My cooking wheelhouse has always been Middle Eastern and modern Mediterranean, so it comes as no surprise that lentil soup is one of my favorite soups to make, as well as one of the easiest. Digging into a bowl just screams “home” to me, as my birthplace of Detroit is known for its large Middle Eastern population. I can’t make a trip home without stopping into a mom-and-pop middle eastern restaurant and chowing down on a giant bowl of lentil soup, usually accompanied with a Shish Tawouk sandwich. With that being said, my favorite lentil soup actually comes from a restaurant in Bellevue, Washington, that I used to frequent during my time living in Seattle. Mediterranean kitchen is a small hole in the wall restaurant located in a strip mall off the beaten path from downtown Bellevue. I don’t even recall how I stumbled upon it, but their lentil soup is my favorite, and it doesn’t hurt that you get a complimentary bowl placed in front of you upon being seated!
You can use any color lentil for this recipe however I usually opt for red Lentils, which ironically are actually more orange than red. The yellow color from this soup is derived from the turmeric. You can eat this soup as is, or blend it using an immersion or countertop blender. I like it both ways, but as pictured here it’s been blended. The resulting color is a bright and vibrant yellow, and you can add additional color with chopped pickled turnip and microgreens, however they’re optional and just shown here to make the bowl pretty. I do think that pretty food just tastes better but it’s not required.
This will make about 2 quarts of soup, which for me lasts just a couple days. This soup is delicious, it’s easy, cheap and comforting. And for me it brings back incredible memories of drinking a fresh carrot juice, devouring the lentil soup, followed by the Shish Tawouk sandwich, and possibly some baklava for dessert, from my childhood favorite Pita Café in Oak Park, Michigan.
Crushed Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped finely
- 1/2 cup celery chopped finely – 2 stalks is about the magic number.
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped finely – 1 large carrot will yield about the right amount.
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/4 cup short or medium grain rice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place lentils in a fine mesh strainer and place in the sink under cold water. Let the water run through the lentils until it runs clean, about 2 minutes. Then place the lentils in a large soup pot along with the rice and 2 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
- In a separate skillet or large pan, heat the olive oil and sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 2 minutes. Add in the cumin, turmeric, pepper and salt. Continue to sauté stirring frequently for another few minutes, allowing the flavor to develop into the vegetables. Empty the contents of the pan directly into the pot of lentils, and add the remaining chicken broth.
- Continue to simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Once they're to your liking, add the lemon juice and stir. At this time, you can make your executive decision on if you're going to blend the soup or leave it chunk with lentils. I love it both ways but go with what you like.
