Lebanese lentil soup also named "Shorbet al hamed", is a brown lentil soup with bright lemony notes. Perfect for an easy meatless night and for lunches all week long.
Lentils are a very famous ingredient in the Mediterranean recipes. They are cheap, easy to cook and filling. Aside from the typical Egyptian red lentil soup that I have done ages ago, this Lebanese version is made with brown lentils and chard.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- A very healthy and nutritious vegan lentil soup recipe.
- Easy and simple with ingredients available in your neighborhood stores.
- Very forgiving and a vehicle to many other vegetables as well.
- Sliced chard leaves gives this soup a unique earthy new dimension so highly recommended.
📝 Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
- Dry brown lentils.
- Olive oil.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Chard.
- Russet potato.
- Swiss chard.
- Cumin, mint, salt and lemon juice.
- Vegetable stock or water.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a deep pot cook lentils for almost 20 minutes. Check liquid level every now and then making sure lentils are always submerged.
- After the 20 minutes, start making the potato chard mixture. In a skillet heat oil then saute onion and garlic until fragrant then add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add chopped chard and mix and cook for 5 more minutes or until chard is welted.
- Transfer the mixture to the lentils in the pot, add seasoning and add more water or broth if needed. Let it cook for 10-15 more minutes until done.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set the IP on the saute setting, saute onion and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes. Press the cancel button.
- Add all the other ingredients and water or broth and watch out not to exceed the maximum level.
- Close the led and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Carefully turn the valve to venting and let it release all the pressure until it stops.
- Remove lid and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in a skillet over the stove top.
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and set on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours or until lentils are fully cooked.
🧺 Storage
- Place leftover lentil soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- This soup does not freeze well.
🍽️ Serve With
This soup is great with crusty bread, rice or air fryer garlic bread.
👩🍳 Variations
You can add in any leftover chicken, ground beef or any plant based meat you have.
📣 Related Recipes
- Check out this Turkish lentil soup, very easy to make and so flavorful.
- A hearty and filling soup, this beef and barley soup is so easy to make in the instant pot.
- Try this delicious and easy to follow Lebanese rice recipe, perfect side dish for any Middle Eastern meal. Garnish with fresh herbs or toasted pine nuts to boost flavors.
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Lebanese Lentil soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup (190g) dry brown lentils
- 6-7 cups tap water or vegetable stock.
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (165g) onion diced.
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups (170g) fresh Swiss chard cut and prepared
- 1 teaspoon salt or to your liking.
- 2-3 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ Tablespoon dry mint
- 2 russet potato about 500g peeled and diced.
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Optional:
- Lemon wedges for serving.
- Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- In a pot over medium-high heat pour 3 cups of water then add lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking. Check after 14 minutes to see if it needs more water
- After 20 minutes of cooking lentils and while they are half way through start preparing the potato chard mixtures.
- In a non stick skillet over medium heat, add oil then sauté onion and garlic for like 2 minutes.
- Add diced potato and stir to sauté for almost another 5 minutes.
- Stir in chopped chard and continue cooking the mixture for about 5 minutes or until chard is wilted.
- Add the chard potato mixture over the lentils then stir in salt, cumin and dry mint.
- Continue cooking on medium-low until done, about 10-15 more minutes.
Notes
- This was equal to 1 large bunch of chard. Rinse well under cold water. Tear the green parts then Chop the leaves.
- The traditional Lebanese soup calls for dissolving 1 Tablespoon of flour in ¼ cup of cold water and add it to the mixture in the last step as a way to thicken the soup.
Nutrition
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First published Feb 14, 2020 . Last updated January 17, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.
👩🏫 My Experience
I would like to clarify that I've known this recipe from a Lebanese friend and it is there on the internet as such. I understand that it might have spread to Lebanon from Syria, Palestine or any neighboring country. This recipe might exist there with a different name or so. But for the scope of this work, it is Lebanese until further notes. No offense.
This is a vegan version of the lentil soup, I've made it solely with water but some people like adding broth to it. You can add vegetable stock as well but I've kept things simple this time. You can also add a variety of vegetables with the lentils like carrots and celery .
The uniqueness of this soup lies in the intense lemony taste. It is not cooked in a lemon broth, but the most authentic thing to do when eating this dish is add loads of lemon juice to your bowl. Some lemon juice is added towards the end of this recipe as well .. Oh and it is so good and tasty.
Neva
This is soooooooo good. It’s going into the rotation permanently. I had fresh spearmint and used that instead of dried, and added cilantro at the end. The aroma when I lifted the lid (I made it yesterday, rewarmed today) made me want to drive headfirst into the pit!
Amira
Great it worked for you, thanks for the feedback.
Anna Likousis
I will try your recipe. I am sure it will taste amazing.
Thank you for your beautiful ideas.
Raul Aued
I am sure it is quite a good soup. However, I come from a 100% Lebaneses family. My grandmother never added chard, nor potatoes, nor mint. Hers was simplicity itself: onions sautéed in olive oil at very low heat until they were nearly black but not quite, 1 clove of garlic (microplaned), vegetable broth and 7 Lebanese spices and salt to taste. That was it. Simplicity is the key to perfection. She would serve it with sulta fatoush, pita bread and hummus. Sometimes she would include some lebneh on the side.
Amira
Raul, thank you for sharing your grandma's recipe sounds delicious. I have to tell you there are many versions of the Lebanese lentil soup and this is one of them.
Mariam
Very nice recipe .. in Palestine and Jordan( at least in my families home ) we use fresh cilantro In the sauté versus mint .. try it it’s delicious ..
Amira
I love cilantro and I am sure I will love your variation, thanks Mariam.
Sonia
Can i use green lentils if Ondont have brown lentils?
Amira
Although not the in the authentic recipe but I do not see why not if you like it.