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Healing Golden Lemon Lentil Soup

Healing golden lemon lentil soup made with red lentils simmered until dissolved, then blended silky-smooth and finished with bright lemon juice and zest. Warm Middle Eastern spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika) plus a crunchy crispy shallot topping for contrast.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

red lentils
  • 1.5 cup red lentils Rinsed until water runs clear.
onion
  • 1 onion Diced.
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
carrots
  • 2 carrots Diced.
vegetable broth
  • 6 cup vegetable broth Low-sodium if desired.
lemon juice
  • 0.333 cup lemon juice Freshly squeezed.
lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest Zest from fresh lemon.
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil Plus extra for frying shallots and serving drizzle.
cumin
  • 2 tsp cumin Ground.
turmeric
  • 1.5 tsp turmeric Ground.
coriander
  • 1 tsp coriander Ground.
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika Smoked variety.
cayenne
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne Optional for heat.
shallots
  • 2 shallots Thinly sliced for crispy topping.
fresh parsley
  • 0.5 cup fresh parsley Chopped, for serving.
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Sauté the aromatics
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion and carrots for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the minced garlic and spices (cumin, turmeric, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until very fragrant.
Simmer until lentils dissolve
  1. Stir in the rinsed red lentils and vegetable broth, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the lentils have completely dissolved and the soup looks thick and uniform.
Blend and brighten
  1. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, with no visible lentil bits.
  2. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest, then season with salt and pepper to taste until the flavor is balanced.
Make crispy shallots
  1. In a skillet, fry the thinly sliced shallots in olive oil until crispy and golden, turning as needed so they brown evenly.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy shallots, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

For the silkiest texture, blend while the soup is hot and simmer a bit longer if the lentils aren’t fully dissolved. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze in portions up to 2 months (thaw overnight and reheat gently). For a dairy-free swap, serve as written—this recipe is naturally dairy-free; for extra brightness, add a little more lemon juice at the end.