Iranian Adasi is a slow-simmered lentil soup enjoyed for breakfast, often on weekends. Garnish with fresh lime, fried onion, fresh herbs, and even Persian Tea Eggs or serve as one of the dishes in the spread of a classic Persian breakfast.
🌟Why you’ll love this recipe
🧾Ingredients in this recipe
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
Pro Tip
You can cook the lentils in a slow-cooker on the low setting. Monitor the water level to make sure the lentils don’t get too dry.
Smash some of the lentils against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup.
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Iranian Adasi – Lentil Soup
Print Recipe SaveIngredients
- 2 tbsp oil canola, avocado, or other flavorless oil
- 1 onion diced
- ½ tsp salt kosher, sea, or less table salt (about half, but taste and adjust)
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cups green lentils washed
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the diced onion until translucent.2 tbsp oil, 1 onion
- Add the salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin. Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds-1 minute.1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp cumin
- Add the washed lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest possible temperature. Cook for a minimum of 8 hours. Monitor the water level and add more, if necessary.2 cups green lentils, 6 cups water
- Smash some of the lentils against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup. Serve warm.
It’s not in your instructions, but I will ask anyway. Do you cover the pot or no.
Thank you Jack
I usually keep the pot covered while it cooks, then uncover it toward the end. That way I can control the amount of liquid left and adjust the thickness to my liking.
What is the benefit of cooking for 8 hours or more? I love your recipes and I’m sure there is a reason. I’m just curious because I haven’t seen a lentil recipe before with a long cook time. I’m actually headed to the store for lentils right after I post my question so I can make this! I grew up eating Persian lentil soup with spinach, but I’m going to try your recipe as written for my first attempt before trying a version with spinach.
Great question, Hilary! Cooking the lentils for 8 hours or more forces the lentils to break down instead of hold their shape. Although the lentils will be cooked after a couple hours, this extra time creates almost a puree-like texture that is a key characteristic of adasi and makes it different than just any lentil soup.
Haven’t made this yet and was wondering if cooking with the instant pot-is the water measurement the same? Also, how long do you cook in instant pot?
Hi Connie, unfortunately I haven’t tried it myself yet but plan to in the next few weeks. If you try it before then please let us know if you were successful and what you tried. Here is what I’m going to try:
1-3/4 cups water
Pressure Cook setting.
10 minutes.
Natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Manual pressure release to vent any remaining steam.
I’ll come back and let you know if it needed more or less water.
My husband is from shiraz. My sister in law showed me this but in shiraz everyone adds meat to everything. ( including ash e reshteh). So we added some lamb and tomoato paste. Delicious.
Delicious and super easy to make. Need to plan ahead right timing and you are set for a great dish.
I added whole eggs to mine to make it a one stop protein power plate. Thank you!!
More recipes like this please!!
Thank you for sharing, Mara… will do!
It was supper tasty,I love it . Thank you for this recipe🥰
You are so welcome. I’m glad you liked it, Arezoo… thank you for sharing!
It was delicious! Thank you for this recipe.
Glad you liked it, Goli… Thank you for sharing!