Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup

5 from 305 votes

Learn how to make this authentic healthy Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup in 30 minutes! Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's vegan, hearty and so filling!

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This Lebanese crushed lentil soup is one of my favorite childhood recipes. It’s vegan, easy to make, and is the perfect comfort food. Made with a handful of ingredients, this healthy and hearty lentil soup is the perfect dinner! Plus, it’s ready in just 30 minutes.

Pot of crushed lentil soup garnished with fresh parsley with lemon wedges nearby.
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Table of Contents

  1. Why you’ll love this Lebanese lentil soup recipe
  2. Ingredients to make Lebanese crushed lentil soup
  3. How to make crushed lentil soup
  4. RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
  5. Tips for making the best lentil soup
  6. Popular substitutions & additions
  7. How to store & reheat Lentil Soup
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. For more soup recipes:
  10. Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup Recipe

Crushed Lentil Soup, called Shorbat Adas in Arabic, is a staple Lebanese recipe that I couldn’t live without! It’s traditionally made with red lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice. But my mom always added short-grain rice and carrots to her lentil soup recipe to make it hearty and colorful, so that’s what I started doing. This is one of the most iconic soup recipes in Lebanon, and it’s especially popular during the month of Ramadan, when many Muslims break their fast with this heartwarming soup.

Why you’ll love this Lebanese lentil soup recipe

  • Vegan: This delicious and hearty lentil soup is completely plant-based, making it a fantastic choice for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to incorporate more meat-free meals into their diet.
  • Made with a handful of ingredients: With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a flavorful and comforting meal that will impress your family and friends. No need for a long list of spices or expensive ingredients to achieve incredible taste.
  • Filling: Lentils are a powerhouse of nutrients, including protein, fiber, and essential minerals. This soup will keep you feeling satisfied and energized for hours, making it perfect for a satisfying lunch or a cozy dinner.

Ingredients to make Lebanese crushed lentil soup

  • Olive Oil: The perfect base for any soup, olive oil adds a lovely richness and depth of flavor. Just heat it up and let the magic begin!
  • Onion: A soup essential! Chopped onion provides a delightful sweetness and aroma that adds dimension to the lentil soup.
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Seasoning is key to bringing out the best flavors in your ingredients. A pinch of salt and a crack of pepper go a long way in enhancing the overall taste of the soup.
  • Carrots: Chopped carrots add a touch of natural sweetness and vibrant color to the lentil soup.
  • Red Lentils: I like to use red lentils in my lentil soup, but you can use yellow if you prefer. Just make sure you rinse them before you add them to the pot to get rid of any debris. They’re high in protein and cook relatively quickly, making them a great choice for a speedy meal.
  • Short-grain white rice: Rinsed short-grain white rice adds a lovely texture to the soup, making it even more satisfying. Plus, it’s a great source of energy and helps thicken the soup as it cooks.
  • Cumin: This warm and earthy spice is a staple in Lebanese cuisine, giving a delightful depth of flavor to the lentil soup.
  • Water: The base of the soup, water, brings all the ingredients together and allows the flavors to meld perfectly. Feel free to adjust the amount to achieve your desired consistency.
  • Lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice after the soup is done cooking adds a zesty brightness, balancing out the flavors and taking the dish to a whole new level.
Ingredients for recipe before prepping: cumin, salt and pepper, oil lemon, rice, carrots, lentils, and onion.

How to make crushed lentil soup

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  2. Add the carrots, lentils, rice, and cumin. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cumin is fragrant.
  3. Add water and bring the soup to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat and cook, until the rice and lentils are fluffy and fully cooked.
  5. The soup is ready to serve as is. But I like to use an immersion blender to give it a smooth texture.
  6. Stir in some lemon juice to finish it up with a fresh zing!
6 image collage making recipe in one pot: 1- onions after cooking, 2- carrots, lentils, rice, and cumin added before mixing, 3- after adding water, 4- after cooked and thickened, 5- immersion dipped in blended up soup, 6- final soup.

RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL

Tips for making the best lentil soup

  1. Use red lentils (they technically look orange) or yellow lentils for this recipe. Both kinds are small split lentils, as the crushed lentil soup name suggests, and have a very soft texture when cooked. So that makes them ideal for this soup recipe.
  2. Stir a few times while the lentil soup is cooking to avoid the lentils burning or sticking to the pot, which can happen sometimes. You can also gradually add more water as you’re stirring for a thinner consistency if you’d like. Keep in mind that the soup will thicken as it simmers and especially the next day.
  3. Sauté the onions before adding the lentils. I always prefer to saute my onions when I start any soup recipe because it enhances the flavor. But if you’re in a rush, you can absolutely just toss everything together in a pot at the same time and bring it all to a boil together.
  4. Add lemon juice before serving. The lemony taste of the soup adds brightness to the warm hearty crushed lentils. Adding them after the soup is fully cooked ensures the freshest flavor without making the soup sour.
  • Use brown rice instead of white rice. If you’re using brown rice, make sure to allow for extra cooking time so that the rice fluffs up. And it’s best to use short grain if possible for the best consistency.
  • Add more vegetables. The beauty of the recipe is in its simplicity. But because of the consistency of lentils that become crushed as they cook and because of the blending, you can add other vegetables without impacting the way the recipe looks. I don’t usually alter my recipe too much, but if you’d like, you can try adding celery, jalapeno peppers, or even zucchini.
  • Add more spices. The only seasoning included in traditional crushed lentil soup is cumin, salt, and pepper. However, you can also add paprika, cinnamon, and turmeric, which would work really well with the flavors of the soup.
  • Use vegetable broth instead of water. This will enhance the flavor of the soup if you’d like to make the swap.

How to store & reheat Lentil Soup

Let the soup cool to room temperature before transferring it to a container and storing it in the fridge. To reheat, transfer the soup to a pot, add a splash of water and heat on medium until just warm and serve.

How long will lentil soup last in the fridge?

Let the soup cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container, it will last about 5 days in the fridge and you simply reheat it on the stovetop.

Can I freeze crushed lentil soup?

Yes, this soup is very freezer friendly and works great. Make sure to cool the soup completely before freezing it. It helps to freeze the soup in smaller serving sizes instead of freezing the entire quantity, so it’s easier to reheat as needed. Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, and be sure to add some water as it will thicken.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use green lentils to make crushed lentil soup?

I would not recommend using green lentils have a more firm consistency as compared to red lentils. The essence of the crushed lentil soup is how crushed the red lentils become when cooked. So you would lose that aspect if you use green lentils. Instead, try my Green Lentil Soup, which is very similar but uses kale instead of rice.

Do you have to soak lentils before making soup?

Nope! You do not need to worry about soaking the lentils beforehand.

What if I don’t have an immersion blender to blend the soup?

You can actually leave the soup as is without blending it, which is every common especially if you leave out the carrots. You can also blend the soup in portion in a blender.

2 bowl of Crushed Lentil Soup with one close and a soup dipped in, garnished with a lemon wedge and fresh parsley.

This Crushed Lentil Soup is my go-to soup when it’s cold outside, and I want something filling, something nutritious, and something that my kids will eat without complaining. In fact, they do a little soup dance when I make this. And if you’ve eaten at Lebanese restaurants, you’ll see this as a staple soup on all menus. Some make it without carrots, and others leave out the rice. I say throw in the carrots and the rice and go crazy with the lemon juice in the end!

For more soup recipes:

If you try this feel good Crushed Lentil Soup recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

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Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup

Learn how to make this authentic healthy Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup in 30 minutes! Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's vegan, hearty and so filling!
5 from 305 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Soup
Calories 259
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 1 ½ cups red lentils rinsed
  • ½ cup short grain white rice rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the carrots, lentils, rice, and cumin. Season again with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cumin is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add 8 cups of water and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, but stirring once or twice throughout, until the rice and lentils are fluffy and fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup a few times to achieve a coarse yet creamy consistency. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley to serve.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. The soup will last about 5 days in the fridge.
Sourcing: You can find red lentils at Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or even in large supermarkets, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 36mg, Potassium: 576mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 3427IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Course: Soup

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Recipe Rating




Comments

    1. Hi there! The soup will thicken as it sits so you can thin it out by adding a little more water while reheating.

  1. It was very good! I put some garlic and sweet potatoes in the soup too. Once it was done, I garnished with sumac, crushed red pepper and olive oil. It was very good!

