Adasi (Persian Lentil Soup)
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: October 13, 2026
This warming and nourishing Persian adasi lentil soup is packed with earthy aroma and the most decadent and silky texture. It’s a humble dish, with few ingredients, but packs a punch of wonderful flavour.
Almost every great cuisine of the world has a version of lentil soup. I am making it my personal goal to cook as many of them as possible! I am a huge fan of lentils and legumes and discovering new dishes is always such a thrill for me. This creamy soup is nutty and earthy and topped with the sweetest crisp onions and fragrant dried fenugreek leaves.
I love adasi because it has all the flavour and alluring spicing you'd expect of Middle Eastern cuisine, but in a mild and gentle form, which is probably why it's popular at breakfast time. Lentil soups always feel like the most satisfying comfort food, and adasi is no exception. It never fails to satisfy and bring a smile to my face, whatever time of day it is.
My first encounter of adasi was at a Persian restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Auburn C.2008 - I'd schlepped out there for breakfast at my favourite Turkish joint only to discover it was closed, so hangrily settled on a restaurant next door. Thankfully, we were met with a complimentary bowl of adasi soup while we perused the menu. I have no recollection what else I ate that morning, but this adasi soup has stayed with me ever since. I've been cooking it ever since (mainly in wintertime).
Adasi is part of my Middle Eastern collection, where you'll find lots more delicious recipes just like it.
What's Ahead?
What is Adasi?
Adasi (عدسی) is a traditional Iranian lentil dish—its name comes from adas, the Persian word for lentils. It is usually made with green or brown lentils slowly cooked with onion and turmeric until thick and soft. Some families add potato or tomato, while others keep it very simple.
In Iran, adasi is often served for breakfast with bread and a squeeze of fresh lemon, particularly in the colder months. It sits somewhere between a soup and a stew: hearty enough to be a meal, any time of day.
Why You'll Love it
- It's easy to make - It's really simple to pull this together and mostly done in one pot. Frying the onions for the garnish is not as challenging as you might think and makes all the difference to the flavour.
- It's better the next day - many stews, curries and soups taste better the following day. Once all the spices have had time to develop, the flavour is more pronounced and complex. This is good if you want to eat your adasi for breakfast. Make the night before and sleep while the magic happens – patience pays off.
- It's vegetarian and vegan - for those who are meat-free this soup offers flavour flavour flavour along with a hearty heft of protein too.
- It's authentic - I've stayed pretty close to the traditional adasi recipe, so you get the proper experience. My one addition is fragrant dried fenugreek leaves, used a lot in Iranian cuisine, that adds its subtle and unique fragrance and flavour to the garnish. You can find those easily in Indian supermarkets called 'kasoori methi'.
Ingredients You'll Need
The ingredients are few, and they're all things you can find in regular supermarkets, with the exception of fenugreek - but you can omit that if you're struggling to find.
- Lentils - green or brown, the key flavour and texture to the dish. Rinse them first in cold water to get rid of any dust or excess starch which could affect flavour.
- Spices - cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, salt & pepper are all that you need to create the earthy warmth of the dish
- Garlic - only a little, adds depth to the soup
- Onion - brings its sweetness to the soup and also acts as a delicious sweet and crisp garnish to the final dish.
- Tomato - not all adasi recipes add tomato, but I've found it brings a light sweetness and tang to the final soup - I also reinforce that with a little tomato concentrate. The flavour is present, but this is not a tomato forward soup so it doesn't dominate.
- Vegetable stock - adds more flavour to the adasi, but water is fine too. There'll still be plenty of flavour.
- Fenugreek - dried fenugreek is one of my favourite flavours and it works so well dusted over the crisp onion garnish.
There are other garnishes like zingy lemon wedges and grassy parsley, which are nice to have, but optional.
Step by Step
Here's how easy my Persian lentil soup is to make at home:
- Step 1 - Fry two of the onions for around 10 minutes over a medium heat until they're soft and golden. This stage is important to create the depth of flavour.
- Step 2 - Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes or so to cook out the rawness.
- Step 3 - Add the spices, tomato and tomato puree and stir to combine.
- Step 4 - Let this cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomato has started to break down.
- Step 5 - Add the rinsed lentils and stir until everything is coated.
- Step 6 - Add the broth (or water) and bring to a simmer. Keep the heat low and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the lentils are creamy and not grainy.
- Step 7 - While the lentils cook, Fry the remaining onion (thinly sliced), in oil over a medium heat for 15 minutes, turning frequently. They'll caramelise and then in the last couple of minutes begin to crispen and char. Being careful to wait until they're mostly crisp yet not burnt is your only task at this stage. Watch them carefully and remove with a slotted spoon to waiting paper towels. NOTE: keep the oil and drizzle a little over the final soup for an extra hit of flavour. Better still, fry some bread in the oil and make croutons.
- Step 8 - As they cool, rub the fenugreek leaves between your palms over the onions to coat them lightly.
- Step 9 - Remove a couple of ladlefuls of the soup and either using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Return this to the pan and mix into the soup. This makes it deliciously silky and smooth.
Pro Tips - Things I've learned
- Washing the lentils - no need to soak, but washing them removes any impurities. You might also like to scan them for grit or tiny stones which can sometimes be found. If it looks like it doesn't belong, remove it.
- Canned lentils - I have experimented and made adasi using canned lentils and, while it was OK, it lacked the depth of flavour and silky texture overall. For the best results, dried lentils are king.
- Blending a portion at the end - to give adasi its luxurious texture, blending some of the lentils at the end helps emulsify the soup into its rich, creamy consistency. If you don't have a food processor or blender, pass a couple of ladlefuls through a fine sieve for similar results.
