My Lebanese family's favorite authentic Lebanese lentil soup, known as shorbet adas, is a must-try! Made with red lentils, rice, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices, this hearty soup is unrivaled in flavor.

lebanese lentil soup in a white bowl with a spoon — This delicious wholesome Lebanese lentil soup wins me over all the time

Lebanese red lentil soup is a staple in my household, especially during the cooler months.

It's comforting, and nutritious, and features regularly on my menu. I've been making this delicious Lebanese soup for decades. Originally, it wasn't a vegan soup since it featured chicken stock. However, after switching to veggie stock, the difference is negligible. I promise you'll be pouring yourself a second serving, and maybe even a third.

This soup is called "shorbet adas" (or "shorbat adas") in Arabic, which translates to "lentil soup" and it's one of my all-time favorite soups, I always want to lick the bowl clean afterward.

Before we dive into the recipe, I want to mention another Arabic lentil soup called adas bi homid. It's completely different, featuring chunky vegetables, Swiss chard, warm spices, and brown lentils or green lentils. It's worth checking out and adding to your list. This lentil carrot soup is just as delicious as this soup but without cumin.

Lentil Soup in a white bowl topped with parsley

Ingredients Highlight

shorbet adas base ingredients on a white bench

fresh produce laid out on white bench for arabic lentil soup

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Traditionally, Lebanese lentil soup starts by sweating the onion and spices in some olive oil. However, sometimes I make this oil-free by replacing the olive oil with spoonfuls of veggie stock. I can guarantee you that it tastes nearly the same, no one ever notices! The best part is that this wholesome soup becomes even more wholesome

The hero ingredient is the red lentils, which are easy to cook with and require no pre-soaking.

To thicken this shorbet adas, I use short-grain or medium-grain white rice. I tend to alternate between adding ¼ cup to ½ cup, depending on how thick I want the soup to be. The ½ cup of rice tends to make it more porridge-like, turning it into a substantial and filling meal.

For the flavorings, ground cumin is essential. Without it, the soup just isn't the same. Fresh lemon juice is used to finish the soup, giving it its distinctive taste.

Since switching to a vegan diet, I now use a good veggie stock to make this a vegan lentil soup.

two white bowls of shorbet adas garnished with parsley and lemon pieces

Janelle's Tips

Only use red lentils (orange lentils) for this Lebanese lentil soup recipe. They give the soup its distinctive taste and color. Avoid other types of lentils, as they will change the look and taste of this perfect soup. Make rishta bil adas if you want to use brown lentils, it's seriously delish! The simplicity of the handful of ingredients compared to the taste is mind-baffling.

Storage

Allow the soup to cool down to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

an empty bowl of lentil soup with leftover lemon pieces

This shorbet adas is totally satisfying - I could eat a few bowlfuls.

More Lebanese Lentil Recipes

Lentils are pantry staples and an integral part of the diet for Lebanese folk, for both cultural and religious reasons.

There are many meals featuring them. Some staples in my family include brown lentil porridge. It's thick, savory, and filling, especially ideal winter food.

Red lentil porridge is another variation of mujadara, which are all made with lentils.

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

white bowl of yellow soup toped with chop parsley and slices of lemon

Lebanese Lentil Soup

My Lebanese family's favorite authentic Lebanese lentil soup, known as shorbet adas, is a must-try! Made with red lentils, rice, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices, this hearty soup is unrivaled in flavor.

Prep: 10

Cook: 30

Total: 40

Servings: servings

Author: Janelle Hama

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 large Brown onion diced
2 medium Carrots diced
2 small Celery stalks diced
2 cloves Garlic crushed
1½ cups Red lentils dry
¼-½ cup Short grain white rice or medium grain
8 Cups Vegetable stock or 10 cups (you can adjust the thickness of this lentil soup)
1 medium Fresh lemon juiced
1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1 ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
1 handful Fresh parsley chopped, divided into two portions
1 pinch Salt or to taste
½ teaspoon Cracked black pepper or to taste
1 Lemon wedge

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a large pot, heat olive oil (see notes for oil-free version) over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, crushed cloves of garlic, and spices. Cook until the onions have softened. Add the red lentils and stir until they are coated in the olive oil. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the rice. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add the diced celery and carrot. Simmer for another 10 minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley and the lemon juice.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until it is partially smooth but still has some chunky bits. Do a taste test and adjust with salt if needed. Garnish with additional parsley and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze into the soup to your liking.

Video

Notes

Yield 5-6 servings.

A regular blender can be used in place of the hand blender, just let the pot stand for 5 minutes before blending, and leave the blender lid slightly ajar so no pressure builds up.

If you like this shorbet adas recipe, then you will love my shorbet freekeh.

This recipe article was originally released in October 2019, and has been updated.

US cups and spoons measurements have been used. 1 cup is 240ml, 1 tablespoon 15ml, 1 teaspoon 5ml.