• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Food and Journeys®
  • WORLD CUISINES
  • HOW-TOS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Notes on Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Categories
  • Countries
  • Global Pantry
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Categories
    • Countries
    • Global Pantry
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup (Adas Bhamod)

    Published: Jan 4, 2021 · Modified: Apr 7, 2024 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup (Adas Bhamod) is a delicious vegetarian soup that’s excellent for cold weather. It’s so easy to prepare and uses kitchen staple ingredients, so it will surely become one of your favorites!

    An overhead shot of a bowl of Lebanese Sour Lentil Soup, with slices of lemon on the side, and a bunch of fresh coriander.

    Sometimes referred to as ‘sour lentil soup,’ this deliciously filling dish relies on onions and fresh cilantro for the soup base — then lemon juice to amp it up.

    Lebanese lentil soup with lemon is known locally as ‘adas bhamod,’ and there is no need to serve anything with it because it’s a complete, flavorsome meal on its own.

    But if you want bread for your meal, you can never go wrong with Lebanese pita bread — yum!

    FOR MORE CLASSIC LEBANESE RECIPES, CHECK OUT THESE POSTS!

    • Latest feature image for Lebanese Date Cake, using the right size.
      Lebanese Date Cake
    • A serving of Lebanese chicken stew, with three chicken drumsticks and bits of vegetables.
      Lebanese Chicken Stew with Vegetables

    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to prepare to make Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup.
    • Olive oil – use extra virgin olive oil, if possible.
    • Onions – you must chop them finely for this sour lentil soup recipe.
    • Potatoes – peeled, rinsed, and diced.
    • Coriander – also called cilantro in other parts of the world.
    • Salt – just use your favorite brand.
    • Lentils – brown or green ones are the best types to use for adas bhamod; they keep their shape and do not get mushy quickly.
    • Swiss chard – traditionally used in lemon lentil soup.  Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find it in Stockholm, so I used the best substitute for it, spinach.  

    Please make sure that it’s the mature ones, though, not the baby spinach that is often used for salad.

    An overhead shot of a pot of Lemon Lentil Soup, straight out of the flame, with a whole lemon on the side for slicing.

    Instructions

    Start making adas bhamod by placing a large saucepan (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.

    Pour olive oil into the pan.

    Pouring olive oil to start making Lebanese lemon lentil soup.

    Once the oil is ready, add onions and salt.

    Adding salt to onion when cooking Lebanese lemon lentil soup.

    Cook until onions are slightly soft, then add chopped coriander.

    Adding fresh coriander leaves as main herb for Lebanese lentil soup with lemons.

    Cook coriander and onion for a few minutes, then add the rinsed lentils.

    Adding green lentils for Lebanese soup with lemons.

    Mix to combine.

    Pour six cups of water into the lentils.

    Pouring water over green lentils for Lebanese soup with lemons.

    Cover pan with a lid, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for twenty minutes.

    Add spinach, potatoes, lemon juice, and more salt.

    Adding potatoes and the rest of the ingredients for Lebanese lentil soup with lemons.

    Mix to combine, cover, and continue simmering your adas bhamod until the potatoes are cooked.  This normally takes twenty-five to thirty minutes for me.

    Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Take the pan off the heat, then transfer your Lebanese lentil soup with lemon into bowls for serving.

    A closer shot of a ladle of Sour Lentil Soup, highlighting the vegetables in the soup, and the texture of the lentils.

    Helpful tips

    • Keep the heat on low (constantly) when simmering.  It helps to avoid turning your Lemon lemon lentil soup into mush.
    • Since mature spinach is used in this adas bhamod recipe, I suggest leaving out those long stems when you chop them.
    • Keep in mind that you are still going to cook the potatoes, so do not make the lentils too soft.
    • You might need to adjust the amount of lemon juice that you use — depending on how strong the lemons are where you live.

    For your reference, the lemons that we get in Stockholm are too sharp compared to Spain or Italy.

    A shot of a serving of Lebanese Sour Lentil Soup, with a slice of lemon being squeezed on it.

    FAQs

    • Can you put lentils straight into adas bhamod?

    Absolutely.

    There is no need to soak them, unlike beans.  Just rinse, drain properly, then add them directly into your soup.

    • What happens when you overcook lentils?

    Overcooked lentils result in the lentils splitting their skins, hence resulting in mush.

    Besides making sure you don’t cook them for too long, make sure that you keep the heat on constant low when simmering; to avoid mushy lentils.

    So, try Lebanese lemon lentil soup for your next weeknight dinner and let me know what you think in the comment section!  Enjoy!

    OR IF YOU WANT MORE IDEAS, CHECK OUT THIS LIST OF SOUP RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

    IF YOU WANT MORE GLOBAL DISHES, YOU WILL LIKE THESE INTERNATIONAL RECIPES BY COUNTRY!

    • Feature image for Turkish Recipes post.
      Turkish Recipes
    • Feature image for Greek Recipes post.
      Traditional Greek Recipes

    📖 Recipe

    Feature image for Lebanese lentil soup with lemons, showing a serving of the dish.

    Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe (Adas Bhamod)

    Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup (Adas Bhamod) is a delicious vegetarian soup that's excellent for cold weather. It's so easy to prepare and uses kitchen staple ingredients, so it will surely become one of your favorites!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Lebanese
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 270kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Chopping Board
    • Kitchen Knife
    • Le Creuset Dutch Oven (4.5 qt.)
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Rubber Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 4 to 5 tbsp olive oil
    • 3 medium onions, chopped finely
    • 1 & 1/2 cups coriander, chopped roughly
    • 1 cup lentils, rinsed
    • 6 cups water
    • 2 cups spinach, rinsed and chopped
    • 1 large potato, diced
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
    • salt, to season

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or a large saucepan) over medium-high heat.
    • Once the oil is ready, add the chopped onions and some salt.
    • Cook until the onions turn a bit soft, then add the coriander.
    • Stir and cook for a few minutes, then add the lentils.
    • Keep stirring, then pour 6 cups of water into the saucepan.
    • Cover with a lid, then bring to a boil.
    • Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients: spinach, potatoes, lemon juice, and more salt (to season).
    • Mix, then cover with a lid and continue simmering your adas bhamod until the potatoes are cooked.  
      (NOTE: This generally takes 25 to 30 minutes for me.)
    • Adjust the seasoning as needed.
    • Take the soup off the heat and transfer it into bowls.
    • Serve your lemon lentil soup with slices of lemon, if desired.

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Use brown or green lentils for making adas bhamod; both types do not get mushy quickly.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Check that the heat is in constant low while simmering. It helps in not overcooking the lentils.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  Depending on how intense the lemons are where you live, you might need to adjust the lemon juice amount in this sour lentil soup.
    • Cook’s Tip #4:  Swiss chard is traditionally used for Lebanese sour lentil soup, but mature spinach is an excellent alternative.  I suggest getting rid of the stems when you chop them as well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

    More International Soup Recipes

    • A bowl of Filipino mung bean soup, garnished with chicharon.
      Ginisang Munggo (Filipino Mung Bean Soup)
    • A bowl of traditional English Celery Soup, garnished with fresh celery leaves.
      English Celery Soup
    • Lebanese Chicken and Rice Soup, garnished with parsley, ready for serving.
      Lebanese Chicken Soup (with Rice)
    • A bowl of German oxtail soup, garnished with parsley.
      German Oxtail Soup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joanna Brooks

      April 26, 2023 at 4:20 am

      This was so good! I’ve shared it with friends. So yummy….thank you

      Reply
      • Neriz

        April 27, 2023 at 6:59 am

        You’re welcome Joanna!

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Latest Pic, 2025 for food and journeys sidebar.

    Hej there!

    A smorgasbord of traditional and delicious international recipes awaits you, so feel free to look around and pick your favorites. No need to leave your kitchen to experience the real deal!

    More about me →

    Image for listing as-featured-on

    Feature of the Month: Filipino Cuisine

    Feature image for Filipino Recipes post, a serving of pancit bihon with a slice of lemon.

    Spring Favorites

    • Freshly-baked German leek pie, highlighting its golden color.
      German Leek Pie
    • Feature image for Roasted Fennel showing the dish straight out of the oven.
      Roasted Fennel (Creamy & Cheesy!)
    • Feature image for asparagus risotto, showing a serving of it, topped with grated parmigiano.
      Asparagus Risotto (Risotto agli Asparagi)
    • Feature image for German Leek Soup, highlighting the creaminess of the soup-
      German Leek Soup

    Popular Posts

    • Two servings of German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe). Both creamy potato soup servings are garnished with spring onions.
      German Potato Soup (Kartoffelsuppe)
    • A closer shot of kanelbullar on a cooling rack, highlighting the filling of the buns.
      Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
    • An overhead shot of a skillet of Spanish Garlic Chicken, straight out of the oven.
      Spanish Garlic Chicken (Pollo Al Ajillo)
    • Arroz de Tomate in a pan, ready for transferring to serving plates, with fresh cherry tomatoes next to it.
      Portuguese Tomato Rice (Arroz de Tomate)
    • Latest feature image for drommekage, highlighting the texture of the cake.
      Danish Dream Cake (Drømmekage)
    • Three freshly-baked pasticciotti sprinkled with powdered sugar and served wiith espresso.
      Pasticciotto (Italian Cream Filled Pastry)
    • An image showing two bowls of Finnish Salmon Soup served with some bread.
      Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
    • An overhead shot of a bunch of freshly baked taralli, served with a shot of espresso, with scaterred fennel seeds on the background.
      Taralli (Italian Crackers)
    • Swedish Almond Tart
      Swedish Almond Tart
    • Latest feature image (Apr23) for Filipino picadillo showing the dish on a plate.
      Filipino Picadillo
    • Latest feature image for Salt and Pepper pork belly, showing the slices garnished with more chili.
      Salt and Pepper Pork Belly
    • A slice of cardamom sponge cake, served with a cup of coffee.
      Swedish Cardamom Cake

    Favorite Snacks

    • Fried panzerotti served with a glass of wine, for snack.
      Panzerotti (Panzarotti)
    • A collage of flammkuchen toppings to choose from.
      Classic Flammkuchen (+ More Flammkuchen Toppings!)
    • Freshly cooked panelle from Palermo, served with a dustingg of ground black pepper.
      Panelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)
    • Chocolate balls served with coffee, for afternoon snack.
      Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)

    Sweet Treats

    • Traditional Swedish Cakes that you can easily make at home.
      Traditional Swedish Cakes: Make Them at Home!
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for fika post, showing some Swedish treats, and coffee and tea in the background.
      What is Fika? (Fika Meaning + Recipes)
    • Latest (Oct22) feature image for Easy Italian Desserts and Pastries post.
      Easy Italian Desserts & Pastries Recipes
    • Latest (Oct22) Feature image for Traditional German Desserts and Pastries.
      Traditional German Desserts and Pastries

    Popular Cuisines

    • Latest feature image for authentic Swedish recipes, showing västerbottenostpaj, a midsummer favorite.
      Authentic Swedish Recipes
    • Feature image for Italian recipes by region post.
      Italian Recipes by Region
    • Feature image for German Recipes post.
      Authentic German Recipes
    • Feature image for Portuguese Recipes, as part of recipes by country.
      Easy Portuguese Recipes
    • Feature image for Traditional Spanish Recipes, a pan of espinacas con garbanzos.
      Traditional Spanish Recipes
    • Feature image for Finnish Recipes post.
      Easy Finnish Recipes
    • Feature image for Greek Recipes post.
      Traditional Greek Recipes
    • Feature image for Lebanese Recipes post.
      Lebanese Recipes

    Footer

    Policy

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • About Me

    Copyright

    • Notes on Copyright

    A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.

    Copyright © 2025. FOOD AND JOURNEYS®

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.