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Lebanese red lentil and rice soup with cilantro and lemon.

Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe

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  • Author: Laurel
  • 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

Scale
  • 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
  • 1/2 teaspoon Lebanese Seven Spice, optional
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric, optional for color
  • 2 cups split red lentils, rinsed well
  • 1/4 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 large juicy lemon
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, seven spice, and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant.
  3. 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.
  4. 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: 1/6th recipe
  • Calories: 226
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 1136mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 36g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 9g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg