Moroccan Red Lentil Soup Recipe (2024)

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Moroccan Red Lentil Soup is a comforting soup recipe. The warm, rich spices of cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika and tumeric mix together perfectly to create a flavorful soup.

MOROCCAN RED LENTIL SOUP

Today I write this post with a heavy heart because of what happened in Boston on Monday.

Tragedies like this remind us what is important in life.

There have been days where I wake up feeling stressed about a deadline at work, or a messy house or the million things on my to-do list– but these things seem unimportant when innocent lives are lost.

I have watched marathons and ran in one myself- if you want to see strength, commitment, dedication and true inspiration, go to a marathon. You see people from all walks of life running 26.2 miles, cheering each other on–bringing out the best in people.

The events on Monday show that there is evil among.

However, I believe that the kind, good-hearted people in this world shine brighter than the evil.

For example, those first responders who put themselves in harms way.

They helped the victims, of course. Also, there were the marathon runners who ran 26.2 miles and then continued to run to the hospital to give blood. We remember that instead of running away from the scene, they ran to it.

As I post today’s Morrocan red lentil soup recipe, I hope that in some way, food can offer you comfort, or bring you together around the table with the ones you love.

Food has a way of doing this for me…

Today’s recipe, Moroccan Red Lentil Soup, is comforting.

The warm, rich spices of cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika and tumeric mix together perfectly to create a flavorful soup.

The wonderful smell of spices simmering in this soup remind me of my Grandma’s kitchen growing up.

There is something about soup that can really warm the soul.

I spent most of last week eating this soup for lunch and even had some leftover to freeze.

This Moroccan Red Lentil Soup is easy to make and simmers on the stove while you go about your day.

If you are a fan of lentil soup, I suggest you give this one a try… make a big batch, invite your loved ones over and enjoy!

WHY SHOULD I MAKE LENTIL SOUP?

1. This soup is vegan, gluten-free and protein packed. It offers you a good dose of vitamins from the carrots, spinach, spices and the lentils.
2. I love that this soup freezes so well. Make a big batch of it and save half for later. Portion it out so you can pull it out when you need a healthy lunch option. A tip before freezing:allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then put it in an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight. Then when you are ready to eat it, warm it up on the stove over low heat until it is warmed through.

COOKING TIPS AND VARIATIONS:

1. Add additional protein to the soup by adding chickpeas or white beans.
2. I enjoy extra vegetables in this soup. Try cauliflower, jalapeños for spice, potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3. Garnishes are always a great way to take a soup to the next level. Some garnishes I love in this lentil soup is feta cheese {of course the soup won’t be vegan if you use feta}, fresh cilantro and parsley, Greek or plain yogurt swirled in to create a thicker, creamier soup.
4. For those that want to add meat to the soup try adding sausage, diced chicken, ground pork or even some crispy bacon.
5. I like red lentils because they break down and become soft. With this soup I blend it, or at least half of it, but you can easily eat this soup as is. If you have brown or green lentils on hand you can swap those in or use half red and half brown or green. Some people prefer the texture of the green or brown-so that is totally up to you!

OTHER SOUPS TO TRY:

Instant Pot Bean Soup

Easy Beef Bone Broth Soup

Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup

Green Chicken Chili Soup

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A warming vegetarian red lentil soup with the flavors of cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and tumeric.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Dash of pepper
• 8 cups vegetable broth, low sodium if possible
• 1-15oz can crushed tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
• 2 cups red lentils, picked over, washed and rinsed until water runs clean
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 4 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch over or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and sauté until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes stirring the whole time.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, and lentils stir well and heat to a boil.
3. Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes {until the lentils are tender}, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the soup from the heat and ladle half of the soup into a large mixing bowl. Carefully blend half of the soup in a separate container with an immersion blender which is a hand blender (or use a blender) in small batches if necessary. Return the blended half of the soup back to the pot and mix well.
5. Stir in the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, parsley and cilantro, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot with warm pita bread or bread of your choice. Garnish with extra parsley and cilantro if you desire.

Notes

I liked blending half of the soup so create a semi-pureed soup with some chunks. If you prefer a chunky soup then you do not need to blend the soup at all.

I like to use an immersion/hand blender because it provides a little chunkier texture than a blender.

Adapted fromCulinate