Lavsha

Лавшmn

Also: Mongolian noodle soup, Lapsha

An everyday Mongolian mutton-and-noodle soup of Soviet/Russian lineage, a hearty broth with hand-cut wheat noodles and chunks of fatty mutton.

Identity criteria

1A brothy soup centered on mutton (or beef) and wheat noodles
2Name and form derive from Russian/Soviet lapsha (noodle soup)
3Fatty cuts of mutton are standard, reflecting Mongolian meat-heavy eating
4Simple seasoning — salt, onion, sometimes potato or carrot — letting the meat broth lead
5An everyday urban staple, filling and warming rather than ceremonial

Base

Wheat noodlesessentialHand-cut or rolled noodles, the soup's body

Potato and carrotoptionalCommon additions for heft

Protein

Mutton or beefessentialFatty cuts simmered to flavor the broth

Aromatics

OnionessentialFoundational flavor; garlic sometimes added

Liquid

Meat brothessentialSimmered from the mutton bones and meat

Simmering mutton broth: Slow simmer renders the fatty mutton into a rich savory broth that defines the soup
Hand-cutting noodles: Fresh wheat noodles give the chewy texture central to the dish

savorymeatywarmingmild

Chewy noodles and tender meat in a rich broth

An everyday warming meal in Mongolian homes and canteens, especially in cold weather.

winter · year-round

Guriltai shul · Mongolia
A closely related Mongolian noodle soup, sometimes used interchangeably
Beef lavsha · Urban Mongolia
Made with beef where mutton is unavailable or less preferred

ancestor Russian lapsha
Soviet-era noodle soup that gave the dish its name and structure
sibling Guriltai shul
Traditional Mongolian meat-and-noodle soup

Mutton → Beefadmissible
Common everyday swap; remains a meat noodle soup
Hand-cut noodles → Store-bought wheat noodlesadmissible
Convenient and acceptable
Wheat noodles → No noodlesinadmissible
Without noodles it is just meat broth, not lavsha

An everyday urban Mongolian noodle soup whose name and form come from Russian/Soviet lapsha, adapted to Mongolia's mutton-rich diet.

Confidence: medium