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Lebanese lentil soup, or rushta (rishta), is a Lebanese staple. I love to ramp my Lebanese lentil soup up with plenty of garlic, a healthy and delicious addition of swiss chard, and lemon. Warming, good for you, and always a hit.
Lebanese lentil soup, known as rushta, is a comforting and nutritious dish that brings the flavors ofย Lebanese cuisineย to your table with ease. This simple soup is packed with plant-based protein, making it a perfect meal for vegetarians, vegans and anyone looking for a healthy option. With just a handful of ingredients, includingย brown lentils orย green lentils, pasta (which is optional!) and greens such asย swiss chard or kale, it’s the perfect soup that comes together quickly while delivering on flavor and great health.
Rushta (sometimes written “rishta”) is a favorite Arabic lentil soup for meatless, satisfying meals any time of the year, and is a staple soup especially during Lent leading up to Easter for Christians and the month of Ramadan for Muslims, both when fasting takes center stage.
Ingredients
To make this hearty Lebanese lentil soup recipe, gather a few pantry staples. No special equipment is needed; this is not a creamy soup, so no pureeing with an immersion blender is required:
- Brown or green lentils. Either style works in this soup but avoid yellow lentils and red lentils here. I tend to go for small brown lentils.
- Yellow onion (diced onions)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- Pasta. Use wide egg noodles, fettucini, or your favorite pasta.
- 4 cups water or vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- Chopped greens. There are several options here: swiss chard, kale, spinach
- Ground coriander, salt and black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh cilantro for garnish. If you are one of the many who avoid cilantro, use any fresh herb you like, especially parsley
- Fresh lemon juice
Note: Feel free to adjust the spices according to your taste, and if you prefer, replace all or some of the vegetable stock with low-sodium chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
How to Cook Lebanese Lentil Soup
- In a large pot or a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions with a teaspoon of kosher salt and cook until they are translucent, about a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, coriander, more salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the lentils and pasta into the pot along with the liquid. Taste and add more salt if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in the chopped greens and simmer for another 5 minutes until wilted. Add a splash of fresh lemon juice.
- Serve hot with a garnish of fresh cilantro or fresh parsley and, if you like, lemon wedges on the side.
Crockpot Method
If you’re short on time or prefer a crockpot as your soup maker, you can easily adapt this recipe:
- In the crockpot, add all the ingredients except for the swiss chard, lemon juice, and garnish.
- Add enough vegetable or chicken stock to cover the ingredients.
- Cook on low heat for 5 hours or high heat for about 3 hours.
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the chopped swiss chard and serve hot with garnishes and crusty bread or homemade pita bread.
Recipe Tips
- You can add more liquid to the soup if it thickens as it rests.
- This vegan soup is easily made gluten-free. Simply omit the pasta. You can increase the lentils by 1/4 cup or substitue 1/2 cup white rice, diced sweet potatoes, or butternut squash.
- If you want to save time in the kitchen, prep your vegetables ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Rushta tastes just as delicious the next day after it is made, so consider it a lovely make-ahead soup.
- Be sure to add enough seasoning, especially if using water as the cooking liquid.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Lebanese lentil soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Make sure to let the soup cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating. For longer storage, you can use a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze the soup for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm on low heat on the stove, adding a little water if necessary to reach your desired consistency.
More Vegetarian Favorites
For red lentil soup (shorbat adas), make my Easy Lebanese Red Lentil Soup
Try the ultimate Lebanese lentil dish, Mujadara, a pilaf of lentils and rice or bulgur.
For high-protein, high-fiber, and high-flavor vegetarian goodness, make your own falafel with my delicious Lebanese Falafel Recipe.
Lebanese Vegetable Soup is full of great ingredients, from butternut squash to chickpeas.
Lebanese Lentil Soup (Rushta) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups finely diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1/2 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 cup pasta noodles, egg noodles or fettucini
- Few grinds black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 4 cups water, or vegetable stock or chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped greens, Swiss chard, kale, or spinach
- 1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- In a 2- or 3-quart soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and 1 teaspoon of salt, cooking until the onions are very soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils, pasta, 1 teaspoon of the salt, coriander, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the 4 water and increase the heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the lentils and pasta are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Just before serving, add the chopped Swiss chard stir in the lemon juice, and heat through over medium heat until the greens are wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Ladle into soup bowls, top each with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Maureen, I just made this last night and we loved it! So refreshing and clean; I plan to make it on rotation!
