Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a healthy, yet incredibly flavorsome dish made with green lentils, onions, carrots, and celery cooked in a tomato-based broth. It is flavored with bay leaves and cumin and then brightened with a generous amount of lemon juice.
This rustic-looking lentil soup is extremely easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. Packed with Mediterranean flavors, this soup is a warm and comforting meal to enjoy with your family on a cold winter night!
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I grew up having this simple Mediterranean Lentil Soup all year round. My mom's version always tasted amazing as it included a handful of eriste / kesme, a type of homemade Turkish pasta. I use orzo or ditalini as I didn't start making my homemade eriste (yet).
Adding a spoonful of tomato paste adds richness and an umami taste to this Mediterranean Lentil Soup. But the moment it really shines is when you add a splash of lemon juice just before serving it!
Healthy and Nutritious Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Lentils are part of the legumes family and are the staple of Turkish and Mediterranean diets. I use them in many Turkish recipes such as Mercimek Kofte (Vegan Lentil Balls), Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf, and Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi). They are also budget-friendly, making them perfect to feed a crowd.
Lentils are an excellent source of fiber and are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Also, they contain a good amount of iron, vitamins, minerals, folate, and magnesium. Therefore, lentils can help reduce the risk of heart disease, increase energy and reduce blood cholesterol.
This Mediterranean Lentil Soup recipe also has fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes which makes this delicious soup even healthier. Served with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley, this lentil soup makes a tasty, and healthy dinner entree that the whole family will enjoy, including fussy eaters.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Mediterranean Lentil Soup is one of these dishes that taste amazing, is inexpensive to make, and is also full of nutrients.
- It is very easy to make and requires a few basic fridge&pantry ingredients you might already have in hand.
- Soups like Mediterranean Lentil Soup and Spiced Butternut Squash Soup are perfect to serve on a cold winter night when you need something nutritious, warming, and delicious.
- The leftovers are great for packed lunches. They also freeze beautifully if you want to keep them for longer.
- Green lentils - They are a staple in Turkish&Mediterranean cuisines and are used for making soups, and salads or adding to bulgur pilaf or borek filling. You can substitute them with brown lentils.
- Mirepoix - It is a mixture of diced onions, celery, and carrots. It is the seasoning and flavoring base for dishes such as Bolognese, Ragu, or Beef Bourguignon.
- Stock - For the best results, always try and use homemade or a good quality stock for your soup. If using store-bought stock, check the seasoning before adding salt to your dish. Use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock if you want to make this delicious soup vegan-friendly.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or buy it online from Amazon .
- Pasta - This lentil soup is best when made with homemade pasta called "eriste or kesme". However, other small pasta types such as orzo, vermicelli, or ditalini work great too.
- Lemon - The sharpness of the lemon will elevate the flavor and bring some brightness to this warm and comforting soup. You can substitute it with vinegar or lime juice.
- Bay leaves - I prefer using fresh bay leaves whenever I can. However, dried ones would work too. Don’t forget to remove them before serving!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cooking this delicious Mediterranean Lentil Soup is very easy and to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:
Heat a large heavy-based pan or a Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onions along with the garlic until soft and translucent.
Add the celery and carrots, and sauté them for a few minutes until they are slightly softened.
When the vegetables are softened, stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Sauté them together for 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Sautéing the spices for 30 seconds brings out their flavors.
Pour in the stock, add the lentils along with the bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat and gently simmer the soup for 30 minutes, until the lentils are softened.
Add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaves and add the lemon juice. Garnish with a generous amount of chopped parsley before serving.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!
What to Serve with Mediterranean Lentil Soup?
Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a hearty and filling dish on its own. However, I love the addition of some Greek Pita Bread, Black Pepper Sourdough Focaccia, or freshly baked Pitka (Bulgarian Christmas Bread) to dip in my soup.
For a more substantial meal, you can also add some salad such as Beetroot and Feta Salad, Lebanese Fattoush Salad, or Gavurdagi Salatasi (Tomato and Walnut Salad).
Top Tips From the Chef
- If using store-bought stock for your Mediterranean Lentil Soup, check the seasoning before adding salt to it.
- Sautéing the spices for 30 seconds brings out their flavors. Stir continuously while sautéing to avoid them burning.
- The cooking time of lentils can vary. If they are very fresh, they will cook more quickly. Older ones will take a bit longer to become tender.
- This recipe will give you a thick soup consistency. You can adjust the thickness by playing with the quantity of stock added during the cooking process.
- The sharpness of the lemon will elevate the flavor and bring some brightness to this warm and comforting soup. Don't skip this step!
- Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving your delicious lentil soup.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes 4 large portions. If you are a small family and have some leftover lentil soup, you can store them in the fridge for five days in an airtight container. Be sure the soup has completely cooled before you store it in the fridge.
Yes, this delicious soup freezes beautifully! Let the soup completely cool down, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes, this lentil soup is perfect for meal prep and tastes even better after a day or two. Resting the soup for a few days will help the flavors to meld better and also will thicken up the soup.
Related Recipes
For more delicious, healthy, and comforting soup recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this healthy, delicious, and warming Mediterranean Lentil Soup as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g green lentil
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 small carrot (finely diced)
- 1 stick celery (finely diced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ¼ l vegetable stock, chicken stock, or beef stock
- 50 g eriste, ditalini or orzo pasta
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- chopped parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy-based pan or a Dutch oven on medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and sauté the onions along with the garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the celery and carrots, and sauté them for a few minutes until they are slightly softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the stock, add the lentils along with the bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower the heat and gently simmer the soup for 30 minutes, until the lentils are softened.
- Add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice.
- Garnish with a generous amount of chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- If using store-bought stock for your Mediterranean Lentil Soup, check the seasoning before adding salt to it.
- Sautéing the spices for 30 seconds brings out their flavors. Stir continuously while sautéing to avoid them burning.
- The cooking time of lentils can vary. If they are very fresh, they will cook more quickly. Older ones will take a bit longer to become tender.
- This recipe will give you a thick soup consistency. You can adjust the thickness by playing with the quantity of stock added during the cooking process.
- The sharpness of the lemon will elevate the flavor and bring some brightness to this warm and comforting soup. Don't skip this step!
- Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving your delicious lentil soup.
Nutrition
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Daisy
Flavorful, easy, and delicious! Thank you for the recipe..