Lebanese Lentil Soup (Shorbat Adas)
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Lebanese Lentil Soup, or Shorbat Adas, is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine. Most lentil soups are blended into a creamy texture, but this one is light, brothy, and rustic, just like the version I loved in my 20s.
For years, I had this lentil soup every Friday night on my way home from work. I would stop at my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant, Damascus, and order their Lebanese lentil soup, hummus, grape leaves, and tabbouleh. Yes, that is a lot of food. But it was my comfort after a long week at a job I did not really like.
What I loved about this particular style of authentic Lebanese lentil soup was that it was brothy, which is different from most of the lentil soups out there. But, if you love it creamy, don’t worry, to make this creamy is just one extra step, and I will walk you through it.
The restaurant closed down about ten years ago. I have worked so hard to recreate their lemon lentil soup recipe. I believe I have, and I hope you love it as much as I do!
Lentil Soup Ingredient Notes
Lemon
Always use fresh-squeezed lemon. Bottled lemon may save you time, but it has a funky aftertaste.
Lentils
I have found that brown or green lentils work best with this recipe. You can also use red lentils if you prefer or have them on hand. This recipe is written for dry lentils. Feel free to use precooked lentils to save time.
Potato
A standard russet potato works best, but you are not limited to that. When I made this recipe, I only had small new potatoes, so I cut them up, and they worked great!
Perfect Parings
Try serving this lentil soup with homemade flatbread, shepherd salad, and spicy harissa hummus for a well-rounded meal!
Tips for Authentic Flavor
- Keep the lentils whole for traditional texture.
- Use lots of lemon, and I mean lots! It is the signature flavor of Middle Eastern lentil soup.
Personalize This Recipe
- If you want this soup creamy, or creamier, blend with an immersion blender for 5 to 10 seconds, just enough to thicken the broth while leaving most lentils whole. For a fully creamy soup, blend for 30 to 60 seconds, moving the blender around until smooth.
- Add greens by adding chopped kale or spinach in the last two to three minutes.
- Spice it up by adding Aleppo pepper.
More Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Garlic pasta
- Kale Garbanzo Bean Salad with Lemon Dressing
- Vegan Lemon Pesto
- Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this lemon lentil soup recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it went.
Lebanese Lentil Soup (Shorbat Adas)
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 large chef knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed, you can substitute with red lentils
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot (about 1 cup diced), diced
- 1 small 1 potato (about ½ cup diced), diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 -6 cups vegetable broth, adjust the amount according to how much broth you want.
- juice of 1 to 2 lemons, adjust to taste. Tip: Start with the juice of one medium-sized lemon. Add more as you prefer!
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- optional: ½ tsp cumin for subtle warmth
Instructions
- Sauté the Onion and GarlicHeat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once the oil shimmers, add 1 small onion, finely chopped, and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 medium carrot (about 1 cup diced) and 1 small potato (about ½ cup diced). Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Optional Step: If using, sprinkle in ½ teaspoon cumin and stir for 30 to 60 seconds to bloom the spice in the oil with the vegetables.
- Add Lentils and Broth Stir in 1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed, until coated in the oil and aromatics. Add 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Season and SimmerTaste and season with salt and black pepper. Let the soup simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the carrot and potato pieces are tender.
- Add Lemon Juice2 to 3 minutes before serving, stir in the juice of 1 to 2 medium lemons (start with one, add more to taste). Save a little extra lemon juice to drizzle on top just before serving.
- ServeLadle into bowls, garnish with a thin lemon slice, and drizzle with your best olive oil. Serve warm with pita, pickles, or hummus.
Notes
To make this soup creamy, use an immersion blender for 15 to 30 seconds. For a smoother soup, blend longer. Storing instructions
-
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let the soup cool to room temperature. Then store in an airtight container for up to three months. I store leftovers in Souper Cubes. They are expensive, but easy to portion out.