Lentil Soup Easy Recipe

Red lentil soup is famous in the middle east, especially during the month of Ramadan. Traditionally, red lentil soup is made for Iftar (the first meal after sunset) as an appetizer before the main course. Pair it with this chicken biryani recipe, and you have the ultimate iftar table.

There are various recipes for red lentil soup. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is easy and requires only four main ingredients. 

Red Lentil Soup Ingredients

To make this recipe for red lentil soup , all we need is the following:

• Red Lentil 
• Red Onions 
• Lemon 
• Olive Oil
• Black Pepper 
• Salt
• Cumin Powder

You can add carrots, potatoes, or any veggie to the red lentil soup if you desire. However, I tend to like plain lentil soups as I enjoy the taste of red lentils on their own without the addition of too many veggies or spices. 

To not overpower the taste of red lentils, we will only be adding salt, black pepper, and cumin. The cumin provides the lentil soup with an elegant middle eastern flavor without it being overwhelming. 

Preparing The Ingredients 

Before we begin cooking, you will need to rinse the red lentils to remove any debris. 

Then we will dice the red onions. I usually use a food processor, as seen in the photo below, because I’m lazy. It works great and saves time. It’s worth the investment if you ask me. 

Then we will juice our lemons as we will need the lemon juice for the recipe.  

How to make Red Lentil Soup? 

We will begin cooking our red lentil soup by adding four tablespoons of olive oil to a large cooking pot and slightly frying the red onions. Once the onions become translucent in color, we will add the red lentils, spices, and stir. Then we will add eight cups of water and bring the soup to boil. Once the red lentil soup boils, we will lower the heat, close the lid and allow the soup to simmer for 45 minutes. 

After 45 minutes, you will notice that the red lentils are now soft. Using a hand-held blender or a stand-alone blender, blend the soup to achieve a creamy, velvety texture. 

Before serving, add two tablespoons of lemon juice to the soup and serve while it’s hot. I highly recommend keeping extra lemon juice on the side for those who like their red lentil soup to be lemony. 

How to Store Red Lentil Soup Leftovers? 

The red lentil soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for about three days. To reheat the red lentil soup, scoop the desired amount into a cooking pot and add water until the soup becomes thinner and is at a consistency you like. Just be careful of adding too much water, as a little can go a long way. 

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Red Lentil Soup Easy Recipe

This recipe for red lentil soup is very easy to make, full of flavor, nutritious and is absolutely delicious.

Prep Time10 mins

Active Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: lentil soup easy recipe, recipe for red lentil soup, red lentil soup recipe

Yield: 4 People

Materials

• ▢ 2 Cups of Red Lentil
• ▢ 2 Red Onions medium-sized
• ▢ 1 Lemon
• ▢ 4 Tbsp of Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ 1 ½ Tbsp of Cumin Powder
• ▢ 2 Tsp of Salt
• ▢ ½ Tsp of Black Pepper
• ▢ 8 Cups of Water

Instructions

• Rinse the red lentil with water to remove any debris
• Using a food processor or a knife, mince the red onions
• Juice the lemon to obtain fresh lemon juice
• In a large cooking pot, at medium-low heat, add the olive oil and let it become hot for about 2 minutes. Then add the minced red onions and sauté for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring until the color of the onion becomes translucent.
• Next, add the red lentils, spices, and water to the cooking pot and bring to boil. Then lower the heat of the stove to low and close the lid. Allow the red lentil soup to simmer for 45 minutes.
• Afterward, remove the soup from heat and add the lemon juice.
• Optional: Using a hand-held blender or a stand-alone blender, blend the lentil soup until it is creamy and without any lumps.

Notes

1. To prevent the red lentils from sticking to the bottom of the cooking pot while it simmer, occasionally stir the soup every 12 minutes. 
2. The red lentil soup can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days. 
3. You can reheat the red lentil soup at medium-low heat on the stove. Add a little bit of water to the red lentil soup to thin it out until you have the right consistency before reheating.