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Kazakhstan · Soup
Kazakh Kespe Noodle Soup
Local name: Кеспе
A traditional Kazakh soup of hand-rolled noodles cooked in a rich meat-on-the-bone broth.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h
- Cooking2 h 5 min
- Total time3 h 5 min
- DifficultyMedium
Contains glutenContains egg
About this dish
Kespe comes from the Kazakh word for "cut" and refers to hand-rolled, knife-cut noodles served in broth. The soup is finished with thin onion and fresh herbs. In Kazakhstan it is cooked as an everyday meal and also for guests.
What marks this version is the egg-enriched dough rolled thin at home and cut into squares or diamonds, then cooked in a broth made from meat on the bone. The meat is usually taken off the bone, chopped and served in the soup.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Noodles
Soup
Method
Put the flour in a large bowl, add the egg, water and salt in the middle and knead into a firm dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Rinse the meat, place it in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and skim the foam often.
Add one whole onion, the bay leaves and peppercorns, then simmer gently for about 90 minutes.
Divide the dough in two and roll each piece very thin on a floured surface.
Cut the dough into 3-4 cm squares or diamonds and leave them to dry on the floured surface for 10 minutes.
Lift out the meat, strain the broth and return it to the pot. Slice the second onion into thin half rings.
Add the potatoes and carrot to the broth, season with salt and cook for about 15 minutes.
Shake excess flour from the noodles, drop them into the boiling soup and cook for 8 minutes until they float and are tender.
Take the meat off the bone, cut it into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the onion rings, dill and parsley, and serve hot.
💡 Tips
- Start the meat in cold water and skim regularly for a clearer broth.
- The thinner you roll the dough, the lighter the noodles will be.
- Shake off extra flour before adding noodles, or the soup turns cloudy.
- Adjust the salt before the noodles go in.
- If you cut the noodles ahead, spread them in a single layer so they do not stick.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Beef on the bone — Lamb on the bone works well and is also common in Kazakhstan; it cooks slightly faster.
- Fresh dill — Use more parsley or the green part of spring onions.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
