Middle Eastern Lentil Soup | Vegan And Gluten Free
Hearty and delicious Middle Eastern Lentil soup is the perfect vegan and gluten-free soup for cold nights. The Instant Pot lentil soup is so easy to make and is literally a dump-and-go recipe.
Soup is considered a meal by itself in our house. All we need is some bread on the side and we are happy. I started making this Lentil soup when my kids were still small and we ate it for the first time from the local Middle Eastern Restaurant back in NY.
During one of our eatouts at the local Middle Eastern restaurant, the owner of the restaurant sent us home with a huge container of lentil soup. We were the last people in the restaurant and the owner mentioned that she had the soup left over. Since we are vegetarians and their lentil soup was a very popular vegetarian option, she sent us home with some.
The next night this soup was what we had for dinner and we loved the intensity of the flavor in the soup. So immediately I started figuring out the spices in the soup and I tried to mimic that recipe.
To my surprise, the soup turned out exactly similar to the one we had in the restaurant. So, I made it again for my kid's birthday party. That time I made the soup for around 40 people and it was spot on. My guests loved it and I really enjoyed seeing them making a visit back to the soup table.
Can I make this soup in Instant Pot?
Ever since then, I have been making this soup very regularly. With the recent Instant Pot addition, I have started making the soup in the IP instead of stove top and it is even quicker.
The Instant Pot lentil soup is almost a dump-and-cook recipe and needs less than 10 minutes of hands-on time. I am still keeping the pictures and procedure for stovetop recipes for my readers who don't use an Instant Pot. I have also included a video for the recipe using an Instant Pot.
Is this Middle Eastern Lentil Soup Vegan?
This Lentil Soup is absolutely vegan and is a great lunch option. It is very filling and the lentils make up for the protein part. We are not compromising on any flavors and the spices are spot on.
Is this Middle Eastern Lentil Soup Gluten Free -
Lentils and spices are naturally gluten-free. If you have gluten insensitivity, like with any product, make sure you are buying certified gluten-free. The spice powders can sometimes have wheat flour mixed, so make sure you grind your own spice or use certified gluten-free.
I have used cumin and coriander powder in the recipe which is very easy to grind at home. I dry roast whole cumin seeds and whole coriander seeds until aromatic and then grind them in my spice grinder.
This is a very easy recipe and perfect if you have small kids at home who cannot eat chunky stuff. If you like chunky soup, blend the soup minimally or leave it as is.
If you are looking for more soup recipes in Instant Pot, then check out this Minestrone soup recipe and 15 Bean soup recipe.
Also, check out the other soup recipes that I have in my blog here.
Preparation time - 20 mins
Cooking time - 45 mins
Difficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
- Lentils - 1 cup (I used the orange masoor dal)
- Onion - 1 large / about 1 cup (chopped)
- Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
- Carrot - 2 / about 1 cup (chopped)
- Bay leaf - 1
- Cumin seeds - 1tsp
- Fennel seeds / saunf - 1 tsp
- Garlic - 2 (minced finely)
- Crushed Red pepper - 1 tsp
- Cumin powder - 1 ½ tsp
- Coriander powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
- Pepper - to taste
- Cilantro- to garnish
Procedure to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Wash and soak the lentils in water for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- Turn the Instant Pot on saute mode and add the oil to the inner pot. Once the oil heats up, add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Fry for about 10 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onions and the bay leaf and saute until the onions are soft and translucent. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and mix well. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the chopped carrot and tomatoes.
- Next add the crushed red pepper, coriander powder, and cumin powder and mix well.
- Add the drained lentils to the pot along with black pepper powder and salt.
- Mix well to combine and add about 4 cups of water.
- Add the turmeric powder and mix well.
- Close the IP and turn off the pot from saute mode.
- Set it on pressure cook / Manual for 12 minutes. Once the cooking time is done, let the pressure release manually.
- Open the pot and then using an immersion blender, blend the vegan lentil soup to the consistency you prefer. Check the seasoning and adjust based on your preference. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve the Instant Pot lentil soup hot.
Stove Top Method
- Wash and soak the lentils in water for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and then add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Once the seeds fry, add the chopped onion and the bay leaf and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Now add the minced garlic and fry for a minute.
- Now add the chopped carrot and cook for about 7-8 minutes until slightly cooked.
