This Lebanese-inspired lentil soup with lemon is a wonderful comfort soup with a balance of lemon, salt, heat, and savory herbs. Serve it on a cold day. This recipe can be made vegan or vegetarian. Alternatively, chicken can be easily added.
Ingredients
- olive oil: 2 Tbsp
- yellow onion: 1 piece (diced)
- stalks celery with leaves: 2 piece (diced)
- carrots: 2 piece (diced)
- ½ teaspoons minced garlic: 1 piece
- water: 6 cups
- French green lentils: 2 cups
- fresh parsley: 4 Tbsp (divided, chopped)
- salt: 1 Tbsp (to taste)
- ground coriander: 1 Tbsp
- ground cumin: 1 Tbsp
- ½ teaspoons ground black pepper: 1 piece
- cayenne pepper: 0.5 tsp
- all-purpose flour: 1 cup (optional)
- butter: 0.25 cup (optional)
- lemon: 1 piece (cut into wedges)
- black pepper: (freshly ground)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrots until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.
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Add water, lentils, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, salt, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; stir to incorporate. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.
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Whisk flour and butter together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; stir constantly until thickened and paste-like, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until light brown, about 20 more minutes.
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Whisk flour paste into finished soup, a spoonful at a time, until smooth and creamy. Serve with lemon wedges, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.
