Skip to main content
Epicurious

Red Lentil Soup With Preserved Lemon and Crispy Garlic

4.8

(6)

Red Lentil Soup With Preserved Lemon and Crispy Garlic in a bowl
Photograph by Isa Zapata.  Food Styling by Kat Boytsova.  Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

Simple doesn’t have to mean boring—case in point, this red lentil soup that’s topped with crispy garlic chips and chile-infused oil and that comes together in just about 40 minutes. Preserved lemon, a pantry superstar if there ever was one, adds a brightness that cuts through the rich, stewy lentils. Because preserved lemons can vary in salt and acidity depending on the brand, you’ll want to adjust the amount of salt and lemon accordingly. As for the herbs, dill and basil work especially well in this soup, but you can use any tender herbs you have on hand. And if the toppers feel too involved for a Wednesday night (I get it!), feel free to spoon over a bit of your favorite store-bought chili crisp instead. —Zaynab Issa

What you’ll need

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves
Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.
Blended Pastina Soup
A blended soup for kids who don’t want to “see” their vegetables—or anyone else looking for a steamy bowl of chicken soup comfort.
Five-Spice Beef Noodle Soup
Inspired by the flavors of Vietnamese pho, this ground beef and rice noodle soup comes together in just 20 minutes.
Baan Mae’s Thom Khem Thaohu
Slowly caramelized sugar, sweet lychees, warming spices, and fiery ginger create the perfect base for tofu to simmer in.
Green Beans With Tahini Sbagliato
An accidental recipe (sbagliatio means mistaken in Italian) yields a delicious herby tahini dressing that is excellent poured over lightly blanched green beans.
Greenest Mint and Ginger Pesto
An electrifying pesto that stays bright green for days on end. With the addition of ginger, and jalapeño, it’s a versatile condiment to have on hand.
Spicy Pork and Refried Bean Soup
A can of refried beans disappears into the broth of this simple soup, adding body and luscious texture, while chipotle chiles in adobo add smoky heat.
Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings
Store-bought dumplings, fresh tomatoes, butter, and soy sauce simmer away for dinner in a flash.