Armenian Red Lentil Apricot Soup (Easy Vegan Recipe)

Name: Armenian Red Lentil Apricot Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 50 g dried apricots (diced); 100 g onion (diced); 1/2 tsp celery salt; 1/2 tsp fenugreek; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (*see note (1/4-3/4 tsp, depending on preference)); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1/4 tsp fennel seeds; 200 g red lentils (dry (rinse in cold water before use)); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 litre vegetable stock; 500 ml hot water (optional)

November 13, 2023

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This Armenian Red Lentil Apricot Soup is flavoursome and thick, with filling red lentils, plenty of warming spices and a hint of sweetness. With just 10 minutes of prep, you can create a nutritious and wholesome meal that freezes well and is perfect for batch-making.

This flavoursome soup is thick and filling; it’s made with red lentils, immune-boosting turmeric, tingly crushed chilli and a hint of natural sweetness from diced apricots. This is a no-faff soup that takes just 10 minutes to prep!

With this simple recipe, we show you how to create a vegan lentil soup that is packed full of flavour and that naturally thickens to create a nutritious and wholesome meal. Check out our recipe tips for how to create the perfect lentil soup.

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What is Armenian Lentil Apricot Soup (Tsirani Vosp Apur)?

Tsirani Vosp Apur (Armenian Apricot Lentil Soup) features Armenia’s national fruit – the apricot. The traditional recipe combines red lentils, apricots, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and a splash of fresh lemon juice, creating a harmonious blend of savoury and fruity notes. It is often decorated with pomegranate molasses and fresh pomegranate seeds.

We’ve created our own version with the addition of chilli to make this a spicy lentil soup.

Why you’ll love this Armenian Apricot Lentil Soup

Easy to make and minimal prep. This apricot lentil soup recipe is very simple and takes just 10 minutes of prep. Once you’ve diced your onion and apricots, you just add everything to the slow cooker and let it do its work! Blend it before serving using a hand blender. You can also make this soup in a saucepan (see the recipe card for instructions).

Full of flavour. This recipe uses a blend of spices to create a flavourful soup. Turmeric adds colour, cumin and fennel seeds add a warming, earthy flavour and dried chilli flakes add a pop of spice that can be customised to suit your preference.

Naturally thick, wholesome and nutritious. This Armenian apricot lentil soup uses wholesome and nutritious ingredients that, once blended, transform into a thick and satisfying soup.

Meal prep and freezer-friendly. A great recipe for bulk meal prep, this red lentil soup recipe freezes and reheats well. If your slow cooker is large enough or you’ve got a large saucepan, you can double the recipe (just leave out the extra water) for bonus freezer meals. Once blended and cooled, we recommend freezing this soup in portions so that it can be defrosted and reheated easily.

Success Tips

Rinse the lentils. Rinsing the lentils in cold water before cooking helps to remove any dust and it can reduce the foaming that can occur when cooking lentils.
Adjust the thickness to suit your preference. The recipe calls for 1 litre of vegetable stock and an optional extra 500ml of hot water. Add the 1-litre vegetable stock to start with and adjust the thickness with the additional hot water to suit your preference.
Variations. Traditionally this Armenian soup uses tomatoes so you could add some chopped tomatoes for extra nutrients and flavour if you fancied it.
Blend to create a flavoursome lentil soup. The recipe calls for the soup to be blended before serving. Don’t skip this step! It’s important to blend the soup because this melds all of the flavours together and creates a thick soup. An unblended soup will not have the intended flavour profile. You can use an immersion blender (like this one) or food processor for this step.
Adjusting the spice level. Adjust the spice level to suit your preference – we recommend starting with 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (if they’re mild to medium heat) or 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (if they’re hot). Once cooked, blend the soup and test for spiciness. Add another 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes if desired. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some extra dried chilli flakes on top of the soup on serving for added spice.
Serving suggestion. Serve each bowl of soup with a side of crusty bread (of course!) and a pinch of cracked black pepper. To top you can choose either a swirl of tinned coconut milk and a sprinkling of dried chilli flakes, or a swirl of pomegranate syrup and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds for a more traditional finish.
Storing. To store, cool the soup and then put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

FAQs

What color lentils are best for soup?

Red lentils are the best for soup because they break down, making them perfect for creating a beautifully thick lentil soup. You can easily puree a red lentil soup to a smooth finish. Green lentils or brown lentils, on the other hand, hold their shape, which can lead to a watery or gritty soup when blended.

Can I make this soup gluten free?

This soup should be naturally gluten-free. Please check the ingredients list and allergen information on the individual ingredients you purchase to make sure they are all gluten-free.

Can I make this lentil soup on the hob?

Yes, absolutely. Here’s what you need to do:

Before you start cooking, soak the dried apricots in warm water. Rinse the lentils in cold water before use.
First, you’ll want to sauté onion in a large pot (like this one) in a little oil until soft (5-7 minutes).
Add the spices (celery salt, fenugreek, turmeric, dried chilli flakes, cumin seeds and fennel seeds), give everything a good stir and fry for a further 2 minutes (adding more oil if needed).
Drain the apricots and roughly chop them.
Add the red lentils, dried apricots, lemon juice and vegetable stock. Simmer over a low heat for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the soup is the desired thickness. Add more water during the cooking process if needed.
Blend into a smooth soup before serving.

Should lentils be soaked before making soup?

No, dry lentils do not need to be soaked before making soup. You should, however, rinse them in cold water before cooking. Rinsing the lentils helps to remove any dust and it reduces the likelihood of foaming.

How do you thicken homemade lentil soup?

To thicken homemade lentil soup, make a paste made from 2-3 tbsp of cornflour and water and add this to the mixture. Simmer the soup until it has thickened.

Because we are using red lentils in this soup recipe, they should break down and therefore, once blended to a smooth finish, the soup should be thick and flavoursome without the need for cornflour.

Can you overcook lentils in soup?

Yes, you can overcook lentils. However, in this soup recipe, you will be blending the finished soup so it is not really a concern if you overcook the red lentils as long as you still have enough liquid in the pan to create a soup.

Why won’t my lentils soften in soup?

Red lentils usually soften when cooked (sometimes in as little as 5-10 minutes on the hob). If you find that they are not softening, it could be because the lentils are old or out of date. Green and brown lentils take much longer to soften (20 minutes+) and are not the best option for soup because even when they have softened, they still have a bit of bite to them.

What is the white foam on lentil soup?

The white foam on lentil soup is believed to be caused by a component called ‘saponins’ which create bubbles, much like you get from soap. To reduce the foaming you should thoroughly rinse your lentils in cold water before cooking with them.

How long does lentil soup last?

This lentil soup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze it in portions for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Defrost the soup in the fridge and then heat it gently on the hob until it is warm through.

Can I freeze lentil soup?

Yes, this soup freezes well. We recommend splitting it into portions and freezing it that way so that it defrosts quicker when you want to use it. Defrost the soup in the fridge and then heat it gently on the hob until it is warm through.

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Loved this Armenian Red Lentil and Apricot Soup? Here are some more delicious vegan soups to try

Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup – oven-roasted sweet red peppers, creamy butternut squash and caramelised red onions blended together with spicy chilli sauce and fresh lime juice.
Farmhouse Vegetable Soup – this easy soup is packed full of veggies for a nourishing and warming dinner. Colourful and hearty, just like your Grandma used to make!
Vegan Creamy Chicken Soup – Discover the secret to achieving a thick and creamy vegan soup with this hearty and wholesome vegan chicken soup.

I hope you LOVE this delicious soup recipe! Please share this recipe with someone you think will love it because it’s our goal to encourage as many people as possible to try plant-based eating.

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