This Palestinian red lentil soup (shorbet adas) is made with just a few simple ingredients, which include red split lentils, and onions sauteed in olive oil, water, salt, and cumin powder. A delicious vegan gluten-free soup, that is hearty, and healthy takes one pot and comes together in less than 30 minute

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Palestinian lentil soup is one of the easiest and quickest soups to make.

The ingredients list is very short, you always have them in your pantry.

This soup is hearty, healthy, nutritious, and full of flavor.

It is one wholesome soup that stores and freezes well.

Fridays were always vegan days at home. My mother’s tradition of the week is that Fridays we will take a break from eating any meals that include meat, so she used to make a vegan dish.

Red lentil soup was popular on Fridays and especially in wintertime. When the weather is cold, my mother felt it's the perfect day for a lentil soup. Though I'm not a big fan of soups, however, I do enjoy hot soup on a cold rainy day. It feels so cozy and warms my heart and spirit.

How to cook red lentils?

Rinse red lentils off in the water in a strainer, and set aside.
In a pot warm extra virgin olive oil.
Add chopped onions, and sauté until onions are golden.
Add lentils over the onions and stir well combining them all together.
Pour boiled water over, and stir everything well combining the water with lentils and onions. Make sure the pot is large enough, so it does not boil over.
Add salt and cumin, and give it another stir.
Bring the pot to a boil, cover it, and then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
Cook for 15 minutes, then give it another stir and let it continue to cook on low heat for up to 30 minutes. 

Can I add vegetables to the soup?

Any starchy vegetables can work well with this soup, like carrots, celery any type of squash.
Vegetables can be sautéed early on and after sautéing onions and cooked with red lentils.

What can I serve with the soup?

Any type of bread. Toasted bread works really well.
Squeezed fresh lemon juice is a must with this recipe, provide once served.
Green onions and olives.

FAQ

Can I use vegetables or chicken broth with the soup?
Yes, any type of broth can be used, keep in mind if you want to keep it vegan use vegetable broth.

How long can I keep this soup in the fridge?
The soup can stay up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

How can I reheat it?
I prefer to transfer the soup into a small pot and heat it over the stove, if the soup is too thick add ¼ cup of boiled water and let it heat on low/medium for 10 minutes. Or it can be placed in a bowl and heat in the microwave.

Can I freeze it and for how long?
This soup can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the freezer for up to 30 days.

Can I blend the soup?
I’m all for chunky soup. However, if you prefer your soup to be more creamy, you can use an immersion blender or a regular blender to create a creamy soup.

Important tips:

This lentil soup is very easy to make, however here are a few tips.

Make sure when you buy the lentils, they are split red lentils. The split literally means each lentil is split in half.
Because lentils are split, they don’t require soaking and cook very fast.
The soup will turn pastier and not watery.
During the cooking process if you notice the top is watery, uncover it and let it cook uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Print