Lentil and Green Collard Soup

I made this soup exactly according to the directions. It was vibrant and flavorful and provided a healthy way to use up my collard greens. Although my husband and I both enjoyed it, I do think the recipe needs tweaking. The lemon juice really overpowered the other flavors in the soup (this could be because I used freshly-squeezed juice), so next time I will start with 2 tablespoons and increase to taste. I will also sautee the garlic with the onions, which I think will give it a rounder, more complex taste. Finally, the consistency was a little watery for me, so I'll cut down on the water by 25% or so next time. All in all, very good with a few adjustments.

This is absolutely delicious! I was a little leery of the cinnamon and cumin, but they were great together in this soup. The lemon juice is a must - don't forget to add some at the end! I didn't find it to be too salty at all and I'm usually sensitive to sodium. I followed previous reviewers' advice and sauteed the onion with half the garlic and sauteeed the collard greens with the other half of the garlic. Make sure you cook the collards thoroughly - they can sometimes be a little tough if undercooked. I found that this made a little more than 4 servings. I filled up 4 leftover Chinese food pint containers and froze two of them. I plan to take them for lunch to work. This is a cheap, nutritious, and delicious soup. Thanks so much for sharing it!

This was yummy! Made it tonight for dinner and we gobbled up a couple of bowls. I cooked the onions & garlic together for about 5 minutes, then threw in the spices and cooked for another minute, then added the lentils and followed the rest of the recipe. Was great served with a light salad and some crusty bread. Will definitely make this again.

Good... but I don't really like collards. I also used chicken broth instead of water, which i would NOT recommend doing. It was MAJORLY salty. Next time, i would stick to water and cut WAY back on the salt.

This was great. I am getting a box of hearty greens every week from a farm and I was starting to run out of ideas! I used my mixed braising greens for the collards, decreased the olive oil by about half, used only about 1/4 of the salt, used a little less water, and sauteed the garlic with the onions. It still turned out great for less calories and sodium =) Thanks!!

This is a great soup. The recipe is for 4 servings, but it seems like 6 servings--it might depend on the size of the bunch of greens. I cooked the garlic with the onions and more garlic with the greens (am a garlic fan), and added more cumin too. I added a splash of vegetable broth to the water, and squeezed a small wedge of lemon per serving--perfect.

This is wonderful tasty recipe! I pureed the Collard green after wilting it so kids won't know what they are eating!!! I also added whatever vegetables I had in the fridge to the mixture while pureeing it, again for the benefit of the kids. Soaking the beans overnight made a huge difference in cooking time. Although, I found the soup a little bland, but adding a little chilli sauce made an amazing meal. Kids ate up without a single complain!! Can't believe Collard could taste this good.

Yum! What a great way to use up some of my collard greens - This freezes well too!

I found this recipe looking for a way to use collard greens before they went bad. The only change I made was using half of the garlic when sauteeing the onions, and the other half when sauteeing the greens. I added brown rice when serving for a complete meal. Also, I used just a bit of bottled lemon juice and let my family add to their own bowls to taste. A very healthy and simple recipe. Thanks.

To make this more as a main dish, add shredded chicken! A great way to use left over chicken and it makes this more of a meal. Also, I found this much too lemony and a bit too salty. I decreased the salt to 3 teaspoons, decreased the lemon to 3 tablespoons and added 2 teaspoons tumeric and 1 tsp of chili powder. Because I added chicken, I also added 1/2 cup more lentils and 2 cups more water (please note as you may want to decrease my recommended spice additions down if you don't add extra water/lentils). Also, I don't pre-saute the collard greens. I just throw everything including all the spices in the lentils and water as soon as it starts boiling. Also, watch your lentils! They cook fast and as soon as they are they will disintegrate in a matter of minutes. I like mine just partially dissolved and then you have to immediately remove from the heat to keep their substance. Some thought this watery but I like it a bit soupy so you can serve this over jasmine rice. Viola-you have a hearty, healthy and delicious dinner! See my custom version of this under my profile for full details on the changes.

excellent soup! the flavors and textures blend very nicely. i also added about a quarter cup of quinoa to thicken it up a bit for a fuller meal. i plan to use this recipe again in the winter using various greens that i've frozen.

Very good recipe. I think the cumin and cinnamon make it.

