Lemon Lentil Soup (Printer-friendly)
Hearty Mediterranean lentil soup with warm spices, fresh vegetables, and a bright zesty lemon finish.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 carrots, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
→ Lentils
05 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
→ Liquids
06 - 6 cups vegetable broth
→ Seasonings
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Finish
12 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (plus extra for garnish)
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
04 - Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - For a smoother consistency, partially blend the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some texture intact.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra parsley and additional lemon juice if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Lentils cook faster than you think and deliver this creamy, almost meaty satisfaction without any fuss at all.
- The lemon transforms everything at the end, waking up every single spice and making the broth taste like sunshine.
- It costs almost nothing to make and freezes beautifully for those nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- Do not add the lemon juice until the very end because acid can toughen lentils and slow down cooking if added too early.
- Salting at the beginning can also extend the cooking time, so wait until the lentils are tender before adjusting seasoning.
03 -
- Taste your broth before you start cooking because if it tastes flat out of the carton, it will taste flat in the soup.
- Let the finished soup rest off the heat for ten minutes before serving because that short rest allows the flavors to fully come together.