Description
This Healing Moroccan Lentil Soup is a comforting and nutritious recipe featuring soaked brown or green lentils simmered with aromatic spices like cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, combined with sweet potatoes, fennel, and fresh vegetables. Infused with a bright splash of lemon juice and garnished with cilantro, this soup is perfect for a cozy meal that’s both hearty and full of vibrant Moroccan flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils, brown or green, soaked at least 6 hours or overnight, then rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cups vegetable broth (add 2 cups more if lentils are unsoaked)
- 1 medium-size sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, fennel, carrot, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add Spices and Reduce Liquid: Pour in 1 cup of vegetable broth and add the ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne (if using), and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce by about one-third, intensifying the flavors.
- Cook Lentils and Sweet Potato: Add the remaining 5 cups of vegetable broth, the diced sweet potato, and the soaked, rinsed lentils to the pot. Bring everything to a boil again, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.
- Finish with Lemon and Serve: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice for a bright, tangy finish. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy the hearty, flavorful soup.
Notes
- The recipe assumes lentils have been soaked for at least 6 hours or overnight to improve digestion and reduce cooking time. If you skip soaking, add an additional 2 cups of vegetable broth and increase the cooking time to ensure lentils become tender.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to control the spice level according to preference.
- For a smoother texture, consider blending part of the soup after cooking, but it’s delicious as is with tender chunks.
- This soup reheats well and flavors develop more deeply after resting overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 2 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
