Egyptian Lentil Soup (Shorbet Ads)

Our easy Egyptian lentil soup is comforting and indulgent. You and your whole family are going to absolutely love it.

We grew up eating Moms Egyptian lentil soup, known as shorbet ads. She always made it for us during cold Minnesota days, and there was nothing more comforting! Not only is this creamy lentil soup incredibly delicious, but it is also so good for you! And did we mention that it is super easy to make this recipe dairy-free?

What are lentils?

Lentils are legumes, a part of the bean family. Technically they are seeds!

Unlike many beans that come canned, lentils are found in the dry goods section of the grocery store. Even though they are stored dry, they are the only type of bean that does not have to be soaked prior to cooking.

Different types of lentils

There are five main types of lentils, each with their own unique characteristics. The first three are the most common and easiest to find.

• Brown lentils are the most common of all the lentils. They are very easy to cook because the husk of the lentil holds together well when exposed to heat. Brown lentils are also the easiest to find. While the flavor is fairly mild, brown lentils have an earthy flavor. They work very well texturally in soups and stews as well as to make veggie burger patties!

• Green lentils have a distinct peppery flavor, and are less neutral than other lentils. They cook similarly to brown lentils and retain their shape when exposed to heat. Because of their strong flavor, they are less versatile than brown lentils, but work really well in salads!

• Yellow lentils and red lentils might be different colors, but are characteristically the same. Similar to bell peppers, these types of lentils range in color depending on when they are harvested. Despite their difference in color, yellow lentils and red lentils do cook the same. They are more delicate than brown and green lentils, and split under heat. Yellow and red lentils work very well in purees and have a quick cooking time.

• Puy lentils are native to France and are fairly hard to find at most grocery stores. They share a similar flavor profile as green lentils, but are much smaller. Despite their size, they still take up to a half hour to cook.

• Black lentils (also called beluga lentils) are also more rare and much smaller than the first three types of lentils. They receive their nickname because when cooked they can look like caviar.

What kind of lentils to use for this recipe

We love to use red lentils for this soup. They have the lowest cook time of all lentils, making this recipe less time consuming. And because we are blending the soup anyway, it won’t matter if some of them split and lose their shape while cooking.

How to make our Egyptian lentil soup

1. Prepare your vegetables. Cut up a large carrot into chunks, remove garlic cloves from their peels and chop up the shallots into quarters.

2. In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, melt butter. Add garlic, shallots and carrots and allow them to soften.

3. Add lentils, turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix everything together in the pot. Continue to stir for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Pour in water, and mix the contents of the pot again. Bring the water up to a boil spices, and mix together. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

5. Once the lentils are cooked, use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you prefer your soup with more of a texture, feel free not to puree it too much.

6. Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, coconut milk, crushed red pepper, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil