Middle Eastern
Lentil Lunch Soup
Red lentils, carrot, cumin, and vegetable broth simmer in one pot until the lentils collapse into a thick soup. It thickens as it cools, and the cumin tastes raw if it is not cooked in the oil for a minute before the broth goes in.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Red lentils cook soft in under half an hour, so this fits a lunch break.
- Everything stays in one pot, from the cumin toast to the simmer.
- Carrot sweetens the broth without a cream finish.
- Lemon and salt are adjusted at the end, when the lentils have finished thickening.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Warm the olive oil in a single pot over medium heat and cook the onion and carrots until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until the cumin smells toasted, about 1 minute.
- 3
Add the rinsed red lentils and the vegetable broth.
- 4
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook uncovered until the lentils have broken down and the carrots are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the salt, pepper, and lemon juice, adding a splash of water if the soup is thicker than you want.
- 6
Ladle into four bowls.
Pro tips
- Rinse the red lentils or the soup can taste dusty.
- A hard simmer will boil over; keep it at a steady bubble.
- Lemon at the end brightens the cumin more than extra salt does.
Easy substitutions
- Vegetable broth
- Water plus 1 teaspoon salt
- Cumin
- Ground coriander
- Onion
- 2 chopped shallots
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cool and refrigerate in the pot or a container for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium heat, loosening the soup with water or broth because the lentils keep absorbing liquid.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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