Red Lentil Soup

Name: Red Lentil Soup
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Cuisine: Egypt
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 red onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 bay leaves; 1 small dried hot chile, such as Thai chile; 1 small dried hot chile, such as Thai chile; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1 Tbsp ras el hanout; 8 cups [2 L] vegetable stock or water; 2 cups [400 g] red lentils; Juice of 1 lemon; 8 cups [2 L] vegetable stock or water; ½ cup [20 g] chopped fresh cilantro; 3 scallions, both white and green parts, sliced

Preparation info

Serves
6 to 8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Flavors of the Sun

By Christine Sahadi Whelan

Published 2021

About

Red lentils cook more quickly and become far softer and silkier than their brown, green, or black counterparts. In this bright and soothing vegan soup seasoned with Egyptian spices and cumin, they cook down into what is essentially a purée without the need to blend or process them.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed

Africa
Egypt
Mediterranean
Soup
Vegan
Gluten-free

Method

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute or so until fragrant and the onion is just starting to turn golden. Add the bay leaves, chile, ras el hanout, and salt. Mix well.

Add the lentils and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. When the soup boils, reduce the heat to low and c