This lemon lentil soup is all about flavor. SO much flavor. This best kind of flavor. As the title implies, lemon is THE powerhouse ingredient here. If you’re not a lemon lover, go check out this delicious soup instead.
Ok, back to all my lemon-loving folks. Let’s chat about this soup. Specifically its origins…
Way, way back I used to frequent a little family-run Lebanese place in the food court of my work’s downtown office building called Akli. Hands down, the best casual Lebanese place in Montreal…I know, HUGE statement. The food is fresh, delicious, and the dishes go way beyond typical Lebanese fast-food-fare-stars like shish-taouk and falafel. Back in the day, Akli’s hearty lemony soup was my go-to lunch.
Of course, they would not divulge the recipe, however, after much weekend testing and soup making, I finally landed on this bright, hearty and equally delicious recipe. This soup is fully loaded with onions, celery, carrots, and lentils, plus flavor-stars like lemon, garlic, cumin, and fresh cilantro.
Like my beloved Akli, I top this soup with crispy baked pita chips, pickled turnips, and freshly chopped cilantro. So as you can see, this soup is a MEAL. And, it’s still gorgeous and delicious without all that jazz.
I love to hear from you guys! If you give this a try, let me know in the comments below!
xo
P.S. Check out more of my favorite soups here.
Lemon Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil more as needed
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 4 large celery stalks chopped
- 2 large carrots roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- couple dashes of celery salt
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 cans of lentils
- 1800 ml chicken broth
- 1 - 2 fresh lemon juice depending on how juicy they are
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large stove top pot, add olive oil and sauté onions, celery, and carrots until slightly tender (5 minutes).
- Stir in garlic, cumin, turmeric, celery salt, and kosher salt.
- Add in lentils, chicken broth, lemon juice, bay leaves, and cilantro.
- Taste and season with extra lemon, salt, and pepper as needed.
- Let simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the veggies are tender.
- Remove bay leaves and serve with toasted pita chips, fresh cilantro, and pickled turnip shavings. FYI, this soup is extra tasty with all these little toppings, but still delicious without!
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