Full of fragrant Ethiopian spices, this delicious red lentil soup is highly seasoned without being hot.
Recipe by Susan Voisin on November 20, 2006
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT45M
Total time: PT55M
Rating
5 stars (7 reviews)
Keywords
aromatic, quick
Ingredients
1 large onion (chopped)
1 pound potatoes (cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
1 1/4 cup red lentils (picked over and rinsed)
3 cups water
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
2-3 tablespoons berberé spice mixture (below)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound green beans (fresh or frozen, cut into bite-sized pieces)
1-2 cups water
salt to taste
3-4 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon fenugreek
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cloves (reduce to 1 tsp. for less “clovey” taste)
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne (use more to taste)
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground sea salt (optional)
Categories
Main Course
Soup
Cuisine
Ethiopian
Gluten-free
Vegan
Steps
Mix the ingredients for the Berbere Spice Mixture. This recipe makes enough for several batches of soup. Do not add it all to the soup!
Sauté the onion in a non-stick pan until it starts to brown. Add the potatoes, lentils, 3 cups water, garlic, and spice mixture. Simmer, covered, over low heat until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, green beans, and enough additional water to create a thick soup. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more of the spice mixture if needed, and cook for about 15 more minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 283 kcal
Carbohydrates: 56 g
Protein: 16 g
Fat: 1.8 g
Sodium: 208 mg
Reviews
Lisa on 2022-04-20 (5 stars): Well, this was just a delightful soup! So easy to prepare and flavorful. I had used a new cayenne pepper from my cabinet, so I didn’t realize the spice level was pretty high. It was perfect for my husband, but a bit too much for me, so I cooked up some extra lentils in separate pot and added the soup until it was the correct spice level for me. Easy solution!
Pamela McIvor on 2019-12-04 (5 stars): Absolutely amazing, So delicious that I couldn't stop taste testing. Gave the dish to my Mediterranean diet group to look at. Have saved it in your inbox for future making. My hubby loved it too and he's not really a spicy loving bloke. I thank you immensely for giving me the recipe.
Dorothy Bevill on 2017-04-13 (5 stars): Leftovers freeze and reheat well! Yummy! Have yet to find two of the spices at a price that I was willing to pay but was just fine without them.
Werner on 2015-10-12 (5 stars): This was a complex taste explosion, so delicious. I used 1 TBS of Berbere and also added 1 tsp minced fresh ginger. Cannot believe how rich and aromatic it turned out. I've been a bit of a spice weenie, but getting more adventurous is paying off. No more basic, bland red lentil soup for us!
