Ingredients
Scale
- 2 onions, diced
- 1 potato, diced
- 1 carrot, diced (optional)
- 2 cups red lentils
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more per preference
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, more or less per preference
- 8–10 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 chicken stock cube, if using water
- Lemon juice, optional
- Crunchy pita chips, optional
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onions and potatoes into large chunks. For unblended soup, dice them smaller.
- In the Instant Pot or a soup pot, add oil, potatoes, onions, and spices. Cook for 5 minutes on sauté mode.
- Add lentils and water. Mix well, scraping the bottom. Secure the Instant Pot lid or cover the pot.
- Pressure cook for 15 minutes in the Instant Pot (takes 10-15 minutes to pressurize). On the stove, boil for 40-60 minutes until vegetables soften.
- For Instant Pot, manually release pressure and blend the soup. For stove-top, blend if desired.
- Adjust salt and water. Add more water for a thinner soup and cook a few more minutes.
- For the crunchy pita topping, cut pita bread into squares and fry in 3-4 tablespoons of oil until golden and crispy.
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon and crunchy pita on top.
Notes
- Use chicken stock for richer flavor.
- Blending gives a creamy texture, but you can leave it chunky.
- Adjust spices to taste.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Stove-top
- Cuisine: Arabic
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg