This Red lentil soup recipe is of a comforting, light, and delicious vegan soup from the Middle East. Easy to make and gently flavored with warm spices, this comforting Lebanese lentil soup is also gluten-free.
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I grew up eating red lentil dishes every 3-4 days because it’s very popular in India, especially in my native state-Uttarakhand. I remember my nani (grandmother) used to pack bags of red lentil and many other delicious things grown in her farms, for us whenever we visited her during our school holidays.
We mostly enjoyed it as a dal with rice or roti. Sometimes my mother also used to make cheela (Indian pancakes) using it and that was one of my favorite breakfasts.
I tried the Middle Eastern red lentil soup or Lebanese red lentil soup for the first time after shifting to Dubai.
Honestly, I didn’t like it much then as my taste buds were more used to the taste of red lentil with burnt garlic, cumin seeds, and green chilies (my mother tempers red lentil with these ingredients). Also, it was not very nicely prepared at the restaurant where we tried it for the first time.
However, the second time we had it in a different restaurant. It was light still flavorful and we loved it. Now we make this Arab lentil soup quite often at home.
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 it traveled to Egypt, Europe, the Mediterranean region, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, India, and China.
In the older time, lentil was considered poor man’s food but in Egypt, lentil grains were found buried in royal tombs too.
What is red lentil
Red lentil, also known as dhooli masoor ki dal in India is nothing but split and skinless brown lentil. It gets cooked very quickly and is 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 this lentil 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.
The best thing about this vegan lentil soup is that it's made with pantry staples and has a very easy recipe. So, whenever you crave a bowl of comforting red lentil soup, you can make and enjoy it without thinking much.
Can it be made without a pressure cooker/ instant pot
Unlike most of the other lentils, red lentil doesn't take much time to get cooked so it can easily be made in a normal pot. You don't even need to soak it in advance. However, if you do soak the lentil, it will get cooked even faster.
Even though I have a pressure cooker at home, I prefer cooking red lentil in a normal pot as it gives a better texture.
What to serve with Lebanese red lentil soup
Serve this Lebanese red lentil soup with some toasted pita bread or a fresh salad like Fattoush.
You can also serve some grilled vegetables on the side.
More vegetarian Middle Eastern recipes
If you also love the freshness and 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:
- Middle Eastern Bean Salad- Balela
- Egyptian Farro Salad
- Tabbouleh-Salad
- Muhammara- a vegan dip from Syria
- Baba Ganoush-dip
- Middle Eastern Couscous fritters-Appetizer
- Riz be Haleeb-dessert
More vegan lentil recipes
I love lentils and I don't think I have lived a single day of my life without eating it 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:
If you try any of my recipes then please don’t miss to rate it in the comments section below.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Step by step photo instructions
Red lentil soup recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups red lentil
- 5 cups water or as required to get the desired consistency
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1 celery stalk roughly chopped
- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic-finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cube vegetable bouillon
- Salt as per taste
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon adjust as per your taste
- Chopped parsley/ coriander leaves for garnishing optional
- Red chili flakes for garnishing optional
Instructions
- Wash the lentil and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan, add garlic cloves and saute for a few seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Add chopped onion, bay leaf and saute till the onion becomes translucent.
- Next, add the carrot and celery. Saute for about 2 minutes before adding the spices, vegetable bouillon, and salt with around 1 teaspoon of water to avoid burning of spices.
- Add lentil, saute for about a minute and then add the water. Let it simmer for around 20-25 minutes or until the lentil is nicely cooked.
- Once the lentil is cooked, remove the bay leaf and blend the soup with the help of a hand blender or food processor until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Check and adjust the seasoning. Let the soup simmer for around 5 minutes and then switch off the gas.
- Add some fresh lemon juice. Garnish with chopped parsley/ coriander leaves, olive oil, and chili flakes. Serve hot or warm.
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 — unlike me, he doesn’t 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 🙂
I usually don’t 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 🙂
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. It’s -34 degrees here today and this soup really hit the spot!
Thanks jo for sharing your feedback 🙂
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 i’m not sure if maybe that’s different to cumin powder? I just want to double check if this is the correct measurement before I make this lovely recipe. Thank you 🙂
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 🙂
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 😆
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂
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 🙂
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.
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. 🙂 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.