- Then the tomatoes go in. Cook for 5 more minutes and then add the lentils.
- Add about 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder and simmer it until the lentils cook. This will take about 30 minutes.
- Now add the salt and pepper to taste and check for the doneness of the lentils.
- Use an immersion blender and grind the soup to your required consistency. I generally leave it slightly on the chunky side. If using a regular blender, wait until the soup cools down a bit and then grind it. You do not want hot soup all over the house!
- Garnish with cilantro and parsley and serve hot with some crusty bread.
Breads that pair well with this Soup
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter/X
Recipe
Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Lentils I used the orange masoor dal
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- 2 Tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup Carrot 2 large - chopped
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds / saunf
- 2 Garlic minced finely
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- 3 tablespoon Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Instant Top method -
- Wash and soak the lentils in water for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- Turn the Instant pot on saute mode and add the oil in the inner pot. Once the oil heats up, add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Fry for about 10 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onions and the bay leaf and saute until the onion are soft and translucent. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and mix well. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the chopped carrot and tomatoes.
- Next add the crushed red pepper, coriander powder and cumin powder and mix well.
- Add the drained lentils to the pot along with black pepper powder and salt.
- Mix well to combine and add about 4 cups of water.
- Add the turmeric powder and mix well.
- Close the IP and turn off the the pot from saute mode.
- Set it on pressure cook / Manual for 12 minutes. Once the cook time is done, let the pressure release manually.
- Open the pot and then using an immersion blender, blend the soup to the consistency you prefer. Check the seasoning and adjust based on your preference. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve hot.
Stove top method -
- Wash and soak the lentils in water for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and then add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Once the seeds fry, add the chopped onion and the bay leaf and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Now add the minced garlic and fry for a minute.
- Now add the chopped carrot and cook for about 7-8 minutes until slightly cooked.
- Then the tomatoes go in. Cook for 5 more minutes and then add the lentils.
- Add about 4 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and simmer it until the lentils cook. This will take about 30 minutes.
- Now add the salt and pepper to taste and check for the doneness of lentils.
- Use an immersion blender and grind the soup to your required consistency. I generally leave it slightly on the chunky side. If using a regular blender, wait until the soup cools down a bit and then grind it. You do not want hot soup all over the house!
- Garnish with cilantro and parsley and serve hot with some crusty bread.
Hello: I do not have cumin seeds...could I use ground cumin and if so, how much? I did not rate the recipe as I have not made it yet. It looks wonderful and I am anxious to make it!
Absolutely yes. The recipe already has cumin powder as well. So skip the cumin seeds and just add a touch more of powder. Do let me know after you make it.
I love how easy and healthy your recipe is. I eat clean and get tired of making almost the same dinner every evening. I am in need of healthy comfort food, and your lentils are just the thing. This recipe looks fantastic and delicious. Thanks so much for posting it; I am going to try it.
I loved that I could make this tasty soup in my Instant Pot ~ so quick and easy. And the red pepper flakes added just the right amount of spiciness. I'll be making this one again soon.
I’m making this lentil soup yet again. I love this soup. The flavors are so comforting and it’s really easy to make. You don’t need a lot of ingredients and it always works, and it's also filling.
I really enjoyed the complex flavors in this soup. It went really well fresh made biscuits!
Absolutely love Middle Eastern Cuisine. In Italy we eat alot of lentils, and there is many vegetarian dishes. That was so wonderful that the owner of the restaurant gave you soup to take home! Show how hospitable the culture is. We just love ❤️ that! Thanks for sharing a wonderful soup. And a lovely story!
Oh my, such an awesome soup for such cold weather on my end! It looks absolutely delicious and very tasty! I'll definitely make this at home for the family! Thanks!
This had a totally different taste profile than the soup I usually make! It was so, so good. Thanks for the great recipe!
This was my first time making lentils, but it won't be the last! My son especially enjoyed this soup. Thanks!
I made this last night, and it came out so good! The spice blend gave it the perfect kick, and it was super hearty with all those lentils. I'm so glad I have leftovers because this is definitely dinner again tonight.
I made this recipe today and was very delicious.
In addition to masoor dal (red lentil) what other kind of lentils can I use ?
Look forward to try your suggestions..
Than you.
Hi Andrew, thanks for trying the recipe and glad you liked it. You could use moong dal (yellow or green) or toor dal. I also make something similar with chickpeas. You could also do a mix of different lentils and make it the same way.