Question – what do you estimate the ounces of 1 bunch of chard leaves? Because I bought a package instead of a bunch. Thanks!
Janis
Thank you Janis! I love your description of this soup! That’s about 16 oz., but the quantity is fairly flexible for the chard if you have more or less.
Thank you! ๐
Hello Maureen!
I love your recipes! They remind me of cooking with my beautiful Sittee when we would visit Lansing every summer.
Iโve just made your Lentil soup for the first time. Iโve been using the old Shumps โIl Bir Club Syrian-Lebanese Cook Book or Madelaine Farahโs for years. โฅ๏ธ
While your Garlicky Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard and Lemon is fabulous, the cookbook states 10 servings. I was confused by this but stuck to the recipe then finally checked your site to see it is actually 4 which makes more sense.
Thank you for your amazing recipes. My sisters, my Mom (bint Namey) and my cousins (bint Hourani)adore them.
Deidre hello! This is wonderful, thank you so much. Serving sizes with soup can really vary and with the cookbook the standard size was quite a bit smaller. Sending warm regards to you, a hometown “cousin”!
Hi Maureen!
I love all the recipes you send. The Garlicky Lebanese Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard and Lemon
is DELICIOUS!
I’d like to request an email link to be added to your site. Often, people want your recipes and
sending it by email would be so helpful!
Thank you!
Hi Mary Kay! Thanks so much for your kind words and suggestion. I’ll take that into account as I am currently working on a site redesign!
I made this last night which we’ll enjoy for tonight’s dinner. Love when I have all the ingredients for something so delicious as this recipe. I did have a quick question – you have 1/8 coriander but not if ground vs. seed. I totally assumed you meant ground and quickly toasted some seeds and freshly ground them which added a ton of flavor. Love your recipes and inspiration stories! p.s. We met in SF when you visited former Tante Marie’s space probably 5 year ago now!
Mariangela, how neat to hear from a friend from SF!! Isn’t this recipe wonderful? I was referring to ground coriander but your freshly toasted seeds sound more divine and fragrant! Thanks for commenting and keep in touch!
Happy New Year! What’s old is new and I just saw I made this last year and have all the ingredients to make it tonight. Always a great way to warm up during winter.
I am new to your site. Made the lentil soup for the first time. It was fast, easy, healthy and delicious! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Thanks Renee!
Hello, Iโm wondering if Collard Greens would work as well?
Yes, delicious!
Hi Maureen, I just made this soup again today, it’s fast, fresh and healthy, and I love it. Just the right amount of lemon! Happily, my subs worked, because I didn’t have two items, so subbed fresh baby spinach for chard, and garam masala (home blended) for coriander. Also, as I was eating it I was thinking…this would be a good one to make for Soup Sunday at church, lolol and then read your story above. So, I’ve never made large batches either, but was informed about those 5 gallon containers! Being as the chard and lentils shouldn’t sit long, that would be tough to make ahead and hold…so maybe I won’t try this one haha.
IDK if anyone has pointed this out to you, but your cookbook states this makes 10 servings…oops. ๐
So funny Janis!
Hi, I’m from Michigan and I was married to a Lebanese man for a long time. My son now wants some recipes that I make and I don’t have anything written down. Your recipes are the closest to the ones I make so I can write down the amounts because I just went by memory and made big meals for my family and extra people we had do to kids friends always wanting to eat over. Thank you for helping me out with measurements. Also, I was wondering if you had a recipe for crushed lentil soup (it’s the crushed orange lentils and onions) I think people would really like that and it is simple to make.
Cluadette, thank you! I’d love to work on the crushed lentil soup recipe, which sounds like another delicious variation of rushta.
Cooked a batch last week, froze it and just defrosted it this afternoon – my (Lebanese) husband loved it! Says it tastes, “Just like home.” Yay! Great recipe and so easy. Thank you!
Wonderful wonderful, thank you!
I’m on a whole plant base diet looked up lentils soup recipes yours was warm and earthy like old ways of cookine. Hope to keep reading you your story’s do make me laugh.I remember making frozen peas for dinner the box direction said to add 11/2 cups of salted water so I Did those peas looked like seeds.
Ha!! Glad you liked this recipe!
Looks delicious!
I haven’t been able to find chard locally. Can you suggest a substitution?
