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Moroccan Lentil Soup

Warmly spiced lentil soup with tomato, carrot, celery, ginger, cumin, coriander and cilantro.

Prep15 minCook45 minTotal60 minYield6 servingsLevelEasy

Source-reviewed. No original CookClue test is claimed unless it is actually recorded.

Moroccan-inspired lentil soup with carrots, celery, tomato and fresh herbs

Before you start

What this method is trying to achieve

Keep the lentils at a gentle simmer and stop once they are tender so they stay distinct rather than dissolving.

Success looks like

Know the target before you cook

The broth should be aromatic and lightly thickened with tender vegetables and intact lentils.

Ingredients

What you need

Base

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced

Vegetables

  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced

Aromatics

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

Spices

  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric

Main

  • 220 g green or brown lentils, rinsed

Tomato

  • 400 g diced tomatoes

Liquid

  • 1.5 L vegetable broth

Finish

  • 0.5 cup cilantro, chopped

Method

Cook by the cues, not just the clock

Cook aromatics

  1. Soften onion, carrot and celery, then add garlic, ginger and spices.

Add lentils

  1. Stir in lentils, tomatoes and broth.

Simmer

  1. Cook until lentils are tender but still hold shape.

Adjust liquid

  1. Add broth or water only if the pot becomes too thick before lentils are tender.

Finish

  1. Add cilantro and adjust seasoning.

Critical checkpoints

Stop here and check

other

Gentle simmer?

Only small bubbles are visible.

Lower heat if boiling hard.

texture

Lentils intact?

Lentils are soft but still distinct.

Stop cooking.

other

Lentils mushy?

Lentils smear or collapse.

Use lentils-mushy.

If yours looks different

Route the failure before changing the recipe

The lentils lose shape and become paste-like.Lentils mushy? Diagnose variety, simmer intensity and timing.

Why Are My Lentils Mushy?

After cooking

Storage, reheating & substitutions

Storage

Refrigerate covered.

Reheating

Reheat gently with a little water or broth if thickened.

Substitutions

Use green or brown lentils for the most intact texture.

Evidence

Sources & methodology

Technical claims and method decisions are tied to sources. Recipe-specific advice is not presented as a universal food-science law.

  1. Perfect LentilsFood Network Kitchen

    Food Network recommends gentle simmering for tender, intact lentils.

    publisherPassage verified
  2. Moroccan Lentil SoupFood.com

    Food.com combines lentils with tomato, vegetables, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger and cilantro.

    publisherPassage verified