Warm spices and a great blend of textures are the foundation of this Moroccan lentil soup. It includes green and red lentils, and a rich array of veggies, including carrots, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash.
This recipe is completely plant-based and can flex to a variety of subs. If you're not doing sweet potatoes just sub with more butternut squash or carrots. It also freezes and defrosts well and it's definitely belly-filling. Serve it with yogurt, cashew cream, cashew sour cream, quinoa, coconut cauliflower rice, fresh cilantro, or lemon wedges.
This recipe can definitely serve as a stew if you use a bit less broth. Add about four cups of broth or water, and you'll have a stew. If you change your mind you can thin it out with more broth or water towards the end to convert it to soup. Totally up to you. Enjoy!
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks trimmed and diced
- 2 large carrots trimmed and diced
- ½ cup butternut squash cubed
- ½ cup sweet potatoes cubed
- 1 garlic clove peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup green lentils
- 5 cups veggie broth or water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup red lentils
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 cup spinach chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on a low to medium heat.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, and sweet potato to the pot. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to blend well and let cook for a few minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and blend well, and then add the green lentils and broth. Stir to blend, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add the red lentils to the pot and blend. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the coconut milk and spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, pesto, or a wedge of lemon or lime.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for a few months.
Ruth says
This soup is a keeper! I added more veggies and kicked it up a bit with lil more spices! Just yum!
Thanks, Ruth. Nice on the veggies and more spice.
Angelina Zito says
Hi Erica!
I made your Moroccan Lentil Soup and it was so flavorful, colorful and so healthy and delicious. My daughter enjoyed it too. It came out just perfectly following your recipe. Looking forward to having leftovers with some whole wheat sour dough bread!
Hi Angelina, so glad you both enjoyed it!
Vicky Weaver says
Good recipe. Good Instructions about adding ingredients.
Thanks, Vicky! Good to hear.