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    You Are Here Home » Vegetarian Recipes

    Published: May 28, 2017 Updated: Sep 9, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 4 Comments

    Vegan Red Lentil Soup (Tlokheh/Aadas)

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    red lentil soup

    This Vegan Red Lentil Soup recipe is a staple in the Middle Eastern diet. In fact, most Middle Eastern cultures have their own version of this hearty lentil soup. 

    red lentil soup in a white bowl on a green mat

    Assyrians call this soup "Tlokheh," while in Arabic it is called "Aadas." Mom cooked this soup at least once a week, it was one of her favorites.

    She would usually prepare it on Wednesday and have it again on Friday; the two days she would abstain from eating meat.

    How to Make This Recipe

    Rinse rice to remove excess starch. Wash lentil and strain. Dice the potato and add to a pot, along with the lentil and rice. Add 3 cups of water.

    red strainer with orange lentil inside
    spoonful of red lentil and diced potatoes over a pot of soup

    Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Lower the temperature, then simmer, covered, for approximately 20 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed.

    lentil and rice in a pot over the stove

    Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and vermicelli noodles until the onion is soft and the noodles are brown.

    brown pan with diced onion and noodles
    brown pan with diced onion and noodles

    Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, along with one cup of water. Stir until it all comes together.

    onions and noodles being sautéed in a pan
    cooked onions and noodles being sautéed in a pan
    red lentil soup mix in a pan
    lentils in a tomato sauce

    Add the saucepan ingredients to the rice, potato, and lentil mixture, along with two cups of water. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

    soup in a pot
    lentil soup in a brown pot with an orange spoon

    If the soup gets too thick, just add more water until it reaches the desired consistency.

    red lentil soup in a pot
    Red Lentil Soup in a green bowl

    Traditional Vegan Red Lentil Soup

    The following ingredients are almost always present in this soup:

    • Red Lentils
    • Rice
    • Vermicelli Noodles

    Fun little fact, did you know that "vermicelli" means "little worms" in Italian?

    The spice combination used in the soup varies depending on the region, including the following:

    • Turmeric
    • Curry
    • Cumin

    My mom's version has curry, paprika, and cayenne pepper, for a little extra kick. Mom also liked to add diced potatoes, which isn't traditional. However, I think potatoes are a great addition; they make the soup even more filling.

    Serving Suggestions

    To be honest, this soup is so filling that you don't really need to serve it with anything else. Especially the way my mom prepared it, with the addition of potatoes.

    However, some freshly baked pita bread and pickled sunchokes on the side couldn't hurt!


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    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    Red Lentil Soup in a green bowl

    Vegan Red Lentil and Curry Soup recipe (Tlokheh/Aadas)

    Thick and hearty lentil soup recipe, known as "Aadas," or "Tlokheh," in the Middle East. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 6 bowls
    Calories: 263kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium potato (diced)
    • 1 cup red lentil
    • ¼ cup rice
    • 2 T olive oil
    • 1 small onion
    • ½ cup vermicelli noodles
    • 1 T tomato paste
    • 1½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 T curry
    • 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

    Instructions

    • Rinse rice to remove excess starch. Wash lentil and strain. Dice the potato and add to a pot, along with the lentil and rice. Add 3 cups of water.
    • Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Lower the temperature, then simmer, covered, for approximately 20 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed.
    • Heat olive oil in a saucepan, and sauté the onion and vermicelli noodles until the onion is soft and the noodles are brown.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, along with one cup of water. Stir until it all comes together.
    • Add the saucepan ingredients to the rice, potato, and lentil mixture, along with two cups of water. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
    • If the soup gets too thick, just add more water until it reaches the desired consistency.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 588mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    This post was originally posted on May 28, 2017. It was updated on April 3, 2020, by adding more process mages.

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    1. Andrea says

      December 29, 2019 at 9:43 pm

      Help me out - You pre-cook the vermicelli noodles and then pan fry them with the onion? They're not dried/raw, right?

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        December 30, 2019 at 2:41 am

        Hi Andrea,
        You fry the vermicelli, along with the onions. The vermicelli noodles are dry (they are very fine & come in either coils or broken into sections that are approximately 2” long). If using the coiled variety, break them up before frying. They turn brown when they’re fried and soften once you add the water/tomato paste mixture. I hope that answers your question.

        Reply
    2. AnninNY says

      April 15, 2019 at 9:23 am

      Hilda, I can't wait to try your recipes to see if they will work for our Middle Eastern soup benefit for local refugee families. I think your mother is beautiful.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        April 15, 2019 at 9:39 am

        Hi Ann,
        Thanks for the comment. I can't wait to hear how it goes, what a sweet cause! And yes, my mom was something else. She glowed like an angel!

        Reply

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