GoutLow in purines as written; the main concern is the salt, so keep to one serving. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Stomach issuesPlain yogurt and rice are usually gentle on the stomach; skip the paprika if spice bothers you. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLow in saturated fat at about 10.9 g total fat per serving; it fits well in moderation. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Fatty liverLight at about 243 kcal per serving; keep the butter to the stated amount. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains milk (yogurt, butter), egg and wheat (flour). People with milk, egg or wheat allergy should not eat it. Ask your clinician about safe alternatives.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFits a vegetarian diet as written; not suitable for milk, egg or wheat allergy, and any therapeutic diet should be discussed with a clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in a covered container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Keeps 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Not recommended — the yogurt splits on thawing.
How to reheat
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, until steaming; do not boil, or the yogurt will split. Reheat to 74°C (165°F).
Freezing recommended
No — best eaten fresh.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell beyond the usual tang, or a grainy, split texture.

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