- Crisp onions - The temperature should be medium heat, not too high as they'll cook too quickly and burn. Wait for the steam to almost disappear–this means most of the internal liquid is gone and they're about to crisp up. That's also your cue to watch them like a hawk! They'll continue to brown for a short while afterwards, so don't leave it too long to remove.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
The soup keeps well both in the fridge and frozen. Lentils are robust and will hold their shape. They will continue to absorb liquid, so you'll most likely need to add more stock or water to loosen things up.
- Fridge - Adasi will be fine, covered in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat until piping hot.
- Freezer - Store in portion sizes for 3+ months and reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
- Serving - Serving the soup can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. Traditionally, the crisp onions are scattered over. If this stage doesn't work for you, omit the crisp onions altogether.
- Accompaniments - Often the soup is accompanied by lemon wedges and a light scattering of fresh parsley.
Ready to get cooking?
When the colder weather sets in, adasi is here to warm the soul and put a smile on your face. It's such a comforting bowl of goodness that fills you up without the calories. Mildly spiced, nutty, creamy and hearty, it's one of my favourite lentil soups to make at home. I'm sure you'll agree.
More Middle Eastern recipes
If you liked this recipe, I'm sure you'll love more of my favourite Middle Eastern recipes.
FAQ
Have a question? Let me know in the comments.
Can I use canned lentils to make adasi?
You can, but I found that canned lentils produced less depth of flavour and a less silky texture in this recipe. For the best result, use dried green or brown lentils and cook them directly in the seasoned broth.
Why do you blend only part of the soup?
Blending two ladlefuls creates a creamy, emulsified base while preserving the texture of the whole lentils. If you blend the entire pot, the adasi will lose its characteristic soup-meets-stew consistency. Without a blender, press a couple of ladlefuls through a fine sieve instead.
What is dried fenugreek, and can I leave it out?
Dried fenugreek leaves have a distinctive savoury, fragrant flavour and are sold as kasoori methi in Indian supermarkets. They complement the earthy lentils and sweet onions, but they are my addition rather than an essential part of the recipe and can be omitted.
How do I make the onion garnish crisp without burning it?
Fry the thinly sliced onion over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, turning it frequently. When most of the steam disappears, the moisture has nearly cooked out and the onion will begin crisping quickly. Remove it before it appears completely done, as it will continue to darken while cooling on the paper towel.
Can I use water instead of vegetable stock?
Yes. Vegetable stock adds another layer of flavour, but the caramelised onions, garlic, tomato, and spices give the soup plenty of character on their own. If using water, taste the adasi after cooking and adjust the salt if required.
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Ingredients
For the soup
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 5 cups / 1.2 litres vegetable stock or water
For the garnishes
- 1 onion halved and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil for frying.
- ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils in cold water to remove impurities. Pick through and discard anything that may be tiny stones or grit.
To make the soup
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat until just hot then add the diced onion. Fry gently, for around 10 minutes until caramelised and glossy, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes until the raw aroma disappears.
- Stir in the tomato puree, diced tomato, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon and salt and cook for another 3 minutes until the tomato has broken down a little.
- Add the lentils and stir well to coat everything.
- Add the vegetable stock and let this come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium/low and let it simmer gently for 45 minutes or until the lentils are soft and creamy with no resistance.
- While the soup cooks, fry the sliced onion in the oil for 10-15 minutes over a medium heat. They will become dark and caramelised then finally crisp up. Drain on paper towels and let them cool completely.
- If using, rub the fenugreek leaves between the palms of your hands to create a coarse powder and sprinkle this over the onions.
- After the soup has cooked, remove from the heat then take out 2 ladlefuls, and using a blender or food processor, blend until creamy and smooth. Return this to the soup and stir well.
- Serve garnished with the crisp onions. You may also consider a sprinkle of parsley and lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over. For a decadent flourish, drizzle over a little of the oil left from the onions, or a generous drizzle of fresh extra-virgin olive oil.
Notes
- Use dried lentils: Green or brown lentils give this adasi its nutty flavour and creamy-but-textured consistency. I tested the recipe with canned lentils, but they lacked the depth and silky texture of lentils cooked from dry.
- Rinse and inspect the lentils: Rinse them in cold water to remove dust and impurities, and check for any grit or tiny stones. There is no need to soak them.
- Cook until creamy: Simmer the lentils gently for about 45 minutes. Cooking time can vary, so use their texture as your guide—they should be soft and creamy with no grainy resistance when tasted.
- Blend only a portion: Blend two ladlefuls of the finished soup, then stir them back into the pot. This gives the adasi its silky, emulsified texture while leaving plenty of whole lentils. If you do not have a blender or food processor, press the same amount through a fine sieve.
- Take time with the base: Cook the diced onions gently for around 10 minutes, until properly caramelised and glossy. This step creates much of the soup’s depth of flavour.
- Watch the garnish onion closely: Fry the sliced onion over medium heat, turning it frequently. Once the steam has almost disappeared, most of its moisture has cooked away and it will begin to crisp. Remove it before it looks completely done because it will continue to darken as it cools.
- Add fenugreek after frying: Let the crisp onion cool, then rub the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and scatter them over it. The fenugreek is optional, but it adds a distinctive fragrant note to the garnish.
- Adjust the liquid when reheating: The lentils continue to absorb liquid as the soup rests. Loosen leftover adasi with a little vegetable stock or water before reheating it until piping hot.
- Storage: Keep the soup covered in the refrigerator for 4–5 days, or freeze it in individual portions for at least 3 months.
- Serving: Top the soup with the crisp onions just before serving. Parsley and lemon wedges are optional, and a little reserved onion-frying oil or extra-virgin olive oil can be drizzled over the finished bowl.
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