Persian-Style Tomato and Lentil Soup
Lentils are simmered in a tomato-based broth with basmati rice, sweet onions and lots of warming spices in this soup inspired by one served at Reza’s Restaurant in Chicago. The key to this version’s flavor is a generous amount of chopped parsley and lemon juice, added just before serving.Serve the soup with warm pita, hunks of feta and plenty of fresh, tender herbs, such as more parsley, tarragon, dill and/or scallions.
Servings: 4 to 6 (makes about 7 cups)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), diced
- ¾ cup (5 ounces) green or brown lentils
- ½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) uncooked basmati rice
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves optional
- ½ teaspoon fine salt plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth divided
- ½ bunch (2 ounces) fresh parsley, preferably curly, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped and divided, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons), plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid, heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils and rice, coating them in the fat. Add the tomato paste, cumin, dried mint, if using, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Add about 2 cups of the stock, and stir to dissolve the tomato paste and evenly disperse the spices. Add the remaining stock, stir well, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low, stir, cover and simmer until the rice and lentils are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. (If soup thickens more than you’d like, add water, ¼ cup at a time.) Taste, and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Stir in about three-quarters of the parsley and remove from the heat. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice. Divide the soup among bowls, top with the remaining parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.