Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup (Adas bi Hamod)

Name: Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup (Adas bi Hamod)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 1½ cups (300 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 8 cups (1900 ml) water, or low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 medium (200 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 1 bunch (300 g) Swiss chard, washed; stems finely chopped (¼ inch/6 mm) and leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons, kept separate; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped, packed lightly; 6 tbsp (90 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 2 large lemons; 1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges, for serving; ½ tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, or to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, earthy Lebanese soup of tender brown lentils, silky Swiss chard and potato, finished with a sizzle of garlic and cilantro and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. It's vegan, hearty and easy to make in one pot.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 26 min
Wait: 34 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 2½ quarts (2.4 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the soup base
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
1½ cups (300 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained
8 cups (1900 ml) water, or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium (200 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
1 bunch (300 g) Swiss chard, washed; stems finely chopped (¼ inch/6 mm) and leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons, kept separate
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the cilantro-garlic sizzle and finish
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped, packed lightly
6 tbsp (90 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 2 large lemons
1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges, for serving
½ tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, or to taste (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Small skillet, 8-inch (20 cm)
Fine-mesh sieve
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Citrus juicer or reamer

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils.
Wash the chard well, because the leaves and stems hold grit. Chop the stems and leaves separately, since the stems need longer to cook.
Juice the lemons just before you need them. You need about 6 tablespoons (90 ml).
Lemon goes in at the end. Acid added early keeps lentils from softening properly.
Plan on about 75 minutes in total, including roughly 34 minutes of unattended simmering.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onions, mince all 6 garlic cloves (keep 3 in one pile for the soup base and 3 in another for the finish), peel and cube the potato, and chop the cilantro.
- Wash the chard, then cut the stems into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and slice the leaves into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons.
- Keep stems and leaves in separate piles.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and sorted into separate piles, with the chard stems and leaves apart.
Tip: Keeping the two garlic piles separate means you won't have to guess later.
2
Soften the onions
- Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil in the large pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the diced onions and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onions are soft, translucent and pale golden at the edges, with no raw crunch.
Tip: If the onions start to brown dark, lower the heat. Dark onions will make the soup taste bitter.
3
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the 3 cloves of base garlic, the cumin, coriander and black pepper.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The spices smell fragrant and toasty, and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Tip: Don't walk away. Ground spices and garlic scorch within seconds.
4
Simmer the lentils
- Add the rinsed lentils and 8 cups (1.9 L) water.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes, skimming off any foam.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently, partly cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: Lentils are just beginning to soften but still hold a firm center when pressed.
Tip: Don't add more salt yet. The main seasoning goes in with the potato and is adjusted at the end.
5
Add potato and chard stems
- Stir in the cubed potato, chopped chard stems and the remaining 1 tsp salt.
- Return to a gentle simmer, partly cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make the cilantro-garlic sizzle in the next step during the last few minutes of this simmer.
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Ready when: Potato cubes break easily when pressed with a spoon and the lentils are completely tender, with no chalky center.
Tip: If the soup gets thick, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) hot water. It should be brothy but substantial.
6
Sizzle garlic and cilantro
- During the last 3 minutes of the potato simmer, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil in the small skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds.
- Add the 3 cloves of finish garlic and the red pepper flakes, if using.
- Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped cilantro and cook, stirring, for 1½–2 minutes more.
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Ready when: The cilantro is wilted, deep green and very fragrant, and the garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: If the garlic browns, it turns bitter. Start over with a fresh clove if that happens.
7
Wilt the chard
- Stir the chard leaves into the soup in two handfuls, letting the first wilt before adding the rest.
- Scrape in the cilantro-garlic mixture, including all the oil.
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Chard leaves are tender and dark green, and the broth smells strongly of cilantro and garlic.
Tip: Add the leaves only now. Cooked longer, they turn olive-drab and lose their fresh flavor.
8
Finish with lemon
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in 6 tbsp (90 ml) lemon juice.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors are bright and balanced.
- If you want more tang, add 1 more tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice.
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Ready when: The soup tastes distinctly lemony and savory, with the lemon coming through but not sharp.
Tip: Add the lemon off the heat to keep its fresh aroma and color.
9
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls and serve each with a lemon wedge on the side, to squeeze over at the table.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: The soup is steaming hot and thick enough that a spoon leaves a brief trail.

Good to know

Tips

For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to pulse a few times, or mash about 1 cup of soup against the side of the pot, before adding the chard leaves.
Adding lemon at the end preserves its flavor. Taste before serving and adjust, because lemons vary in tartness.
Rinse lentils well and skim foam after boiling for a cleaner flavor and clearer broth.
Chopping the chard stems small and cooking them earlier gives you tender stems rather than stringy ones.

Make ahead

Cook the soup through step 7 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. Reheat gently, then stir in the lemon juice (step 8) just before serving, so the flavor and green color stay fresh.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (leave out the lemon juice for best flavor if you can). Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming. Thin with a splash of water, as the soup thickens as it sits, and add a little fresh lemon juice at the end.

Substitutions

Swiss chard → Lacinato kale or spinach. Kale needs the full 6–8 minutes after the leaves go in. Spinach (300 g) only needs 2 minutes, and has no stems to cook early.
brown lentils → Green or French (Puy) lentils. Both hold their shape well. Cooking time stays about the same. Don't use red lentils, which fall apart.
Yukon Gold potato → Omit, or use 2 tbsp (30 g) short-grain rice. Leaving out the potato makes a lighter soup. Rice adds some body; stir it in with the lentils.
water → Low-sodium vegetable broth. Gives a deeper flavor. Reduce the added salt by half at first, then adjust at the end.