Adas Bi Hamod (Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup With Chard)

Lebanese lemon lentil soup, also known as adas bi hamod, is a hearty, healthy, and delicious lentil soup made with simple pantry staples and vegetables. Lentils, Swiss chard, carrots, garlic, lemon, and other superfood ingredients make adas bi hamod a nutrition powerhouse that's perfect for cold winter days.

This great vegetarian soup is perfect with some homemade garlic bread or fresh pita bread.

Lentil soup recipes are healthy, filling, and easy to reheat. Legumes and vegetables are staples for the Mediterranean diet. For more lentil soup recipes, try the Lebanese red lentil soup, Egyptian lentil soup (shorbat adas), and coconut curry lentil soup.

Why This Works

I love the tangy flavor of the lemon and sumac blend used to make this Lebanese lentil soup. I also love that it's a super nutritious dish that's also finger-licking good (we need more of this combination).

There are also so many heartwarming memories attached to this adas bi hamod recipe. I remember how my mom would make it for anyone under the weather and how my grandma would serve it whenever it started getting cold outside.

Ingredient Notes

• Brown lentils: Use either brown lentils or green lentils. This ingredient forms the base of this recipe and enriches it with protein and fiber.
• Swiss chard: Use a fresh bunch of Swiss chards. This ingredient adds many health benefits to the dish. It can be substituted with spinach (I personally prefer chard).
• Garlic: Use mashed or fresh crushed garlic. The garlic blends so well with the olive oil and lemon combination.
• Medium potatoes: Use white potatoes, russet potatoes, or golden potatoes.
• Carrots: My grandma never makes this soup without them. You can skip using them if you can't find any, but they add flavor to this soup.

• Lemon juice: Use freshly squeeze lemon juice for a big dose of vitamin C.
• Sumac: Some people don't add sumac to lemon lentil soup, but I never skip it because it just adds to the delicious tangy twist here.

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

How To Make Adas Bi Hamod

Start by boiling the lentils in a large pot with water on high heat. Ensure there is enough water while cooking the lentils so they don't burn.

Once the lentils start to soften (about 10 to 15 minutes), add the carrots and potatoes.

Continue cooking the carrots, potatoes, and lentil mixture for about 10 minutes until the carrots soften. Add the chopped Swiss chard.

Squeeze the lemons. Mash the garlic with some salt using a mortar and pestle. Mix your lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Add the mixture of lemon, mashed garlic, and olive oil to the cooked lentils and stir well.

The final touch is adding salt, black pepper, and sumac.

Stir the soup one last time, take off the heat, and serve drizzled with some more olive oil.

Tips and Tricks

• Ensure you taste the lemon lentil soup as you go to ensure you don't add too much lemon or sumac.
• Fine-tune the flavors to your liking. Some people prefer adas bi hamod on the tangier side, others like the flavor of olive oil to be stronger.
• Start by cooking the lentils first, then add the vegetables rather than tossing everything together. This is to ensure you don't overcook the veggies and they retain a nice texture.

Variations and Substitutions

• Substitute baby spinach, collard greens, rainbow chard, or any other leafy greens for the Swiss chard.
• Add chopped onions or fresh cilantro.
• Different Lebanese regions prepare this soup differently. Lily's family makes this soup without carrots and potatoes
• Substitute kale for the Swiss chard. I know several friends who make this soup with kale and swear that it tastes incredible.

Equipment

• Large pot: To cook a big batch of adas bi hamoud.
• Garlic press or mortar and pestle: To mince your garlic cloves with ease.
• Juicer: For the lemons.
• Wooden spoon: To stir and mix everything together.
• Ladle: To serve this gorgeous soup.

Storage

Store this adas bi hamod soup in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. This recipe also freezes well. Store lentil soup in the freezer for up to 6 months.

FAQs

Lentil Recipes

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