Persian Lentil Soup! Loaded with bold flavors and wholesome ingredients, this comforting soup is sure to hit the spot.

Easy, cozy, and delicious, this oil-free Persian Lentil Soup is brimming with feel-good veggies and aromatic spices.  Zesty onions, earthy garlic, rich tomatoes, hearty lentils and carbolicious brown rice come together in this savory and satisfying broth that the whole family will enjoy.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

We are cozying up with a hearty bowl of this Persian Lentil Soup! If you are a lentil lover, then this soup is just for you!

Inspired by a Persian Lentil Soup, our tasty version boasts a blend of bold spices including the non-traditional element of curry powder. If you have a Persian spice blend feel free to swap out the curry powder for a more traditional version.

This wholesome soup is hearty enough to serve as a main dish, but it can also be served as a side soup.

Tips for Success:

• Instant Pot: We used an 8-quart Instant Pot.  If you use a 6-quart Instant Pot or a different lentil, you may need to reduce the time in the Instant Pot accordingly.
• Flavors to Marry: Make sure you allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry.  The flavors continue to develop once the soup slightly cools.
• Instant Pot Sauté: If you wish to add some extra flavor on the stove top, feel free to sauté the onions and minced garlic until tender. We tried using the sauté function with the Instant Pot doing the same, and it really made no discernable difference.  It did make a difference on the stove top.
• Stove Top Only – Rice: We suggest giving the rice ahead start by soaking it in hot tap water while preparing the soup.  It doesn’t have to soak long.
• Flavors Mellow and Build on the Palate: Over time, the flavor of this soup mellows beautifully.  It will build on the palate after about the 3^rd bite, so make sure that you are tasting the soup broth several times before deciding to ramp up the flavor as you may not need to do so.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes.  We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the petite diced tomatoes) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.  Reheating can be done on the stovetop, or in the microwave.

This soup freezes well. If frozen, for best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Pantry Products Used:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Curry Powder: We used Penzeys The Now Curry. A traditional Persian Lentil Soup would call for a Persian 7 Spice mix.  We could not locate one and used a curry powder instead as it had many of the Persian spice elements included.  Feel free to use your favorite Persian 7 Spice blend instead of curry powder.  We felt that 1 ½ teaspoons of curry powder was perfect for this dish.  That amount will give you a medium curry flavored dish. You can always use more or less curry powder to suit your individual tastes.
• Cinnamon: We used Penzeys China Cinnamon Tung Hing.  Some cinnamon spices are stronger than others.  For example, some brands have a very strong cinnamon flavor whereas Penzeys has a mild cinnamon flavor.  I think individual personal preference really depends upon what you are most familiar with and what type of cinnamon spice you enjoy.  Scale back on the cinnamon, if needed.
• Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.
• Brown Rice: We used Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Brown Rice.  Feel free to use your favorite rice.  Please note some brands of rice take longer to cook than others. Select a brand that indicates that rice can be cooked within 45 minutes.
• Lentils: We used Palouse Brand Small Brown Lentils.  They are delicious.  They hold their shape well and have a slightly nutty taste to them.  Feel free to use your favorite brown or green lentils.

Kitchen Products Used:

• Instant Pot or Ceramic/Enamel Lined Dutch oven or similarly large stock pot with a tight-fitting lid. We like to use a 6-quart Round Dutch Oven.
• High-Speed Blender
• 8-quart duo Instant Pot 

We certainly hope you give this deliciousness a try.

If you try this flavorful soup, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!  We would love to hear from you.

Persian Lentil Soup

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 13 Minutes
• Total Time: 28 Minutes (+Rest Time)
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Instant Pot/Stovetop
• Cuisine: Persian
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Easy, cozy, and delicious, this oil-free Persian Lentil Soup is brimming with feel-good veggies and aromatic spices.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients:

• ¼ cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 3 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari *
• 1 – [ 14 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda *
• 1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and picked through *

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 ¼ to 2 teaspoons curry powder *
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon *
• Pinch turmeric
• ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Optional Toppings:

• Chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the cayenne pepper) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
2. Add all the Base Ingredients and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well to combine. Set the Instant Pot to Manual Pressure Highfor 13 minutes. When finished, press Cancel and allow to sit for 2 minutes, then do a Quick Release.  Unplug the Instant Pot.
3. Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid, add the cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine. Taste test the flavors and add any additional seasonings at this time, stir to combine, allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry. Serve and enjoy!

Stove Top Instructions

1. Rinse the dry uncooked brown rice really well with hot tap water for several minutes, then place the rinsed rice in a bowl and cover with hot tap water and allow to soak until ready to use in Step 4.
2. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the cayenne pepper) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
3. In a large ceramic/enamel-lined pot or similar stock pot, add the diced onions, sauté over medium-high heat until the veggies begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning. Add a tablespoon or so of water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
4. Add the minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute stirring constantly, then add all remaining the Base Ingredients (except the baking soda, rice, and lentils) and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a low simmering boil, add the baking soda, lentils, and drained rice, stir to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.  Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the lentils and rice are tender, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the lid, then add the cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine, simmer for 2 minutes. Taste test the flavors and add any additional seasonings at this time, stir to combine, remove from the stove and allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving:  4 (makes 8 cups)

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