  2. You are really born to be Cook. Watching your recipes is very good for me. Practical, delicious and healthy. Loves from Turkey.

  3. I made this lentil soup a while ago and it was delicious..bringing back memories of eating this while visiting relatives in Lebanon.

  4. Soak the rice & lentils beforehand, add a few more pinches of salt & a teaspoon of turmeric, instead of water use chicken broth, and squeeze two more lemons. *Chef’s kiss*

  5. Thank you for this recipe! I am wondering about the salting during the cooking process as you recommend here, I have read that salting during may make lentils tough. Have learned that it’s generally better to salt at the end. Any thoughts?

    1. Hi there! If I am making green or brown lentils I do salt at the end, but since the red ones break down very easily, I find it’s fine to salt them while they cook.

  6. Can this be made without the rice? And what if I don’t have an immersion blender. Can I cool it off and blend it in a regular blender?

  7. Would using long grain rice be a problem? If using, should I food process it a bit before adding to the pot?
    Appreciate your feed back.

    1. You can use long grain rice! It may need to cook a little longer – but there’s no need to put it in the food processor.

  8. I love this soup! I’m out of lemons. Will lime do? Also should I only add the lemon to individual servings not to the whole soup? Will it affect leftover soup? Thx!

    1. So glad you like it, Angie. You can use lime instead of lemon, it might taste slightly different, but it’s the acidity you want overall. You can add it to the whole soup, or individual servings, it just depends on how bright you like the acidity to shine through. As far as storage, it will keep fine with the lemon added.

  9. This recipe is amazing! I made it for the second time today and this time I added about a tablespoon of turmeric, about 6 Yukon gold potatoes and some garlic. I added the potatoes because I needed it to be more filling for my fast. Two daughters also approved! Thank you for your recipe!

    1. Love the idea of adding potatoes, and you can’t go wrong with turmeric – such great health benefits! Thanks for sharing your variation!

  10. I’ve been searching for this soup that I get at my local restaurant, and I’ve finally found the perfect recipe !! Thank you ever so much 🙂

  11. awesome soup… definitely baking again with the red lentils. Red lentils are hard to find so used the green. Found some red lentil and ready to make a big batch for the freezer.
    Thank you for the recipe.

  12. Another Detroiter here, so crushed lentil is a favorite. This was the closest recipe I found for the one I lost, and it’s a good one. Although, I don’t think I’ve ever made any soup without garlic, so I added that. And I always chunk up cilantro stems in mine, and garnish with cilantro leaves. I’m with you on a lot of lemon at the end.

    For those who asked if you could make it in the instant pot, here is what I did. Sautéed all the veggies on medium for a couple minutes, then added the garlic and spices to “bloom.” After adding the broth/water, rice and lentils, I cooked at high pressure 15 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. Red lentils cook so quickly, that was probably more than enough, but it came out beautifully silky after blending.

    1. So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Garlic is always a good idea. Thank you for sharing your Instant Pot instructions!

    2. Another Detroiter here who now lives in the UK and was searching for that taste of home lentil soup! This was a great recipe, I followed the advice of others and added a little turmeric and a few cloves of garlic. I also added a splash of chili powder and cinnamon!

  13. Made this tonight – soooooo good. Only had whole cumin seeds and not the powder, and they added a really nice texture. Can’t believe how delicious this is with such simple ingredients!

    1. I absolutely loved this recipe! Never thought to add rice but it’s a perfect thickener! Love food I can feel good about eating!

  14. OMG, attempting to type this review while shoveling this into my mouth! I’m originally from the Metro Detroit area and we had a ton of fantastic Lebanese restaurants, but now live in Florida, where… yeah, not so much lol. I crave lentil soup when I’m in need of a hearty, healthy and healing pick-me-up and THIS right here is the absolute closest I’ve ever made to those family-owned places from back home. I had some leftover Progresso spicy chicken broth in the fridge and used about 2 cups of that with the 8 cup liquid total… such a great addition if you like a bit of heat! Also a tiny pinch each of turmeric and ginger for some anti-inflammatories. 5 very enthusiastic stars!