Not a fan of cilantro – it’s one of those “you either love it or hate it” flavors. (Tastes like soap to me). Omit? What other herb might work?
Thanks for the recipes!
You could use kale for this, and for the cilantro, use parsley instead!
It’s been 4 years and 9 months since you wrote this post, Maureen, and I can’t tell you how much it charmed me. I haven’t made the lentils yet, though I intend to (I miss my mother’s rushteh). But, your desire to give to others, your humility, your abject culinary failure, your determination, your charm, and your loving kindness all shine through in this post. Thank you for making my day!
David, thank YOU for making my day with your beautiful words. I’m so touched and thank you for taking me back to this post.
I just made this and it was so delicious. I think next time I will double or triple the recipe so there will be leftovers for lunch. I would never think to put that much cilantro in soup. Yum! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Maureen from Sydney Australia.
I am australian born to Lebanese Parents who migrated to sydney in 1950. My mum is a well known lebanese cook in the town I grew up in. Your blog is beautiful and the food looks authentic and true to the recipes handed down to me.
Thank you for sharing your blog with us.
Victoria
Thanks so much Victoria! How I’d love to cook with your mother, visit with her and eat her wonderful food!
I Loved this soup! Yum! I ate it with the round flatbread with olive oil and za’atar from Oasis Market near me in Oakland, CA. I will make it soon again.
You know when I was looking at your website and I was trying to figure out your name…. I “said” the same thing as your friend Maureennnaaaboood? lol . So did you attend Culinary are you a professional Chef?
Funny!! I did attend culinary school! I don’t work in a restaurant but publish this food blog and am writing my first book, a Lebanese cookbook.
Hey Maureen I love your lentil soup version, as I am Greek and we make this just a lil different this sounds delicious as well. I have this obsession in my head to try this soup just like you made it but just by adding some dry roasted tomatoes What you think? And should I add them towards the end?
Nice idea Peter! I would add the sun-dried tomatoes perhaps with the lentils as they cook, to soften them. If you want them chewy, add them at the end with the chard.
Dear Maureen
Thank you again for a wonderful blog. Am I missing how many the Garlic Rushta recipe serves?
+Father Raphael
Love this recipe and really like your bowls. Where did you get them from?
Anne thank you–those bowls are from Anthropologie!
Maureen, I just made this soup for dinner tonight, but it smelled so yummy I had to try it for lunch. Fabulous version of Rushta. I simply love it! Easy to make and SO much healthier and flavorful than my usual recipe. Cousin, YOU WERE RIGHT! Thanks for bringing us new versions of our old favorites!
That is great Celine!!!!! I’m glad you like it as much as your rushta.
P.S. I LOVE the soup bowls! Gorgeous!
Thanks for that…I’m a believer that food tastes better in pretty china!!
Maureen, my mouth is watering looking at your delicious & hearty lentil soup! I love the addition of Swiss Chard to make it extra healthy! Love your blog! Nice to meet you! ๐
Hi there Sara! Thanks so much for joining us here, and for your kind words!! I just checked out your site and am looking forward to exploring over there–very neat.
Definitely a great way to get rid of my leftover swiss chard & dried beans !
ratedkb.blogspot.com
Yes, this soup ca be made with beans and/or chickpeas–delicous!
Love the photos and the story and of course that soup which we call adas b-hamod. Need to make it again!
Thank you Joumana!
Maureen, if you were using pasta, when would you add it and do you need adjust the liquid for that?
Peggy, cooked pasta would be added to the final mix of lentils, onions, chard which is just heated through. This way the liquid ratio is fine.
Oh Maureen!
That soup kitchen story made me feel all kinds of emotions! Mostly I LAUGHED! Not at you, but with you and with those little stinkin’ lentils that didn’t help you out of the woods. I’m excited to give my “little pot” a whirl with the lentils and see what blossoms.
xoxo
Bridget
Love you Bridget, thank you!!
Can’t wait to make this rushta, Maureen! Thank you for your recipe.
Let me know how you like it, Toni!
Maureen,
Love your column, love your pics, and LOVE rushta! Haven’t had it for years–I have yet to make it even once since I left my parents’ home many, many decades ago. I will need to try making it now! And I remember my mother making her own homemade noodles by hand–no home pasta machines in those days or in my grandmother’s day.
Nothing beats homemade noodles for the rushta Diane! Go for it!!