Egyptian Lentil Soup
This vegan builds red lentils, carrot and ground coriander into a proper meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Rinse the red lentils thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear, then drain and set aside.
- Chop the onion, mince the garlic and dice the carrot. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and turmeric, and stir for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.
- Add the drained lentils and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are completely soft and breaking down.
- Remove from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, adding a little hot water if it is too thick.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the juice of half the lemon.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with the remaining lemon cut into wedges on the side.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan · Blender
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Egyptian Lentil Soup take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Egyptian Lentil Soup vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Egyptian Lentil Soup is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: EgFoodLentilSoup.jpg by Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.