Lebanese Spinach & Lentil Soup

Name: Lebanese Spinach & Lentil Soup
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: Canola or olive oil, for cooking; 1 large onion, finely chopped; Canola or olive oil, for cooking; 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock; 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 cups (750 mL) water; Salt and pepper to taste; ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro; Juice of ½ to 1 lemon; Salt and pepper to taste; 3 oz (90 g) dry vermicelli or other fine pasta, broken; 3 oz (90 g) dry vermicelli or other fine pasta, broken; ½ tsp (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon; 10 oz (300 g) package frozen spinach, thawed; 1 cup (250 mL) lentils (French blue ones are nice here; green would be fine, too); 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Spilling The Beans

By Julie Van Rosendaal and Sue Duncan

Published 2011

About

A traditional soup, this is just as delicious made with fresh chard swapped for the spinach, or mint swapped for the cilantro. A tomato salad makes a fine partner, and bread with tzatziki will round things off nicely.

Ingredients

Canola or olive oil, for cooking
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced

Asia
Lebanon
Soup
Vegan

Method

In a large saucepan set over low-moderate heat, sauté the onion in a drizzle of oil with a pinch of salt until transparent and starting to brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the water, stock, lentils, and spices, and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

In the meantime, drain the spinach in a colander and sq