Beef Lentil Soup

5 from 2 votes

Echoing the flavors of shawarma, Beef Lentil Soup is loaded with tender beef, vegetables, and hearty lentils, and seasoned with bold Middle Eastern-inspired spices.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Healthy, Middle Eastern

Keyword: beef lentil soup, lentil soup with beef

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $12.10

Equipment

Large pot with fitted lid

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion
1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 cups chopped carrots peeled
3/4 cup green lentils or brown, see note 1
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (4-cup) carton chicken broth or stock
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 large lemon
Mint yogurt sauce see note 2

US - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes or until they turn translucent.
Press the onions to the side of the pot and add the ground beef to the center. Let it sear several minutes, then cook and break it apart with a wooden spoon. When it is mostly cooked through, add ground cumin, coriander, paprika, ground cardamom, red pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes or until the tomato paste begins to darken and everything smells deeply fragrant.
Add carrots, rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, and broth to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer gently. Cover pot with a lid. The lentils should take 20–25 minutes to cook until they are soft, but older lentils may take 5–10 extra minutes. While the soup is simmering, you can prepare the yogurt sauce, see note 2 for details.
When the lentils are soft, remove the lid and stir. If desired, add the juice of a lemon and finely chopped parsley. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. If you want more liquid, you can add a splash more broth. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and add a dollop of mint-yogurt sauce on top. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Use dried green or brown lentils for this soup. There is no need to soak the lentils before adding. This recipe, timing-wise and flavor-wise, relies on brown/green lentils so I don't recommend using a different type. Red/orange lentils are more processed, break down quicker and thicken the soup quite a bit. I do not recommend using French lentils; they won't cook correctly.

Note 2: This Herbed yogurt sauce is an optional, but delicious, topping for the soup. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup full-fat, plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint or parsley, 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, coriander, and salt. Stir and let sit in the fridge until ready to serve.

Storage: To store Beef Lentil Soup, cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. It keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For freezing, leave space at the top of the container for expansion. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition