Gondi Is the Persian Jewish Soup You Need Right Now

Gondi is a truly delicious and wholly Jewish-Persian dish. It’s a meat-dumpling soup with chickpeas that’s served for Shabbat dinner in Iranian homes across the world.

As with any recipe, there are endless personal variations, but at its heart is a light chicken meatball bound with chickpea flour, fragrant with cumin and turned golden with turmeric, that is easy to cut into. The soup is typically a starter and served along with warm flatbread and sabzi (fresh herbs).

While gondi’s origins aren’t exactly known, it’s generally accepted that it was created by the Jewish community of Tehran a long time ago. The recipe has evolved over time; its current iterations are made with ground chicken or turkey, but in the past may have included veal as well. 

If you haven’t tried it, you may have to secure an invitation to Shabbat dinner with a Persian friend or, barring that, should make some in your own kitchen. According to Iranian Jewish food writer (and The Nosher contributor) Tannaz Sassooni, “The dish is made at home because Iranian Jews, both back in Iran, and now in diaspora, always get together at home with their families on the eve of Shabbat.” 

Try this simple recipe first, and then consider adding grated and squeezed onion, minced garlic, cardamom or white pepper to the meatballs. To the broth, carrots, celery, onion, ramps, leeks, cilantro or green onion would not be out of place.