The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Maha's Brunch›Lentil Soup Recipe

Lentil Soup Recipe

Inspired by Maha's Brunch

Time1h

Serves4

Yes, we can't believe it's vegan either. Our creamy lentil soup is hearty and tastes like home. Served with charred mini pita, fresh seasoned garlic tomatoes and sweet vidalia onions soaked in white vinegar.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Lentil Soup

1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced small

2 stalks celery stalks, diced small

4 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs tomato paste

1 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 leaf bay leaf

6 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)

1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

3/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

0 to taste bay leaf

2 tbs lemon juice (fresh)

1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened plant milk (optional for creamier texture)

2 tbs Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Charred Mini Pita

6 pieces mini pita rounds

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Garlic Tomatoes

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 clove garlic clove, finely minced

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Dried oregano

0 to taste salt and black pepper

Vidalia Onions (Quick Pickle)

1 cup Vidalia or sweet onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cups water

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Method

Lentil Soup

Prepare aromatics and vegetables

Rinse and pick over lentils; set aside. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add garlic and spices

Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried thyme. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.

Simmer with lentils

Add the rinsed lentils, bay leaf and vegetable broth. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer until the lentils are tender, 25–30 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim any foam from the surface.

Season and finish

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in salt and pepper. For a creamier texture, stir in 1/2 cup coconut milk or plant milk and simmer 2–3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or lemon if needed.

Optional blender finish

If you prefer a partially creamy soup, ladle about one-third of the soup into a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth, then return to the pot and stir to combine. This yields a creamy body while keeping some lentil texture.

Charred Mini Pita

Brush both sides of mini pitas lightly with 1 tbs olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking slightly. Working in batches, char the pitas 30–45 seconds per side until blistered and lightly blackened in spots. Alternatively, broil in the oven on high for 1–2 minutes per side. Keep warm until serving.

Garlic Tomatoes

Toss halved cherry tomatoes with 1 tsp olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to marry flavors. These are served fresh alongside the soup.

Vidalia Onions (Quick Pickle)

Place thinly sliced Vidalia onion in a small bowl or jar. In a separate container, whisk together white vinegar, water, sugar and 1/4 tsp salt until sugar dissolves. Pour the pickling liquid over the onions, pressing them down to submerge. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (longer if you have time — up to 2 hours) or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Drain before serving if desired.