    1. I’m so glad this hit the spot and resembled what you used to have back in Michigan! I definitely need to try that for a bit of heat. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thank you! You can add it before or after, but it might be easier to add it before you freeze it.

  15. I have always made soup with brown lentils. I was impressed with the simplicity of this recipe. The only modification I made was add chicken broth and water. The next time I make it I was thinking of adding turmeric. Excellent and tasty recipe. The presentation had a nice color. Thanks. Your recipes are all so flavorful.

  16. As usual Yumna you never disappoint. This was perfect just as it is for the cold weather. I will be making this regularly. I always go for your Lebanese recipes. So good! Thank you!

  17. Hi, Yumna! I just wanted to say thank you so so much for your recipes. Since I’ve moved out of my parents house, I haven’t been able to get my hands on my mom’s Lebanese recipes. This past week, I got really sick and I really wanted to make my mom’s lentil soup. I remember the ingredients but not the measurements, and oh my god I was so elated to find the recipe on your page. You’re such a life saver and I just can’t thank you enough for being such an amazing person. Thank you for sharing the traditions recipes of our culture!!

  18. Hello, can I make this soup in the instant pot? If so, what adjustments would I need to make? Thanks in advance!

  19. This recipe is sooooo good. My husband went back for thirds and probably would have had more if I didn’t put the rest away for leftovers.

    Thank you for making all the steps very easy to follow.

  20. I’m totally making this tonight! We get something very like this from our local Middle-Eastern restaurant. It’s so freaking good. They have carrots in theirs. I’ll let you know how it compares.

      1. I didn’t wait. Made it for lunch instead. I did make a few changes since I had a particular flavor in mind. I added quite a bit more cumin, some turmeric, a little more lemon juice and a little ground coriander. I think it’s a pretty good match to what we get from the restaurant. Not sure about the coriander, but just felt like something was missing. Seemed to work okay. Thanks!

      2. This is a great recipe but please confirm the water when doubling! It says 8 cups of water for either 1x 2X or even 3x. Please advise. I added an extra 6 cups of water when I doubled it.
        Thank you

        1. Thank you for pointing that out! It’s 8 cups of water for 1X the recipe, so it would be double that if you made 2X the recipe.

    1. There are many takes on this soup. Some make it without carrots, others leave out the rice. Thank you so much!

  21. Easy to make and delicious. I ended up adding a few cloves of garlic and used vegetable broth. Turned out perfect!!

  22. I was looking for a Middle Eastern lentil soup recipe and found and tried this one. It was super easy and fast to make, and my family loved it! I used 25% vegetable stock / 75% water, and substituted cilantro for parsley (it’s what I had on hand). Thanks for a great soup!

  23. This is the first recipe I’ve tried by Feel Good Foodie. I made it according to the recipe using chicken broth instead of water. It was totally delicious so I can’t wait to try another recipe soon. It was simple I did not have to go to the store for any of the ingredients a perfect meal for a cool, rainy day!

  24. Some of my favorite lentil soups from restaurants include vermicelli noodles. Can I add that to the recipe? Would I add it when I’m mixing in the lentils and rice? Or would I have to omit the rice? And how much? Thank you in advance.

    1. Oh yes, you can definitely add vermicelli, I recommend adding it instead of the rice or in addition to the rice, but you can cut the rice in half. Add it at the time you would add the rice.

  25. I cooked it yesterday and put it in the freezer for time constraint days. Just licking the spoon was already Super tasty and so easy to make beside my dinner preparation.

  26. Yet another quick dinner after a long work day. This is very similar to Indian khichdi and oh so yummy. I topped mine with a little bit of ghee 🙂

  27. I have tried different crushed lentil soups and this is the best! Easy, nutritious and delicious! Thank you!

  28. This was so delicious! My friend and I made it and added in some spinach to get more veggies!

  29. Saw the soup on Instagram. Have already made it twice! Super easy to make but delish. Highly recommend using fresh lemon juice and the garnish. ?

