Learn how to make Middle Eastern yellow lentil soup with this simple, satisfying vegan recipe. This is a staple in Lebanese cooking, with potato, onion, and Bebir chili powder. Serve with A Plant-Based Salad for a delicious and healthy, oil-free meal.
You’ll Love this Plant-Based Oil-Free Recipe!
You’ll love this plant-based Middle Eastern Yellow Lentil Soup recipe! It is:
- Full of warm Middle Eastern Flavors
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Hearty and Satisfying
- Budget-Friendly
- Freezer-Friendly
What is Turkish Urfa Biber Chili?
Turkish Urfa Biber chili powder: This dried spice comes for the Urfa Biber chilies grown in Turkey. It has a dark maroon color and a smoky flavor. In fact, this chili seems to have a subtle raisin-like sweetness. When it comes to spice, the Urfa Biber chili is relatively mild. However, its spice can be lingering.
You can find Urfa Biber in specialty Turkish groceries and Middle Eastern Markets. If you don’t have it, simply substitute with chili powder.
How to Use the Ingredients in this Oil-Free Plant-Based Vegan Recipe for Yellow Lentil Soup:
- Onion and Carrots: These help create the base of your soup by balancing savory and sweet flavor. You can use white or yellow onions. You can use white or orange carrots. If needed, you can substitute the onion for leeks or celery. You can substitute the carrot for parsnip.
- Russet potato: The potato helps thicken the soup. It’s important to use a Russet potato because it has a high starch content. I’ve tried using Yukon gold potatoes, but you should add less water so that the soup isn’t watery
- Split yellow lentils: Also called “Mung Dal“, yellow split lentils are the star ingredient in this recipe. Using split lentils will keep your cooking time short. Whole lentils require soaking and a longer cooking time.
- Cumin: Dried cumin adds smoky flavor to foods. It is the second most-commonly used spice in the world (found in many Indian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern dishes).
- Paprika: Dried paprika adds a pop of color and subtle sweetness to this recipe
- Turmeric: Yellow turmeric intensifies the yellow color of this soup. It doesn’t add much flavor, but it does intensify the yellow color.
- Cayenne pepper: It’s option to add a pinch of cayenne pepper. This adds more spicy heat to the recipe. If serving for a crowd of mixed tastes, you can serve the soup with red chili paste, diced red Fresno peppers, or red chili flakes.
Lentils: A Healthy Source of Plant-Based Protein and Fiber
Lentils are full of healthy, plant-based nutrition. They are a great source of vegan protein with about 18g per cup. Plus, lentils have heart-healthy fiber and other key nutrients like Iron, Folate, Magnesium, vitamin B6, and Thiamin. In addition, lentils are a source of plant compounds called phytochemicals. These protect your body from chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and heart disease.
Lentils: Full of Antioxidants
WATCH TO LEARN MORE:
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Freezer- Friendly: This recipe is incredibly freezer-friendly. Make a big batch and freeze in smaller containers for easy meals in the future.
Get Your Greens: Baby spinach is added to this recipe for green color and subtle sweet flavor. However, you Get Your Greens with other leafy greens. Baby arugula, baby kale, and chard would work well.
Green Lentil Alternatives: If you can’t find dried green lentils, you can substitute with brown or black lentils. You can also a hearty whole grain like farro, barley, or quinoa.
Quicker Cooking Time: To reduce the cooking time, use canned lentils instead of dried. Use either brown, black, or green canned lentils. Drain and rinse thoroughly before adding to the soup. Add to the soup at the same time in the cooking process. You’ll only need to simmer the soup 10 minutes before adding in the spinach.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. This recipe skips oil and uses parchment paper to keep the bars from sticking to the pan. This makes a healthy, low-calorie recipe.
Middle Eastern Yellow Lentil Soup – Oil-Free Vegan
- Ready in: 30 minutes
- Makes: 6 cups
- Servings: 4
If you love this recipe, you’ll also love: Middle Eastern Green Lentil Stew with Potatoes, Healthy Mediterranean Green Lentil Soup with Spinach, Roasted Eggplant Chickpea Baba Ghanouj, and Chickpea Rice Pasta Salad with Dill, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes.
Middle Eastern Yellow Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 Russet potato peeled and diced
- 1 cup split yellow lentils
- 5 cups water or low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons Bebir chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make the soup: In a large pot, combine the onions and carrots with 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients through cayenne pepper (potato, lentils, vegetable stock, chili powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne). Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer.
- Simmer until the lentils and potatoes are soft, 20-30 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender or stand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Makes: 4 cups
Servings: 2
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 2.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 260 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 1 g | 1 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 1 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 1588 mg | 66 % |
| Potassium 1039 mg | 30 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 49 g | 16 % |
| Dietary Fiber 10 g | 41 % |
| Sugars 10 g | |
| Protein 15 g | 30 % |
| Vitamin A | 221 % |
| Vitamin C | 75 % |
| Calcium | 27 % |
| Iron | 30 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- The Spice Way Urfa Biber
- Edward & Sons Not Chick’n Bouillon Cubes,
- Jiva Organic Yellow Moong Dal 2 Pound – Split Mung Beans Washed
- The Spice Way Ground Cumin
- The Spice Way Turmeric Powder
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