A thick and hearty spiced lentil soup that's a complete comfort dish and popular with the whole family!
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT20M
Rating
4.93 stars (53 reviews)
Keywords
soup, lentil
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1-2 carrots, finely diced
1 peeled potato, finely diced
1 cup red lentils
6 cups water
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp salt, plus any extra to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 heaped tbsp flour
1 1/2 tbsp butter
Categories
Soup
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Steps
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the diced onion, carrot and potato. Sautee for about five minutes until onions have softened, stirring occasionally.
Rinse the lentils well, removing any debris. Add to the saucepan, and saute for three minutes, stirring constantly so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add the six cups of water, the stock cubes, and all the dried herbs plus the salt and pepper.(The dried mint all the way through to black pepper). Let the soup come to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to medium and let the mixture cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are cooked through.
In a separate small skillet, add the butter and let it melt over medium heat, then add the flour, and whisk constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly. Add this to the lentil soup pot.
Once soup is totally cooked through, use an immersion blender or a normal blender (And blend in batches), and blend soup to desired consistency. I like it creamy and smooth but with a few chunks of veggies.
Serve hot, with a slice of lemon, and green olives on the side.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 233 kcal
Reviews
Badriya Hindi on 2026-06-19 (5 stars): I substituted minced shallots for regular onion as they are milder, and I did not thicken the soup using flour and butter. I let it cook longer to thicken. I also did not use an immersion blender. I used a manual potato masher to come to a desirable consistency. For me, this technique is easier to control the thickness of the soup. I added the lemon juice when the soup was ready to be served. It was delicious!
Kathie on 2026-05-06 (5 stars): Amazing flavor! I had this soup several years ago at my favorite Lebanese restaurant and this is the identical recipe. It’s fabulous! It’s rich, creamy and flavorful! Thank you for sharing it!
Keegan on 2025-12-29 (4 stars): really delicious! it is so good. only thing i did differently is add double the amount of seasoning and less water (or more lentils). i’ve had it three days in a row so far
Gail on 2025-08-27 (5 stars): Made this for dinner today. absolutely delicious 😋!!!!!