Recipe is delicious! 3 things I changed: 1) saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes with the onion to tame strong garlic taste, 2) throw the greens directly into the soup without sauteing them (this step is unnecessary since the soup will wilt the greens without the use of oil.) 3) red lentils cook very quickly so you may want to reduce total cooking time to under 15 minutes or they will turn to complete mush. Or use a different type of lentil (although you may need to increase cooking time accordingly.) I have made this with many different types of greens - it doesn't have to be collards. Tonight I am using mustard greens. It's my favorite soup and favorite way to use greens!

Yummmm! I used more lentils though to make it thicker.

Excellent soup, hearty and healthy!! I used kale because my store was out of collard greens. I added 4 minced cloves of fresh garlic when the onions were almost done being sauteed. I used 6 cups of chicken broth and omitted the 1 tbl. of salt. I put my greens into the pot with the broth (I didn't cook the greens separately) I used only 1 tsp. of cumin and only 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon - I think that ratio worked very well for us. I used 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice since others said they thought the soup was too "lemony." I will definitely make this soup again!

Wanted to use some greens that we had left after Thanksgiving and this recipe provided that option. Added some left over turkey and made a great meal out of the soup. Definitely recommend this if you want something different and filling.

Great quick recipe. Made this for a family that just had a baby and needed premade meals. They loved it. I added carrots to it and have made it with kale instead of collards and it was just as good! Highly recommend.

Fast, delicious way to prepare collard greens. The red lentils nearly disintegrate making a lovely, rich broth. I used a bit less cinnamon; the lemon juice really makes for a bright finish!

Amazing flavor in this soup and an excellent way to eat some nutritious greens. There was a little too much salt for my taste, so I dropped it down to 2 teaspoons instead of 1Tablespoon. Red lentils make this a more creamy dish than using green. (which I've done before and is still tasty) It is a great vegetarian recipe and filling from the lentils. Yum!

This recipe tastes better fresh than as leftover. It is just okay. Wasn't big on the cinnamon taste.

This was good but a little bland. I added some chicken boullion, onion powder, and a smidge of ginger. I think that if I had started with broth instead of water then I might have been good. I REALLY loved the low calorie count, though, and had to factor that into the final tally of stars.

surprisingly delicious. don't overlook this recipe! it's really good with a little parmesan cheese. i used brown/green lentils and it was sooo good. i agree with a previous post that it freezes well. this makes me happy to be alive...seriously.

This recipe is awesome. I did saute the garlic with the onion. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. It is so yummy! My Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you for the recipe.

I'd give this 4.5 stars -- I loved how the flavors came together. It's a mild soup that's perfect for a cool/warm spring day. The only change I made was using garlic paste instead of minced (that's all I had), which I used as directed but also added when I wilted the collards. (I didn't measure how much, sorry.) Oh, and I only had and used half a lemon. Very nice.

I was looking for a way to cook up some collard greens and found this recipe. Now I make this soup almost once a week. I add a bunch more cumin to mine, omit the lemon juice and top with coconut oil and it is delicious. Sometimes I use a medley of lentils (red, green, and brown) and it always turns out great. It's also best the next day, after all the flavors have really come out.

Well, I accidentally added (gasp!) 1 tablespoon of cinnamon! So...I drained most of the liquid out which left it a bit bland so I spiced it up. I also added some diced potatoes. Overall, yummy and I will give it ago again! Another option would be to add a little garam masala instead of cinnamon!

Crumble cornbread into it for perfection. Even my kids loved it. My husband said this one goes into the monthly rotation. And it's healthy, fast AND cheap!

Good and healthy, I added about 8 oz canned tomatoes for color. Next time I may try carrots.

This was pretty good, it makes a light soup with a delicate, interesting balance of flavors. My husband gives it four stars. I was looking for a healthy recipe for collard greens, but I probably won't make this again.

I thought this soup was absolutely delicious! I used green lentils with success. I added jalapeno, carrot and a potato to make it a bit more hearty. My husband suggested just a little bit less lemon juice but I loved it. I also went ahead and cooked the collard greens in the pot with the soup so that the nutrients wouldn't be lost in another pan.

I just made this. I think the garlic should have been cooked with the onions to get rid of the raw garlic flavor. Beyond that, it's not a bad soup but I think there is something missing so I will not make it again.

Loved it! Didn't make a single change to this recipe!

Easy to make and delicious. I sometimes throw some chicken meatballs in there and serve it as a main course

This was very good however way, way too salty for my taste. 1 tablespoon was excessive. Next time I will do 2 tsp. You can always add more when you are eating, but you can't take it away. Good recipe though. I will definitely make again!