  30. I made this recipe using Lentils, rice, carrots and onions, etc. I did not use an immersion blender but it still came out delicious- if I can say so myself. 😉

    Thanks so much for this easy to follow and nutritious recipe !!!

  31. Love you recipes! Can’t wait to make this!! It looks so good and reminds me of my moms soup! I can’t seem to find short grain white rice anywhere? I can only find brown short grain rice, or sushi rice or arborio rice (risotto). Am I just looking in the wrong places?! Thanks!

    1. Awww so glad to hear that! Short grain rice can be hard to find. We buy it at a Middle Eastern store, but you can use sushi rice instead!

  32. Hello from Lisbon, Portugal. I found FeelGoodFoodie during quarantine and have been loving several recipes since – energy balls, Dalgona coffee, banana bread, oatmeal cookies, egg salad, crustless quiche and this crushed lentil and rice soup. Everything has been simple (very important to me!), health-conscious and very tasty. I have loved this blog and IG account!

  33. Hi from West Michigan! Made your Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup (delicious), and as you mentioned it continued to thicken. Rather than add water as you suggested for reheating, I had my husband turn the leftovers into lentil patties by adding egg and breadcrumbs. It was AMAZING!! Loved that this recipe could be converted into something equally as delicious and yet completely different to use up the leftovers. Our 5&7 year old LOVED the patties too!

  34. This was an easy recipe to make. Grocery items you will likely have in your pantry. We had for supper with fresh bread. Satisfying and delicious. Made a big pot. Leftovers for lunch and it was even better today.

    1. Totally agree that it’s the perfect pantry meal and so good with some fresh bread. Thanks for the feedback!!

  35. Hi all! I just wanted to hop on here and let you know that I used my ninja blender for this recipe and it worked great! I recommend doing it in a couple of batches, for some reason mine splattered all over the place when I hit pulse and if you can imagine that… it went all over me haha. I also recommend hitting the “pulse” button on your blender that way you can control how much you blend. Anyways.. happy cooking! This lentil soup is amazing!!

    1. That’s a very good tip!! I always use my immersion blender so this is really helpful for others who may not have an immersion blender. Thank you!

  36. The soup was amazing! The recipe was very easy to follow and extremely simple. Everyone enjoyed it, thank you for the amazing recipe!

    1. Hi there! Can you use quinoa instead? If not quinoa, I would recommend pulsing cauliflower until it looks like rice and adding that to the soup. It will be delicious and you won’t even miss the rice.

  37. I’m curious at the amount of sodium per serving. I’m on a low sodium diet limited to 2000 mg per day. I was expecting the sodium to be lower based on water instead of broth. What is the sodium source? Thank you!!

    1. Wow, I’m so glad you said something! The nutrition label I used was showing canned red lentils so the sodium skyrocketed. It’s corrected now and it’s actually very very low at only about 11 per serving. Thanks for pointing this out to me.

  38. Fabulous recipe! We loved it! I used less cumin and less lentils.
    Just became one of my favorites.
    Best regards from Chihuahua, México

        1. Yay! So glad you liked it! And I’m not sure if you noticed but the lemon is the second to last step. You would stir it after blending the soup. I use a whole lemon for a pot, but you can adjust to your taste 🙂

  39. Do you have a substitution for the cumin? I just don’t love the flavor and generally omit, but wonder if it’ll leave the soup lacking in flavor since there aren’t many spices to it. Thanks!

    1. No worries, you can use coriander, caraway or chili powder. You can also add some turmeric or curry powder. Enjoy it!

  40. Just bookmarked 3 recipes. I’ll be trying them over the next couple of weeks. My grandma makes a wonderful lemon chicken soup and I wanted a vegan version and came across ur website. I do have a question. Is the 1 1/2c lentils used here cooked or dry? I assume cooked.

    1. Hi there, it’s actually uncooked and then it cooks with the broth. I’ve updated the recipe to clarify this point. Thank you!

  41. Thank you for sharing some traditional recipes, Hannah has been asking for me to make this. By the way, what brand of immersion blender do you use? Reviews have been mixed…

    1. Yay! I love this recipe so much! I use the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender & Chopper – I’ve had it for over 10 years and it’s comes with three components for only $40. Best thing ever!