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bowl of lemon lentil soup topped with red pepper flakes in a turquoise bowl

Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup

Published by Kate
This one-pot, Lebanese soup with red lentils is ready in 30 minutes!
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Course Appetizers, Side Dish
Cuisine Lebanese
Servings 4 servings
Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 large carrot (or 8 baby carrots), finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • For garnish: chopped cilantro and olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Sauté until the carrot is soft and the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, rinse the lentils in a colander under cool running water.
  • Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
  • Add the lentils, chicken stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the lentils are tender.
  • Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
  • Divide the soup among 3–4 bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro and olive oil. Crushed pita chips are nice, too!

Notes

You do not need to soak the lentils before cooking. Just rinse them under cool running water to remove any debris. 
While the soup is cooking, chop up some raw veggies and get out some hummus. Warm some pita bread in the oven (wrap it in foil and heat for 5 minutes at 350°F). Serve the veggies, hummus, and pita with the soup! 

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 16gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 513mgPotassium: 696mgFiber: 15gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2565IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 4mg
Keyword lemon lentil soup
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