Very tasty. We used green lentils because thats what I had and we added some red pepper flakes for a little spice and some garlic. We also cooked the greens and lentils in organic low sodium chicken broth. It was hardy, healthy and made a great meal with lots of left overs.

Awesome!

I didn't really like this. It was my first time eating collard greens so maybe I just don't like them :p I felt it needed some veg bouillon.

This soup is fabulous! I added lemon juice to taste stopping at 3 tablespoons. Very fragrant and flavorful. I added a potato and it was a good addition. Serve with hot sauce. Yum!! I will definitely make again.

The lemon flavor was just too strong for my taste. I also felt like some vegetable broth or bouillon needed to be added with the water.

I used less lemon and next time I would decrease the salt, as well. I added some instant potato flakes to thicken it a bit and to absorb some of the salt. It was fine, but I would play with the recipe some the next time. I would chop the collards fine rather than slicing them, for one thing. I might use curry powder rather than the cumin and cinnamon. Or use brown lentils rather than red.

A tasty way to use Collard Greens. I used lime juice rather than lemon. I also used half of the amount of required citrus.

This soup is full of flavor!!! It is an interesting infusion of flavor that you must try. TO SUM THIS SOUP UP: It is clean food that's full of fiber and vitamins. Also low on the Glycemic scale, making it ideal for a diabetic.

This soup was absolutely amazing! All the different flavours complemented each other perfectly. The only thing I would suggest is that the salt content should probably be cut down to one teaspoon or less, as otherwise the recipe is too high in sodium.

This is an excellent soup, and while I'm no authority on Lebanese cooking it tasted fairly authentic to me. My hubby also loved it. I pretty much made it as-is except I only put in 1/2 the salt, sauteed half the garlic with the onions and put in the other half with the collards, and I steamed the collard greens instead of sauteing them in oil. I didn't miss the salt, and I prefer to use less if I can get away with it. I also used my immersion blender to SLIGHTLY blend the lentils before adding the collard greens and spices. This gave the soup a creamier texture, but I only did it for a few seconds as I didn't want to overdo it! I will be making this soup again.

Excellent! A perfect light lunch. I only used 3 cups of chicken broth plus one of water resulting in 4 cups of liquid all together. This made enough soup for two people to have 3 bowls between the two of them with probably two smaller bowls left, which went into the freezer. It freezes wonderfully! Because I used prefab chicken broth I left out the salt. Next time though I will change some things to suit personal taste. While the recipe is wonderful as is we didn't care for the tastes of cinnamon and lemon. I will leave both of those out next time. Also I believe another reviewer pointed out that cooking lentils so long will turn them to mush. This happened to me and personally I enjoyed the creaminess that the mushy lentils added to the soup, but I am eager to try cooking the lentils for less time to taste the difference. Also, my collards were already cooked, with a hint of sugar and vinegar, and leftover from another dish which made prep much easier and didn't result in dirtying two pans. Cooking the onions and garlic together in oil first also helps the flavor. I think leftover wild rice would be an interesting addition to this soup, and I intend to try the idea in the future. All in all, this is a wonderful, excellent dish, that is easy to play with, and a great use for collards.

Made minor changes- sauteed 1/2 garlic with onion and other half with collards. Used brown lentils. Forgot salt altogether and added at the end- too much kosher salt and ruined the soup :( I also forgot to add lemon juice! Still the soup was good- I will give it another try- a right try this time!

This is a great soup for a working couple. All you have to do when you get home is some chopping and boiling, and all of a sudden you've got a fragrant, scrumptious, healthy dinner ready. This soup also stores fantastically, so you can look forward to even tastier leftovers at work the next day.

Healthy I'm sure... but, completely tasteless. If I make this again, I will use broth not water.

I make this soup a lot and wanted to share a small recipe hack. I hate mincing garlic so I just take an entire head of garlic and slice off the top to expose all the cloves, and place that in the soup pot with the cut-side down after I add the water. When the soup is done, I scoop out the garlic and spread the softened cloves on baguette slices. I add a little melted butter and some herbs and stick it under the broiler for instant garlic bread. The garlic flavor in the soup may be slightly milder, but still very tasty. The recipe is a bit on the salty side as written- half a tablespoon is adequate. Fabulous flavors, cheap, and healthy- this recipe is a keeper!

