This Lebanese Lentil Soup recipe with rice, red lentils, and lemon is both hearty and light. A flavorful one pot meal!
This post is sponsored by Dandy®. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Darn Good Veggies!
If I could eat just one soup for the rest of time, it may have to be this Lebanese Lentil Soup recipe. It is perfectly balanced - it's creamy, but still has some texture and chew. Hearty but leaves you feeling light. It has big depth of flavor and brightness from a juicy squeeze of lemon and lots of fresh herbs.
It is made with simple, everyday ingredients, and for me, brings new and exciting flavors together for a fresh spin on dinner.
Reasons to love this recipe!
- A perfect one pot meal when served with crusty bread and butter.
- Is naturally vegan, gluten free, and packed to the brim with nutritious beans, grains, and veggies.
- It's an adaptable recipe. Feel free to add more veggies or stir in greens at the end!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Olive oil - or another neutral oil. Butter can work too.
- Onion - yellow, red, or white.
- Celery – Dandy brand is sweet, crisp, and creates a delicious base flavor for our soup!
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Red lentils - use split red lentils which cook down and create a creamy consistancy. Substitutes would be either golden lentils or moong dal. Moong dal will take slightly longer to cook and may need more liquid, but you can use leftover beans to make Kitchari!
- Basmati rice - white basmati cooks down to create the best consistancy. If using brown basmati, cook the rice separately, then add it to the soup. You can also use jasmine rice.
- Cumin - adds traditional flavor and is best not to omit or substitute.
- Lebanese Seven Spice - completely optional but adds a nice depth of flavor.
- Turmeric - optional, but adds great color.
- Vegetable broth - or chicken broth.
- Lemon juice - use fresh squeezed, and fresh squeezed only!
- Cilantro - or parsley.
How to make Lebanese Lentil Soup:
Sauté the vegetables: In a large dutch oven, sauté the onion until tender and golden. This builds LOTs of flavor. Add in the celery, carrots and cook until tender.
Bloom the spices: Add the garlic, cumin, seven spice, and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant. This awakens the spices and doubles the flavor!
Simmer: Add in the lentils, rice, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and rice have partially broken down and the soup is thick and creamy.
Finish: Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. This brightens up the soup dramatically! Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Storage:
Fridge: Store leftovers in a lidded container, or put a lid on your Dutch oven, in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove, adding a little more water if needed, or in the microwave. Add another squeeze of lemon, if desired.
Freezer: Store leftovers in a lidded container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove, adding a little more water if needed, or in the microwave.
More soup recipes to try!
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
- Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- 30 Minute Vegan Tortilla Soup
Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lebanese Lentil Soup recipe with rice, red lentils, and lemon is both hearty and light. A flavorful one pot meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup diced celery – Dandy brand is sweet, crisp, and creates a delicious base flavor for our soup!
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon Lebanese Seven Spice, optional
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, optional for color
- 2 cups split red lentils, rinsed well
- ¼ cup basmati rice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 large juicy lemon
- ½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until tender and golden. Add in the celery, carrots and cook until tender.
- Add the garlic, cumin, seven spice, and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant.
- Add in the lentils, rice, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and rice have partially broken down and the soup is thick and creamy.
- Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
Substitutes would be either golden lentils or moong dal. Moong dal will take slightly longer to cook and may need more liquid, but you can use leftover beans to make Kitchari!
Be sure to rinse your lentils thoroughly. This removes some of the starch and helps to create a creamy, rather than gluey soup.
White basmati cooks down to create the best consistancy. If using brown basmati, cook the rice separately, then add it to the soup fully cooked. You can also use jasmine rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th recipe
- Calories: 226
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 1136mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: red lentil, rice, lemon, cumin, seven spice, turmeric, cilantro, vegan, gluten free, one pot, vegetarian
I don't have a lemon tree. What happens if I don't use fresh squeezed lemon juice? Does it blow up, burn the house down?
Hi Brian, it will taste bad. Buy a few lemons at the grocery store. I don't have a lemon tree either ;)