Red lentil soup is a quick Middle Eastern-style soup made with split red lentils and gently flavored with Arabic spices. If you are looking for light and simple comforting soup recipes then this lemony lentil soup is perfect for you.
As an Indian, I grew up eating red lentils very regularly as it’s very popular and easily available in India.
We mostly enjoyed it as a dal (curried lentils) with rice or roti. Sometimes my mother also used to make cheela (Indian pancakes) with it. I never had it in any other form.
As a soup, I tried it for the first time in Dubai when I ordered Lebanese red lentil soup in a restaurant.
To be honest, I didn’t like it much then as my taste buds were more used to a more flavorful combination of red lentils with fried garlic, cumin seeds, and green chilies (my mother tempers red lentils with these ingredients). Also, it was not very nicely prepared in the restaurant where we tried it for the first time.
However, the second time we had it in a different restaurant, I loved it. It was also mildly flavored but was delicious.
Now we make this Middle Eastern-style red lentil soup quite often at home.
The best thing about this lemony red lentil soup is that it's made with pantry staples and is very easy to make. So, whenever you crave a bowl of comforting red lentil soup, you can make and enjoy it without thinking much.
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History of lentils
Lentils are considered to be one of the most ancient cultivated foods by mankind. It’s believed that they originated in the Near East from where they traveled to Egypt, Europe, the Mediterranean region, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, India, and China.
In older time, lentil was considered poor man’s food but in Egypt, lentil grains were found buried in royal tombs too.
What are red lentils?
Red lentils are split and skinless brown lentils. They get cooked very quickly and are easy to digest. Low calorie, high iron content, a rich source of protein, a powerhouse of antioxidants - these are just a few health benefits for which you should add red lentils to your diet.
There are different types of red lentil soup recipes that you will find in the Middle East. Though they all taste almost the same, some have a slightly different way of making it.
In a few regions, rice is also added to it like Indian khichdi. But the ratio of rice and lentil in the soup is different than what's used in Khichdi. Also, the lentil soup gets blended with a blender after getting cooked which is not done in Khichdi.
What goes in Lebanese red lentil soup?
For this simple red lentil soup recipe, you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes
- Red lentils: Use good quality organic red lentils.
- Onion: Feel free to use any type of onion available.
- Vegetable bouillon cubes: I have used vegetable bouillon cubes and water, you can replace them with vegetable stock.
- Cilantro: Parsley can be used too if you prefer it.
- Turmeric powder: It adds a bright yellow color to the soup, makes the soup more nutritious, and adds a mild flavor too.
- Ground cumin: This spice is used in a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian recipes. It's one of the key ingredients in this recipe so don't skip it. You can buy it from the spice section of any Indian or Middle Eastern grocery store.
- Cayenne pepper: Use any red chili powder depending on how hot or mild you want the soup to be.
How to make (step by step instructions)?
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a cooking pot and add chopped garlic. Saute for a few seconds and then add bay leaf.
Step 2: Add chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
Step 3: Add chopped celery and carrot.
Step 4: Saute for about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add cumin powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric powder, chili flakes, and vegetable bouillon cube.
Step 6: Saute for a few seconds. You may add a tablespoon of water also so that the spices don't get burned.
Step 7: Add rinsed red lentils and salt.
Step 8: Saute for about a minute.
Step 9: Add water and mix everything.
Step 10: Cover the pot and cook for around 20 minutes or until the lentils get nicely cooked.
Step 11: Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
Step 12: Add fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley/ cilantro, extra virgin olive, and chili flakes.
Your quick and easy red lentil soup with lemon is ready to be enjoyed!
Serving suggestions
Serve this Lebanese red lentil soup with some toasted pita bread or a fresh salad like Fattoush, Balela, or tabbouleh on the side.
You can also serve some grilled vegetables, falafels, or falafel wraps with it.
How to store?
To store, transfer the soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Can your frezee red lentil soup?
Yes, you can freeze this lentil soup for up to 3 months in batch-size containers.
To reheat, thaw and then transfer to a cooking pot. Cook until nicely heated. Add more vegetable stock or water, if the soup is too thick.
Also, for a fresher taste, flavor it with more ground cumin, pepper, and lemon juice. Drizzle some more extra virgin olive oil on top.
Recipe tips and tricks
- You can also add tomatoes to this soup for more flavor. It will also give a nice red color to the soup.
