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Egyptian red lentil soup with crispy pita
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Egyptian red lentil soup - Shorbat ads

This creamy Egyptian red lentil soup is a delicious, nutritional powerhouse of a soup that comes together from simple pantry staples. Inexpensive, nutritious, vegan and filling- there's so many reasons to add this Egyptian staple to your repertoire.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch, sides
Cuisine: African, Egyptian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, North African
Keyword: lentils, soup, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • immersion blender or regular blender

Ingredients

Egyptian red lentil soup - Shorbat ads

  • 2-3 TBS olive oil or neutral oil
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
  • 1 medium carrot roughly chopped
  • 2 TBS tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste, optional
  • 2 cups red lentils rinsed until water runs clear, picked through for debris
  • 7 cups water or stock of choice
  • 2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • fresh black pepper to taste
  • 2-3 fresh lemons for juice, divided, for cooking and serving

Crispy pita

  • 2 regular pitas, or 1 large thin Lebanese style pita
  • pinch salt preferably kosher flakes
  • olive oil or neutral oil
  • pinch cumin, sumac, or zaatar optional

Optional toppings

  • crispy pita recipe above
  • crispy fried onions
  • dollop of yogurt
  • chopped parsley or cilantro

Instructions

Egyptian red lentil soup

  • In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add coarsely chopped onions and saute for a few minutes, until soft. Stir frequently.
  • Add carrots and saute a few more minutes, until they start to brown slightly.
  • Add tomato paste, garlic, and spices and stir to combine. Allow to tomato paste to carmelize for a few minutes while stirring.
  • Add washed lentils and mix.
  • Add water or stock, and 2 tsps of kosher salt (or half the amount if using table salt or coarse salt rocks). Bring to a boil.
  • Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until lentils and vegetables are very soft, approximately 30 minutes.
  • Allow soup to cool slightly, then blend carefully until smooth with an immersion blender, or alternatively in a stand blender.
  • Add the juice of one lemon. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary. It will likely need some more salt and maybe additional lemon to balance the flavors.
    You may also add more water or stock, a bit at a time, if you prefer to thin the soup.
  • Serve hot with crispy pita (instructions to follow), lemon wedges, and any other toppings of choice.

Crispy pita

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cut your pita into small pieces -roughly 1 inch or 2-3 cm squares.
  • Toss pita pieces in enough oil to cover then lightly, along with salt.
  • Spread pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden brown, approximately ten minutes. Watch closely so they do not burn.

Notes

This soup keeps well in the fridge. However it may thicken significantly. If so, add more water or stock when you reheat leftovers. 
For crispy pita, you can make these ahead and store in an airtight container.