Adasi (Persian Lentil Soup)
Make this hearty Persian adasi with green lentils, warming spices and crispy onions—a simple, nourishing soup perfect for breakfast or dinner.
Servings: 4
Calories: 420kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 1002mg | Potassium: 978mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 346IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 5mg