Lebanese red lentil soup with cumin and lemon — warming, velvety, and complete.
Shorbat Adas is Lebanon's quintessential red lentil soup — smooth, velvety, and perfumed with cumin and turmeric. Finished with a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice, it is a staple of Lebanese home cooking and served during Ramadan, winter months, and daily family lunches. Simple and nourishing, it is one of the Levant's most beloved dishes.
Serves 6
Cook onion in olive oil until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and turmeric, stir 1 minute.
Add lentils and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20–25 minutes until lentils are completely soft.
Blend soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Add lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Adjust consistency with water.
Ladle into bowls, drizzle olive oil, and serve with toasted pita and extra lemon wedges.
Caramelizing the onions deeply adds sweetness to balance the lemon.
Adjust lemon to your taste — Lebanese cooks are generous with it.
Add Swiss chard leaves for a heartier soup.
Fry sliced onions in olive oil as a topping.
Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezes well.
Red lentil soup has nourished the Levant for millennia and is a cornerstone of Lebanese and Syrian home cooking.
Red lentils break down and become smooth. Green lentils stay whole and give a different texture — both are delicious.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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