- Instead of seasoning the soup with plain ground cumin, use roasted cumin powder. It tastes better.
- For extra lemony flavor, add lemon zest along with lemon juice.
- You can also skip the step of blending the soup if you prefer a slightly coarse texture.
- Red lentils taste the best with a sour ingredient. In India also lime or lemon juice is always added to red lentil curry. Similarly, this soup won't taste the same if you don't add lemon juice to it. Consider lemon juice a key ingredient in red lentil soup recipe and don't skip it.
Frequently asked questions
No, you don't need to soak red lentils in advance as they get cooked very fast in comparison to most other lentils. However, if you do soak them they will get cooked even faster.
Unlike most other lentils, red lentils don't take much time to get cooked and can easily be cooked in a regular pot.
Even though I have a pressure cooker at home, I prefer cooking red lentils in a regular pot as it gives them a better texture.
This particular Middle Eastern soup is made using red lentils only. So, for an authentic dish, you need to use red lentils. But, you can follow the same recipe to make soup with other lentils too like brown or yellow. Just alter the cooking time depending on the type of lentils you are using.
Yes, all lentils are naturally gluten-free.
More vegetarian Middle Eastern recipes
If you also love the flavors of Middle Eastern food and looking for easy ideas to make vegetarian Middle Eastern recipes at home then don’t miss to check the following links:
More lentil recipes
I love lentils and I don't think I have lived a single day of my life without eating them in some form. If you also want to add more lentil recipes to your meal plan, then don't miss to check the recipes below:
Recipe
Red lentil soup (Middle Eastern style)
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups red lentils
- 5 cups water or as required to get the desired consistency
- ½ cup finely chopped carrots
- 1 celery stalk roughly chopped
- 1 medium-sized onion finely chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of ½ a medium-sized lemon adjust to taste
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Wash the lentils and keep them aside.
- Heat oil in a pot, add garlic cloves, and saute for a few seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Add chopped onion and saute until the onion becomes translucent.
- Next, add chopped carrot and celery. Saute for about 2 minutes before adding the cumin powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, turmeric powder, and vegetable bouillon cube. You can also add around 1 tablespoon of water to avoid burning spices.
- Add lentils and salt. Saute for about a minute, and then add water.
- Cover the pot and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked well.
- Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup with the help of a hand blender or food processor until the soup becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add some fresh lemon juice. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Serve hot or warm.
Video
Notes
- You can also add tomatoes to this soup for more flavor. It will also give a nice red color to the soup.
- Instead of seasoning the soup with plain ground cumin, use roasted cumin powder. It tastes better.
- For extra lemony flavor, add lemon zest along with lemon juice.
- You can also skip the step of blending the soup if you prefer a slightly coarse texture.
- Red lentils taste the best with a sour ingredient. Consider lemon juice a key ingredient in red lentil soup and don't skip it.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above. Please follow them to make this recipe.
I made this recipe using chicken stock, all the spices listed but only 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and added diced potatoes (which I removed before blending the rest of the soup) so my husband would have something to chew on โ unlike me, he doesnโt care for smooth soups. We really enjoyed it, so thank you very much for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am really glad to know that you and your husband enjoyed this soup ๐
I usually donโt blend my lentil soups, but this time I did. So silky smooth, thick & warming with the spices! I loved it- will definitely make again!
Thank you!
Thanks Pam ๐
This is a really good soup. Love the texture and the combination of spices. Also love that it has a little bit of a bite. Itโs -34 degrees here today and this soup really hit the spot!
Thanks jo for sharing your feedback ๐
Absolutely delicious! I was looking for a new lentil soup recipe to try and decided on this Lebanese red lentil soup. I followed your recipe except for adding extra cumin and turmeric because I really enjoy the flavors of those spices. It was easy to make with very basic ingredients. Nonetheless, it definitely left me very satisfied. I would highly recommend that your followers make this recipe. They won't be disappointed. Thanks. I will be looking for another of your recipes to try.
Thanks a lot, Jacqueline.
Hi! I saw your recipe calls for 1/2 a tablespoon of cumin powder and that seems like a LOT. Is this a typo? I cook with ground cumin and iโm not sure if maybe thatโs different to cumin powder? I just want to double check if this is the correct measurement before I make this lovely recipe. Thank you ๐
Hi Isabelle. Thanks for your message. 1/2 a tablespoon is not a typo error. This lentil soup is made in Middle Eastern style where cumin is used a lot. If you feel this much cumin powder is too much for you, please reduce the quantity of cumin as per your taste . Ground cumin and cumin powder are the same. Hope this helps. Have a wonderful day ahead :).
