Egyptian Molokhia Soup with Garlic-Coriander Taqliya
A silky, deep-green Egyptian soup of finely minced molokhia leaves simmered in vegetable broth, then finished with a sizzling garlic and coriander taqliya and a squeeze of lemon. Serve it over rice with warm flatbread.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 19 min
- Wait
- 14 min
- Total
- 43 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (1.4 liters), serving 4
Steps
Before you start
- If using frozen minced molokhia, set the packs on the counter for 20 minutes to soften, or break them up straight in the pot. Do not microwave them.
- Use a good-tasting vegetable broth. It is the base of the soup, so a bland one gives a bland result.
- Never cover the pot once the molokhia goes in, and never let it reach a hard boil. Both make the soup dull and stringy.
- Cook the rice, if serving, while the soup simmers.
Prep the ingredients
- Crush 2 garlic cloves for the soup.
- Finely mince or grate 6 garlic cloves for the taqliya and keep them separate.
- Cut the lemon into wedges.
- Break the slightly thawed molokhia into chunks and set everything near the stove.
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Ready when: Garlic is crushed or finely minced, molokhia is in loose chunks, lemon is cut
Tip: Keep the two garlic portions apart so you don't mix them up.
Heat the broth
- Pour the broth into a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan.
- Add the crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon ground coriander and the salt.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break across the surface
Add the molokhia
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the molokhia in chunks, stirring after each addition so the broth keeps simmering.
- Stir until the chunks melt into the broth and the soup turns dark green.
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Ready when: No frozen lumps remain and the soup is evenly dark green
Tip: Keep the pot uncovered. Covering it can turn the soup dull and olive-colored.
Simmer gently
- Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Stir every few minutes and keep the soup below a rolling boil.
- The soup will thicken slightly and become silky, with a rich, savory smell.
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Ready when: Soup coats the back of a spoon and has a silky, slightly viscous texture
Tip: A hard boil makes molokhia separate and turn stringy.
Start the taqliya
- While the soup simmers, heat the oil or ghee in a small skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute until shimmering.
- Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant and pale golden, not brown
Tip: Pull the pan off the heat the moment the garlic turns golden. Burnt garlic tastes bitter and spoils the whole pot.
Bloom the coriander
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Stir in 1½ teaspoons ground coriander and let it sizzle in the residual heat for 10 seconds, just until it smells toasty.
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Ready when: Strong, toasty coriander aroma
Add the taqliya
- Scrape the sizzling garlic mixture into the soup.
- It will hiss and release a strong aroma.
- Stir well, then simmer on low for 2 minutes so the flavors blend.
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Ready when: Garlic is evenly distributed and the soup smells savory and fragrant
Season and finish
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the black pepper, then taste and add more salt if needed.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon wedge, stir and taste again.
- Add more lemon a little at a time until the flavor is bright but not sour.
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Ready when: Soup tastes balanced, with garlic, coriander and a clear lemon note
Tip: Add the lemon off the heat. Boiling it can dull the green color.
Serve hot
- Ladle the soup into bowls over a scoop of warm rice, if using.
- Serve right away with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming hot and glossy
Good to know
Tips
- Keep the simmer gentle and the pot uncovered for the best color and silky texture.
- Add the taqliya at the end for the most fragrant garlic flavor.
- Grate the garlic on a Microplane for the taqliya so it cooks evenly and does not burn in large pieces.
- Serve with extra lemon wedges so each person can adjust the tartness.
Make ahead
Make the soup through the simmering step up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently, then make the taqliya fresh and finish with the lemon just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, without rice. Reheat over low heat, stirring, until steaming. Do not boil. Add a splash of broth if it has thickened.
Substitutions
- frozen minced molokhia (jute mallow) leaves → dried molokhia leaves, 1 cup (about 30 g). Crumble the leaves into the hot broth and simmer 10 minutes. You may need an extra ½ cup (120 ml) of broth because dried leaves absorb liquid.
- olive oil or ghee → unsalted butter. Gives a richer taste. Watch the garlic closely, because butter browns faster.
- vegetable broth → chicken broth. A traditional choice, but the soup will no longer be vegetarian.
- cooked white rice → warm Egyptian baladi bread or pita. Use for scooping or tearing into the soup instead of serving over rice.
