Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup

A one-pot meal that can feed a crowd, this authentic vegetarian Lebanese soup recipe made with red lentils and vegetables is seasoned with cumin and turmeric. 

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup - authentic Arabic recipe

My husband orders lentil soup whenever we go out for Lebanese food. While I grew up eating a slightly different version of Lebanese lentil soup (made with spinach and brown lentils), I’ve been on a mission to recreate the restaurant version my husband adores.

Lebanese Lentil Soup Ingredients for Slow Cooker

The secret? A combination of creamy potatoes and red lentils. When cooked and pureed, they turn into a silky soup with the perfect texture.

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe -a healthy gluten free dish

For added smokiness and flavor, I like to add smoked paprika along with cumin and turmeric.

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup in a bowl

Right before serving I like to top with a dollop of plain yogurt. Not only does the tanginess balance out the slight heat and spice from the soup but it cools down the dish so you don’t burn your tongue. I find this to be especially useful when you’re 3 years old and don’t have much patience at dinner time.

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup Recipe

Your spoon is waiting.

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup in a bowl

Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup

4.38 stars average
This authentic vegetarian Lebanese soup recipe is made with red lentils and vegetables is seasoned with cumin and turmeric. 
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 4 hours
TOTAL: 4 hours 10 minutes
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Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 6 Dynamic Duo potatoes, halved (or other Little Potato Company variety)
  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Red Lentils
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 2 medium carrots (diced)
  • 2 stalks celery (diced)
  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • plain yogurt (to serve)

Instructions
 

  • Place all of the ingredients (minus the yogurt) in a slow cooker insert. Heat on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours. 
  • Before serving, puree soup in blender or using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly before serving. 

Notes

Serving Size: 2 Cups

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 40.7gProtein: 12.1gFat: 1.8gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.7gSodium: 1758mgFiber: 12.1gSugar: 4.4g

SHOW AND TELL ON INSTAGRAM!Show me your creation and rate it below! Mention @thelemonbowl or tag #thelemonbowl! I would LOVE to see!

63 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Lebanese Lentil Soup”

  1. I really really love lentil soup, but every time I’ve made it I’ve not been able to get it as silky as my favorite restaurant. Then I found this recipe and you speak right to the silkiness coming from other vegetables! Genius! Thank you so much, looking forward to making this and will report back after I do.

  2. Jennifer Battcock

    Made this soup last week!!! doubled the recipe because my husband loves soup! It was delicious and soooooo easy!! Love throwing everything in and walking away.

  3. Hi Liz, the soup is already thickening and is absolutely yummy. Re the stars. I tried to make it 5 stars before and the computer got ahead of me and wouldn’t let me do it.

  4. I just took this soup out after being in my slow cooker on high for four hours. I pureed it with my immersible blender, but it is very thin, not at all creamy. I used the tiny potatoes…halved six of them. Help! I want to try again. Patti

          1. HI Liz, I realized my mistake last night. I put 2 boxes of veggie broth in the soup, which added 2 extra cups. I have it all in the fridge and will put it all in a. Pan today and hope most of the extra liquid will evaporate. Glad I figured this out and know this soup Will be a regular from now on. Thank you! Patti

          2. Ahhh ok that makes sense!! So glad you figured it out -we love this recipe and make it all the time so I was a bit baffled!! Another way to fix it would be to add more lentils. :) Can you please revise the stars from three to five since it turns out you didn’t follow the recipe correctly? Thank and enjoy!!

  5. I am excited to make this, but I couldn’t find red lentils at my grocery store. Can I use the brown lentils in my pantry or is the taste different enough that it’s worth looking elsewhere for red lentils? Btw, I love so many of your recipes!

    1. This makes a very large 2 cup serving so the count is accurate. A few easy ways to reduce the sodium: buy chicken stock without any sodium, don’t add the salt, cut the serving in half to one cup. Hope that helps!

  6. Liz, this is just gorgeous. I love a good soup recipe. This one is perfection. I’m with you on adding yogurt to help cool it down. Plus it tastes amazing mixed in. That photo of you in the pink top holding the bowl is stellar. Such a great shot.

  7. Linda Lavigne

    Hi Liz, I’m just starting to experiment with lentils. For this recipe do you have to soak the lentils first? Or just wash them and add them to the crockpot?
    Thank you!
    Linda

  8. Can you just use six red potatoes ? Skin? No skin ? And do they have to be cut up ? Or just put whole ? And then blended later ?

      1. Can I use regular red potatoes? Maybe cut up? I am just trying to use what I have on hand but worried after 8 hours slow cooking that the RED potatoes wont blend nicely. I don’t want to waste food or 8 hours:) Please let me know your thoughts on red potatoes for this recipe. I am excited to make it!

        I love ALL your soups with lemon!!

          1. Red potatoes worked fine (ish) I would definitely peel them! The peels didn’t blend well. I used a hand held blender thing. So, red potatoes ok. It turned out great! I froze at least six jars!! Thank you!

          2. I’m confused. A previous review said that hers was too thin because she used 2 boxes of broth. But,2 boxes=64 oz= 8 cups. I just made this using 2 boxes. Now I’m afraid it won’t turn out.

          3. Depending on the brand or size of box the amounts could differ. How did yours turn out?

  9. there are no potatoes listed in the actual recipe for the Lebanese red lentil soup-??
    Any recommendations for cooking on the stove?

  10. Michele schnitzer

    In you instructions for this lentil soup, I think your reversed your times for the slow cooker: 4 hours at Low or 8 hrs at High. Probably should be the other way around?

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