My husband and I like this a lot. My adult son said it needs meat! I didn't have any crushed red pepper, so I substituted cayenne. So glad I used a lot less of it, as it was very spicy. I forgot to serve with cilantro, but did drizzle some honey into each bowl, and that made it awesome! I was trying to recreate a soup I like at a local middle eastern restaurant. This isn't quite the same, but it is still a keeper.
Note: remove bay leaves before using immersion blender. 🙂
Thanks a lot for your feedback and glad you liked it. I ended up creating this recipe as I was trying to recreate the flavors from a local Middle eastern restaurant as well.
Such an easy and vibrant soup recipe, I make lentil soup often and am going to make this in my IP soon. May I add that I love your picture especially the beautiful sari that you are wearing!
This soup looks perfect for a cold night like tonight...I know it would make me feel all warm and cozy inside! Have to make this recipe this week for sure! Thanks!
I'm not a vegan, but I will never say no to a good lentil soup. This version is super easy, and I love all the spices in this.
This soup is definitely so nutritious, healthy and flavorful. I would grab it everyday as my meal if given an option.
I'm such a fan of lentils and this soup had so much flavor. Definitely a winner!
What a flavorful soup option! I love that you have adapted the recipe to accommodate an instant pot - that makes my life a whole lot easier!
That's a wholesome soup Sandhya. It's just a perfect one for the winter nights.
One bowl of the soup itself is a meal for me. It's so healthy and filling as well. This lentil soup is perfect for this winter. It looks so delicious and comforting. Great share!
Such a flavorful soup and I love the color of the soup. Looks so delicious and perfect for rainy days.
This middle Eastern lentil soup looks flavoursome. In a cold winter day a bowl of soup with a bread slice make wonderful meal..
Wow! Such a simple and flavorful soup. I must remember to make this soup for the next party 🙂
I love this lentils soup, I always use this pink-yellow lentil for dal and khichdi, we called this lentil moong-masoor dal.Never thought of making soup from this. Yours soup are tempting me to make some soon. Nice share!!
Lentil soup is my family favourite.Although I make it regularly, I've never tried this version with all those flavourful spices. Texture is absolutely spot on. I'll try this version next time.
Middle eastern lentil soups sounds like a flavorful soup and this is a perfect soup when I am cooking for myself.
Winters are setting in here in this part of the world and this bowl of soup is more than a welcome. I always use pink lentils to make khichadi or dal but never used it for soup.
Vegan and gluten-free is an added advantage. Lovely share.
This is one dish which we always order while eating at a Middle Eastern restaurant. It's so simple, comforting and delicious. Your soup looks perfect.
Middle Eastern Lentil Soup is so delicious, I often make the Moroccan style at home. The creamy texture with spice flavors is so pleasing to the palate.
What a cozy, comforting soup recipe! I love that it's made in the instant pot, too, for ease!
I absolutely love this lentil soup. I've made it a few times. I think it's the addition of the fennel that makes this soup so delicious - it's just the perfect back note!
This is such a delicious lentil soup. I love the middle eastern spices in the recipe - so warm and comforting. Thank you for the Instant pot recipe - will try it out for my family some time.
Same pinch. We also love to have soup for dinner but I am the lazy one who raley makes soup. This is what will be mad efor sunday dinner.:) Thanks
That is such a comforting wholesome soup!!
What a wholesome meal Sandhya..even my boys love the soup and I don't mind giving it to them as a meal as it has all the vegetables..will surely try this for them..
What a filling and comforting soup. With the weather turning chilly, this will be perfect for a fall supper/ dinner. yumm!!
WE love soups but unfortunately my folks don't feel soup is a dinner menu by itself! Though I would love to have it, they prefer it like snacks or as as starter.This one is truly filling and healthy too, not to mention flavorful!
lentil soup is my all time favorite kind
Yum Yum Yum. My favourite dinner for rainy and winter nights. Soup and bread. Your Lentil Soup will be a sure fire hit with my family. The savoury Kugelhopf bread looks yummy too.
wow thats a very very healthy masoor dal 🙂 very very flavorful one .. Wud love to finish both the bowl of soup !!
Its raining here, i would love to get a bowl rite now for my dinner.Delicious and nutritious soup.