Shorbat Adas (Middle Eastern Lentil Soup)

Shorbat adas, a traditional Middle Eastern red lentil soup is going to be your next easy recipe. It’s simple, cosy, and so very comforting. Red lentils + cumin + a big squeeze of lemon = the bowl you’ll be making again and again.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

What is Shorbat Adas?

• Shorbat = soup
• Adas = lentils

So Shorbat Adas is lentil soup, Middle Eastern style. Across the region, you’ll see it being called Lebanese lentil soup, or Syrian lentil soup, or even Palestinian lentil soup. It all depends on who’s making it and where they happen to be in or grew up in.

There may be the odd little difference here and there, as with all traditional recipes, but the heart of this Middle Eastern lentil soup remains the same. You have red lentils, onion, cumin, and a good old squeeze of lemon right at the end. In fact, I’m rather heavy handed with how much lemon I use.

A Ramadan Tradition

This Levantine lentil soup is a popular offering during cold weather, as are many soups. But sharbat adas is, for many families, a traditional dish for iftar during Ramadan. Iftar is the breaking of one’s fast.

Like the Moroccan Harira and the Malaysian Bubur Lambuk to name a couple, it warms you up, has enough calories to hit the spot, but is just light enough not to tax your empty stomach too soon. A perfect dish for iftar.

One Pot Vegan Lentil Soup

This Middle Eastern red lentil soup is naturally vegan, as it would traditionally be made with water. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken and it becomes a soul satisfying plantbased soup.

It’s also a one pot meal, needing only some bread (crispy or otherwise) to mop up all that delicious golden goodness.

What does shorbat adas taste like? It’s earthy, from both the lentils and cumin, and it’s deliciously lemony.

How to Make Shorbat Adas

It’s a very easy recipe. This is what we’ll be doing:

1. Sweat the aromatics, followed by the cumin and turmeric.
2. Add the vegetables.
3. Followed by the water or stock.
4. Finally the lentils, and simmer until the lentils are all cooked and falling apart.
5. Then we blend the soup for a smooth outcome. I like to blend just half or 2/3 of it, leaving the rest unblended for some texture.
6. Stir in the lemon juice. I like mine very lemony.
7. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and some cumin and/or Aleppo pepper, if you like. And also some parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro). Don’t forget the bread!

Easy, right?

That lemon juice? It’s why this isn’t just “lentil soup”. It’s red lentil soup with lemon, and once you’ve had it, you’ll notice when it’s missing.

Shorbat Adas Ingredients

These may change from family to family and certainly from country to country, but the basic ones remain the same.

• red lentils
• extra virgin olive oil
• onions
• cumin
• lemon juice
• water or stock

Everything else is extra or optional, like what’s below. I’ve added an * to what I tend to use when cooking shorbat adas. Just remember, less is more. The lentils do the heavy lifting, you just take the credit.

• garlic*
• carrots*
• potatoes – will make the soup thicker and richer
• rice – also for a heartier and thicker soup
• a touch of tomato purée – adds depth and more tang
• turmeric*
• black pepper (always add black pepper when using turmeric)* – don’t know why? Drop me a comment and I’ll explain
• ground cardamon
• parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro) to finish*

Perfect Shorbat Adas (Every Time)

• Finish with olive oil. Once served, a little drizzle of olive oil on top adds a delicious, herbal, peppery hint.
• Rinse the red lentils properly and pick as necessary.
• Bloom the cumin (and turmeric). Give it 20 seconds in the oil before the liquid goes in. It wakes up the spices and that’s how you get “wow” instead of “meh”.
• Add lemon at the end, not the start. Lemon brightens the soup and its fresh flavour is the mark of a good shorbat adas. Stir it in off the heat.
• Like the lemon, add the salt at the end. All stocks vary in how salty they are, so you may or may not need more salt at the end of cooking.
• Control the thickness. This Middle Eastern red lentil soup thickens fast. Keep hot water/stock nearby and loosen as needed. I’m using 1 litre of stock for my idea of the perfect thickness. Use more for a lighter soup.
• Blend as you like. Fully smooth = silky comfort. Part-blended = rustic and cosy. There are no hard and fast rules, you do you. I tend to blend half to two thirds.
• Want a more substantial soup? Add diced potatoes or a little white rice.

Sometimes, I also make this very watery and don’t bother blending it at all. So instead of 1 litre of stock, I use 1.5 litres (6 cups).

How to serve Shorbat Adas

You can enjoy this Middle Eastern lentil soup anytime you like, whatever the season and time of year. It makes a wonderful light lunch or a starter if you are doing courses.

I also make it for dinner fairly often, when I fancy something easy and uncomplicated.

This is a rustic soup, so keep it unfussy. Serve it with:

• Warm pita or any Middle Eastern flatbread for dipping. Honestly, any bread will do. Baguettes always work.
• If you’re not keeping it vegan, while it’s still piping hot, drop a tiny square of salted butter – takes it to another level.
• A little more good quality extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of extra cumin
• Lemon wedges on the side
• Be like my kids and have it with rice!

How to Store It?

You can keep leftover shorbat adas in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3 days. Just lighten it with a little water and reheat until it’s piping hot.

Be sure to check seasoning and add more salt if necessary. And of course, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

And there you go, one of my favourite family meals. Not only because it tastes good but it’s so, so easy!

Any questions, just ask. Let me know if you make it. If you’re on Instagram, post a picture and tag me @azlinbloor!

Lin xx