Lebanese Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup with Crispy Garlic (Adas wa Silq)

Name: Lebanese Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup with Crispy Garlic (Adas wa Silq)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (14 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 1½ cups (300 g) green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 8 cups (1900 ml) water; 1 large bunch (about 1 lb) (450 g) Swiss chard, washed; stems trimmed and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces, leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons, kept separate; 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 1–2 lemons, plus wedges for serving; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 6 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and sliced into thin, even slices about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick; ¼ tsp (½ g) Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A hearty, vegan Lebanese soup of tender green lentils and silky Swiss chard, brightened with fresh cilantro and lemon juice. It's topped with golden crispy garlic and the oil it was fried in. It's simple, economical and deeply comforting.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), serving 6

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

For the soup
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (14 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
1½ cups (300 g) green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
8 cups (1900 ml) water
1 large bunch (about 1 lb) (450 g) Swiss chard, washed; stems trimmed and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces, leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons, kept separate
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from 1–2 lemons, plus wedges for serving
For the crispy garlic
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and sliced into thin, even slices about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick
¼ tsp (0.5 g) Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with lid
Small (8-inch / 20 cm) skillet or saucepan for the garlic
Fine-mesh sieve
Small heatproof bowl
Chef's knife and cutting board
Citrus juicer or fork for squeezing lemons

Steps

Before you start

Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and pick out any small stones or shriveled lentils.
Wash the chard very well, since the leaves and stems hold sand. Swish in a big bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain.
Use green or brown lentils. Red lentils will break down completely and give you a very different soup.
Fry the garlic while the soup simmers, but start it in cold oil and watch it closely. It goes from golden to bitter in seconds.

1
Sauté the onions
- Set a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat and add 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil.
- When the oil shimmers, add the diced onions and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8–10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onions are soft, translucent and starting to turn pale golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onions brown too fast, lower the heat. Deeply browned onions will make the soup taste sweeter and heavier than traditional adas wa silq.
2
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the minced garlic, cumin and coriander.
- Cook for 45–60 seconds, stirring constantly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant and the spices smell toasty. The garlic should not be browned.
Tip: Add the water right away if the garlic starts to stick or darken.
3
Simmer the lentils
- Add the rinsed lentils and 8 cups (1.9 L) water.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.
- Reduce to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring once or twice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Lentils are almost tender. They are soft when squeezed between your fingers but still hold their shape, with a slightly firm center.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle, with small bubbles. A hard boil makes the lentils burst and turns the soup cloudy.
4
Add chard stems
- Stir in the chopped chard stems, the remaining 1½ tsp salt and the black pepper.
- Cover partly and simmer for 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Stem pieces are bendable and a little translucent.
Tip: Stems take longer to cook than leaves, so they go in first.
5
Wilt the chard leaves
- Add the chard leaves in two or three handfuls, stirring each batch until it wilts before adding the next.
- Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The leaves are dark, silky and tender. The lentils are completely soft with no chalky center when you bite one.
Tip: If the soup looks thicker than you like, stir in ½ cup (120 ml) hot water. It thickens as it stands.
6
Fry the crispy garlic
- While the leaves cook, put ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil and the sliced garlic in a small skillet together.
- Set it over medium-low heat.
- Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring often.
- When the slices are pale golden, remove from the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper, if using.
- Pour through a sieve set over a heatproof bowl, then spread the garlic on a paper towel and keep the oil.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Slices are pale golden, not brown, and the oil bubbles gently around them. They crisp as they cool.
Tip: Garlic keeps cooking from the oil's heat, so take it off the heat while it is still pale. Brown garlic tastes bitter.
7
Finish with cilantro and lemon
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro and 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice.
- Taste, then add more salt a pinch at a time, or more lemon juice, until the soup tastes bright and well seasoned.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The soup tastes lively and lemony, with the herbs smelling fresh.
Tip: Add the lemon and cilantro off the heat to keep their flavor and the cilantro's green color.
8
Rest the soup
- Cover the pot and let the soup sit off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavors blend and the broth thickens slightly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The broth is slightly thicker and hot, and no longer bubbling.
9
Serve with crispy garlic
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls.
- Top each with a spoonful of crispy garlic and a drizzle of the garlic oil.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each bowl has a golden garlic topping and shiny oil on the surface.
Tip: Add the garlic just before eating so it stays crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Season in two stages, with some salt at the start and the rest after the chard goes in, and finish with lemon at the end. This builds more flavor than salting once.
For a creamier broth, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3–4 times before you add the cilantro and lemon, leaving most lentils whole.
Slice the garlic for frying evenly. Thin or uneven slices burn before thicker ones crisp.
Taste after reheating. Leftover soup often needs a bit more salt and lemon.

Make ahead

"The soup (through step 7) can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge. Fry the garlic fresh, or make it up to 4 hours ahead and keep it uncovered at room temperature. Cover the oil separately."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, without the garlic topping. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming. Add a splash of water, because the soup thickens in storage. Brighten with a little extra lemon juice just before serving."

Substitutions

Swiss chard → Spinach (about 10 oz / 285 g) or lacinato kale (1 bunch). Add spinach in the last 3 minutes. Kale needs about 15 minutes of simmering.
green or brown lentils → Brown lentils. Cooking time is similar. Avoid red lentils, which dissolve into a purée.
fresh cilantro → Flat-leaf parsley. Use the same amount for a milder, more traditional herb flavor.
fresh lemon juice → Pomegranate molasses (1 tbsp) plus 1 tbsp lemon juice. Gives a deeper sweet-sour taste.