Lentil Soup with Middle Eastern Flavors and Meyer Lemons
Jan 20, 2016, Updated Mar 07, 2025
This Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Zesty Flavors Will Awaken Your Tastebuds!
Packed with vegetables and a generous dose of fragrant Middle Eastern spices – it will rejuvenate your winter blues!
This hearty, aromatic Vegetarian and Vegan Lentil Soup is a must for those looking for a bowl of healthy comfort-food.
I have eaten this soup three days in a row for lunch, and enjoy a warming sensation with a blast of sunny – in season meyer lemons. A filling , nutritionally balanced soup that can be a centerpiece of a winter dinner as well – team with some warm and crispy bread and a mixed salad.
Say Goodbye to Boring Lentil Soup!
Warm and glowing seasonings take the average, bland lentil soup – and create a depth of flavor. Savory and slightly sweet – the Middle Eastern spice blend, Baharat, combines a wonderful pungent blend of pepper, paprika, ground cloves, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander and chiles.
Ingredients:
Baharat Seasonings:
Cook Vegetables, add Seasonings then broth; puree 1/3 of the soup:
Easy Method:
Start the soup with a quick sauté of onion and garlic then add diced butternut squash, carrots and leeks to compliment the lentils and add extra dietary fiber and color. Toss in the spices, and the aroma will waft through the kitchen. Once you add the lentils, pears (for natural sweetness) and vegetable broth, the soup will be done, after it comes to a simmer, in 20 minutes.
Meyer Lemons are in season right now in Winter!
(Through April), a wonderful, less acidic, somewhat sweet citrus fruit. A good squeeze is welcome in the soup – adds a zesty, radiant touch and allows you to use less salt. I top the soup with a simple and quick raw gremolata, which amplifies the lemon tones and adds a a blast of herbal-green goodness.
Lentils are a nutritional all-star:
They may be the oldest cultivated legume in history.
I absolutely love their neutral flavor and texture as they allow a cook to add their favorite accompaniments. The list of health benefits of these lens-shaped seeds is long and impressive, as they contain the highest amount of protein originating from any plant. Virtually fat-free, a good source of fiber, vitamin B and iron – lentils are an inexpensive staple we should be eating more of.
Soups are great for people with busy schedules:
They take little preparation time and can be made in large batches, frozen, and heated up on another day when you have little time but still want to enjoy a homemade soup.
Enjoy!
Karen
Lentil Soup with Middle Eastern Flavors and Meyer Lemons
Equipment
- 1 heavy soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups onion, peeled, 1/3" dice
- 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, 1/3″ dice
- 1/2 cup carrots, peeled, 1/3″ dice
- 1/2 cup leeks, whites and light greens, cleaned and chopped, 1/3" dice
- 3 teaspoons Baharat Seasoning*
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked through
- 3/4 cup ripe pear, peeled, 1/3″ dice
- 8 cups vegetable broth, preferably homemade (can use chicken broth if not vegan)
- 4 tablespoons fresh meyer lemon juice, (from one ripe meyer lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon meyer lemon rind, finely grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy soup pot, add the olive oil, raise the heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes until softened, but not colored. Add the butternut squash, carrots and leeks, give a stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Baharat Seasonings and stir for 1 minute to incorporate the flavors.
- Add the lentils, broth and pear. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the soup. Cook for 20 minutes, until the lentils have softened, and the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Add the meyer lemon juice, meyer lemon rind and salt (will depend on the saltiness of your broth), stir well.
- Cool slightly, and whirl 1/3 of the soup in a blender until smooth. Add to the pot and stir well. I like the soup with a creamy base, but with a lot of texture. Taste for salt.
Garnish Option:
- I quickly make a Raw Gremolata. In a small bowl mix together: 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, 1t. grated lemon rind, 1 T. lemon juice, 3 T. chopped parsley, a pinch hot pepper flakes, 1 t. minced onion and a pinch of sea salt.
To Serve:
- Ladle the warm soup into individual bowls. Swirl a teaspoon of Gremolata on top of the soup, garnish with a parsley sprig. Enjoy!
- *Baharat Seasoning – Middle Eastern Spice: A wonderful pungent blend of pepper, paprika, ground cloves, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander and chiles. Can find online, at gourmet markets or at good specialty spice shops. Alternately, (if you can not find the seasoning- use a handful of the spices on the list to create a great flavor.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have homemade preserved meyer lemons in my fridge. Can I substitute them in this recipe?
It’s going to snow this weekend and I’m looking for something to make while we shovel. Thanks.
Hi Helen, How great you have homemade preserved meyer lemons! Yes, you should use them in this recipe.Simply omit the lemon juice and lemon rind from the recipe. Finely chop 2 teaspoons of the preserved lemons (rinsed) and add to the soup with the lentils and broth. Taste for your desired lemon flavor. Can always add some more preserve lemons if needed. Enjoy, Karen
This recipe is delicious and inventive. You are Uber talented . Thank you
Thanks – hope you try it Sharon! Stay warm. Best, Karen