Moroccan Red Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Moroccan lentil soup made of? ›

Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender.

No, there is no need to soak red lentils before cooking but it is a good idea to give them a quick rinse.

Why does my lentil soup taste bland? Lentils have a relatively mild taste and take well to seasonings. To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor.

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

Fun fact: in Darija, Moroccan Arabic, this is simply referred to as Lentils (عدس). That's it.

Soluble fiber found in red lentils binds to “bad” cholesterol and helps our body excrete it through bile acids. This helps to lower our cholesterol, which helps keep our heart healthy by reducing the risk for Atherosclerotic plaque.

Red lentils are best for soups, curries, dals, and anything that craves a creamy, thicker, more comforting touch. Red lentils are some of our favorites around here, especially our newest Ethiopian inspired lentils!

While it seems like an unnecessary step, don't skip rinsing your lentils and sifting through them before cooking to remove any stones or debris. It is rare to find stones, but it does happen.

Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.

Another reason that lentils are known for causing gas and bloating is because they are high in what's called raffinose. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) are known to cause stomach discomfort and bloating because the human body lacks the enzyme required to break them down within the digestive tract.

Why do I feel nauseous after lentil soup? ›

Lentils are frequently cooked with strong spices, which can cause indigestion in some people. Lentils are a good source of potassium, however, too many lentils in the diet can cause hyperkalemia (symptoms may include vomiting, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing) in people with poor kidney function.

Think more like you're cooking pasta- you just need significantly more water than lentils. You can also use broth instead of adding an extra layer of flavor. I like adding a bay leaf, an onion cut in half, and a clove of garlic to add flavor to the lentils.

Mushy, overcooked lentils are far from tasty. Cooking them at a rapid simmer can lead to them splitting their skins from the pressure and thus lead to mushy results. Follow this tip: Trust that a gentle simmer will cook the lentils perfectly.

Pair this lentil soup with crusty bread or a hearty salad like my kale salad or sweet potato salad. It would also go well with a vegetable side dish like roasted cauliflower, roasted broccoli, or a baked sweet potato.

Red Lentil to Water Ratio

To cook red lentils so that they retain some of their shape but are still cooked through, use 2 cups water to 1 cup lentils. To cook red lentils so that they break down into a puree, use 3 cups water to 1 cup lentils.

Made with dried lentils, fresh vegetables, flavorful spices, and hearty greens, it's simple, nourishing, and delicious. This lentil soup recipe might surprise you. Sure, it's simple. But that doesn't mean it's bland or boring.

Lentils are edible seeds from the legume family. They're well known for their lens shape and sold with or without their outer husks intact. Though they're a common food staple in countries such as Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, the greatest production of lentils nowadays is in Canada ( 1 , 2).

Most Muslims wake up before sunrise to have a small meal and then break their fast with a few dates and this Arabic lentil soup at sunset. Breaking the fast with soup helps to prepare the stomach for the meal to follow and it includes a lot of nutrients.

Lentil soup is a dish you can find in most countries around the world, you can get it from Scotland, to China, to Srilanka, but few places give it such high regard as the Middle East. In the Middle East it's extremely popular, and you can get it at restaurants and even takeaways all over the region.