Thanks for sharing such beautiful information with us. I hope you will share some more information about red lantil soup recipe.Please keep sharing.
Health Is A Life
Thanks Ankita ๐
Just made this and it was amazing! Will be one my lentil soup rotations. I only blended about half the soup to keep more texture which made it feel like a rice lemony chicken soup without chicken, weird. I am puertorican and we use a lot of cumin too and it reminded me of our recipes which made it very comforting. Now careful on the red pepper flake garnish ppl lol my tongue is on fire ๐
Thanks a lot Natalie for sharing your lovely comment. The taste and aroma of cumin are very comforting for me too. Hahaha I could imagine your reaction to eating chili flakes as my husband can't eat spicy food too :). You can skip it in the recipe.
I remember making this lentol soup once and totally loved the amazing flavors of it. Such a comforting soup for cold nights.
I am getting hungry by looking at your red lentil soup, being a great fan of middle eastern cuisine I can see myself enjoying this soup. Warm and hearty soup that is packed with nutrition!
Thanks Jagruti ๐
This is such a heart warming soup...one of my most favourite soups. Quick and easy to make too. Loved your detailed write up about the history of dal.
Thank you Padma.
The red lentil soup looks so hearty and comfortable. It is the best dinner to have on busy days or lazy days.
Right, I also love having it on busy days.
We don't get really cold weather where I come from but we get evenings that become a bit cool. That is the time I make soups and lentil soup is among our favorite. I sometimes don't blend it.
I also skip blending sometimes ๐
This redrentil recipe is such a desirable comfort. With winters here now this is what we love for dinner.
Thanks Seema.
I love middle eastern food and this red lentil soup happens to be my favorite ever. It is so simple to make and the flavors are spot on. I love it for dinner with some salad.
Thanks Sandhya. I also love Middle Eastern food. It's so refreshing.
Soup looks so delicious and love that tempting bright color. Perfect protein packed red lentil soup and best to enjoy during the monsoon.
Thank you ๐
This is my soup season the monsoon. After that its too hot. So I must try this warm and fragrant soup for I have. asmall window left now. Sounds absolutely delicious.
Thanks a lot Archana. I also love having soup during monsoon ๐
I just wanted to come back here to say that this is my go to lentil soup, I have made about 5 times. Today's I added a little fresh turmeric and ginger along w the powdered ginger, dmall diced yellow potato and did both parsely and cilantro together and it was my best batch yet. So comforting and easy on my stomach. I had some stomach discomfort before the meal and this soup soothed my stomach from all the great spices. Thank you!
Hi Natalie. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I feel really good to know that you are enjoying this soup. I also love it- very light and comforting, isn't it?
Soup looks so heavenly, rich and delicious! Growing up, we were never exposed to red lentils in a south Indian kitchen, but now, I love making thick dals and adding it to dosa batters! This red lentil soup looks perfect to enjoy during these monsoons! Super yum dear!
This is one of my most favorite soups and love that so many accompaniments go with it.
Love your write up about history of the dal.
Thanks Sandhya.
Red lentils are my favorite to cook as it's so easy. Making soup out of it isa good idea including as many vegetables as you can.
The soup looks so hearty and nourishing.
Thanks Lata.
Wow so good! Was looking for a nice lunch soup, and had in mind a lentil soup I had recently at a middle eastern restaurant. So good!
I am allergic to onions unfortunately so I reacted to the restaurant soup but today I substituted some fennel.
Thanks so much for this easy tasty soup!
Hi Anand. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Now it's monsoon in India and this red lentil soup is absolutely perfect for the season... It's a super quick recipe with hardly any preparation time...Just need some breads to have with it
Thank you Amrita.
One of the best comfort food is soup! This soup looks yummy and flavorful. Love to try this vegan, gluten-free middleeast lenti lsoup.
Thanks Uma.
Red lentil is probably the easiest lentil to cook and get done in very minimal time, and hence it is always in stock in my pantry. ๐ Totally love how your soup is loaded with vegetables and is much nutritious and healthy...
Thanks Rafeeda.
How delicious it could be, the very first picture saying it all. Soups are always satisfying and a good and healthy replacement to heavy routine meals. Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks Payal.