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Home » Soups » Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Published: Jan 6, 2021 by Karly · This post may contain affiliate links

Mediterranean Lentil Soup

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Hearty and filling, this Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a fusion of Middle Eastern, Moroccan, and Israeli flavors. Earthy hawaij seasoning mingles with ground lamb, fresh leeks, onion, peppers, and sweet potatoes, for a stew that packs in the nutrition without skimping on deliciousness. Whether you need a dose of comfort food or want to incorporate more produce into your diet, this soup is the perfect dinner for any day of the week, and like most soups, is even better the next day as the flavors develop! Serve alongside my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad for a full meal experience!

bowl of mediterranean lentil soup with greek yogurt, chiles, and fresh cilantro

Tips For Making This Mediterranean Lentil Soup

  • I use a hawaij seasoning blend from New York Shuk, but you can create your own mixture using turmeric, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, and cloves.
  • I also incorporate New York Shuk’s harissa paste with preserved lemon, but if you only have traditional harissa paste on-hand, add in 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt to mimic the preserved lemon.
  • If you only have harissa powder on-hand, start by adding 1 tablespoon to the soup with the regular seasonings and after simmering, adjust to your desired level of heat. With the paste as listed, there should be a nice punch of heat, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming.
  • Feel free to use ground beef instead of lamb if you can’t find any locally.
  • I recommend grating whole nutmeg instead of using ground, the flavor is superior!

backlit bowl of mediterranean lentil soup with red chiles and lemon wedge

Mediterranean Lentil Soup

This hearty Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a fusion of Middle Eastern, Moroccan, and Israeli flavors. With earthy hawaij seasoning, this soup combines ground lamb and fresh produce for a stew that packs in the nutrition without skimping on deliciousness. Serve alongside my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad for a full meal experience!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Comfort Food, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Moroccan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 576kcal
Author: Karly Gomez

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup leeks white parts, chopped
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup carrots diced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 2 tablespoons hawaij
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • â…› teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ cups green lentils rinsed
  • 1 lb sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • ¼ cup harissa paste w/ preserved lemon
  • 2 ½ cups baby spinach chiffonade
  • 1 cup greek yogurt for serving
  • 1 fresno chile sliced, for serving
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro roughly torn, for serving

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and bell pepper and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, or until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the ground lamb and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it browns, about 5 minutes. Add the hawaij, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg, then stir for 1 minute. Add the broth, lentils, sweet potatoes, and harissa paste with preserved lemon and stir until combined. Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 45 minutes, or until lentils are cooked and potatoes are softened.
  • Adjust seasoning as desired, then stir in spinach until wilted and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, red chiles, and cilantro.

Notes

  • I use a hawaij seasoning blend from New York Shuk, but you can create your own mixture using turmeric, cumin, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, and cloves.
  • I also incorporate New York Shuk's harissa paste with preserved lemon, but if you only have traditional harissa paste on-hand, add in 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt to mimic the preserved lemon.
  • If you only have harissa powder on-hand, start by adding 1 tablespoon to the soup with the regular seasonings and after simmering, adjust to your desired level of heat. With the paste as listed, there should be a nice punch of heat, but it shouldn't be overwhelming.
  • Feel free to use ground beef instead of lamb if you can't find any locally. 
  • I recommend grating whole nutmeg instead of using ground, the flavor is superior!

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1226mg | Potassium: 1239mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 16980IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 7mg
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About Karly

From her childhood home in Southern Minnesota, Karly embraces the crazy of everyday life by creating delicious dishes her family and friends love, while experimenting with new flavors and techniques and photographing the results. Karly’s love for beautiful foods and joy for creating is infectious to all who meet her.

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author karly gomez of a simple pantry with a background of red bell peppers
Hi, I'm Karly! Welcome to A Simple Pantry, where you’ll find inspiration for any meal and every occasion with tried-and-tested recipes, step-by-step tutorials, and occasional cooking videos that help you prepare easy gourmet dishes the whole family will love.
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i prefer margaritas and sitting in the shade to piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.

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