Shorbat adas is delicious: a smooth, golden Lebanese lentil soup of red lentils, onion, carrot and cumin, finished with a big squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of olive oil.
Always make sure to add the lemon at the end, never earlier, or the soup goes flat. Blend it smooth or leave it chunky, your call. There is also a greener, lemonier version made with chard and brown lentils called adas bi hamod, and the notes below show you how to turn this soup into that version too!
Tips for Making Shorbat Adas
Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. Red lentils shed a lot of starch and foam. Rinsing keeps the pot from boiling over and the soup from tasting dusty.
Stir from the bottom. Red lentils settle and catch on the pot. Stir every 5 minutes or so, and keep the heat at a gentle simmer.
Cook the onion for the topping slowly. 12 to 15 minutes at medium heat, until deep golden. Rushed onions come out pale and bitter.
Taste after the lemon. The soup will seem flat until the lemon goes in. Season only after you add it.
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Shorbat Adas: Lebanese Lentil Soup with Cumin and Lemon
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
Description
Shorbat adas is delicious: a smooth, golden Lebanese lentil soup of red lentils, onion, carrot and cumin, finished with a big squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of olive oil. Always make sure to add the lemon at the end, never earlier, or the soup goes flat.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) red lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium potato (about 8 oz / 225 g), peeled and diced
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or vegetable stock
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
For the Fried Onion
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
To Serve
- Extra olive oil
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
To Make the Soup
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrot for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute.
Add the lentils, potato, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partly covered, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils and potato are very soft.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, or blend only half for a chunkier soup. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt. If it is too thick, thin it with 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water.
To Make the Fried Onion
While the soup simmers, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced onion for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring, until deep golden.
To Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the fried onion, a drizzle of olive oil and a lemon wedge.
Notes
- For adas bi hamod: use 1 1/2 cups brown lentils instead of red, cook 40 to 45 minutes, leave the soup unblended, and stir in 4 cups chopped chard after the lentils are cooked, simmering 5 to 8 minutes until it wilts. Then add the lemon juice.
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Comforting Soups
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 315
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Protein: 13 g
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make shorbat adas without the potato, or with rice instead?
Yes. The potato thickens the soup and keeps it creamy. Leave it out and the soup is a little thinner. Many cooks use 1/4 cup of white rice instead, cooked with the lentils.
Can I make Lebanese lentil soup in an Instant Pot?
Yes. Sauté the onion, carrot, garlic and cumin right in the pot, add everything else except the lemon, and cook at high pressure for 5 to 8 minutes. Red lentils foam, so keep the pot no more than half full and let the pressure release naturally. Then blend and add the lemon juice.
Why does my lentil soup taste bland?
It almost always needs more salt, or more lemon. Add each a little at a time and taste after each. The fried onion and the olive oil on top also carry flavor, so keep them.
How do I make it spicy?
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes with the cumin. You can also pass hot sauce at the table.
Why is my soup so thick the next day?
Lentils keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits. Thin it with a splash of hot water or stock when you reheat it, and taste for salt and lemon again.