A delicious healthy recipe with just the right spices! I followed the instructions exactly except that I only used about half the olive oil called for and I added a little extra lemon juice. Next time I may try doubling the greens too. This is a vegetarian's dream dish!!

There really isnt anything wrong with this soup. It just wasnt to my taste. Im happy I tryed to though. Its interesting.

Tasty, and a healthy way to get your greens! A little heavy on the lemon though.

I used brown lentils. We served this soup originally when it was hot. The cold version as leftovers was good, too! I loved the citrus and cinnamon flavor combination in this!

A winner! My house is always looking for good vegan recipes and this one rocks. I also added a little bit of ground cloves to the spices and added all of the spices together with the garlic and onions. Soooo good. Thanks for the brilliant recipe.

Wow, absolutely fantastic! Even better the next day. I get a bag of organic goodies weekly (CSA - Community Supported Agriculture) and had no idea what to do with the collard greens. I thought the cumin, cinnamon, and lemon juice would be too strong but this recipe is perfect. I did cook the garlic (doubled) with the onions. This is now a regular for dinner.

This was only okay. Sort of bland. I added hot sauce to my bowl and that improved it. Likely won't be making it again.

This soup is much better the next day after flavors blend. I used Mustard Greens instead of Collards. I gave it 4 stars because I think it needed some other color in it like carrots. Reminds me of hummus, except more watery consistancy.

Wonderful, savoury and hearty soup! I was surprised this was so good without using stock. Like others, I sauteed the onions and collards with the garlic and also added some at the end like the recipe states. I cut back on the salt as well. I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like cold, trying different leafy greens and maybe adding carrots. I keep heaping more and more ladlefulls in my bowl...totally addictive! Thanks for sharing Farah! Take 2 wasn't as stellar and didn't have the same depth. Take other reviewer's advice and err on the side of less lemon juice. I think too much lemon altered my 2nd batch. I tried another reviewer's suggestion and added some rice and it became a wonderful one bowl meal!

Awesome vegetarian soup! I was looking for a way to use the collard greens that came in our produce box, and this soup was great. I didn't add the lemon juice to the soup, and instead served it with lemon wedges on the side so each person could squeeze their own. -great recipe.

My husband and I loved it and would definitely make it again. Even my 3-year old loved it.

Had high hopes but this was just ok. I even used my homemade rich vegetable broth but the flavor was lacking. Needs more garlic, added carrots, celery, onion, bok choy, diced tomatoes for color. Added tumeric, bay leaf,and last I added a little lowfat smoked sausage which did the trick to improve this bland beginning soup.

what a nice simple soup! i don't like salty soups so i used about a quarter of the recipes amount, and i omitted the lemon juice. so with just olive oil, garlic, onion, cinnamon and cumin flavouring the soup i was amazed at how delicious it was! easy, tasty and super healthy.

Great Recipe! I added some chopped sweet potatoes and then at the end, threw in 1 can of garbanzo beans. I also was a bit short on collards so I threw in some mustard greens as well and it turned out wonderful. Will definitely be making this again!

Very tasty! Also quick and easy to prepare. I used chopped frozen collard greens which really speeded up the process. Mmmmmmmmmmm

a bit salty, but it is good. i used chard instead of collards and green lentiles. will make again.

Amazing recipe! i may have slightly overcooked the lentils, but it was delicious nonetheless! i only added about half the amount of cinnamon, and it was perfect. I will almost certainly make this again.

This is a nice soup and a good use of collards. I'd say the essential ingredient is the lemon juice--the soup tasted much better once that was added. And definitely use red lentils instead of brown or green; they have a softer texture that works well with this soup.

Excellent soup! The only thing I changed was to steam the greens rather than sauteing them in more oil. Definitely try this one... and don't omit the cumin, cinnamon, garlic, or lemon!!!

Just made this soup tonight trying to find a more creative way to use collard greens. It came out amazing! I actually ended up using the green lentils due to a tight budget. It had an amazing flavor and was really filling for everyone!

I made this exactly according to directions but at the end blended the hot soup in my food processor. Delicious! I might add a little more of both spices when I reheat bowls later on.

Excellent. Flavorful. No changes needed. The whole pot was gone in one night and I will be making it again. This recipe is a gem!

So delicious and healthy! Definitely saute the garlic with the onion rather than putting the garlic in at the end.

This was pretty good but it was not good as leftovers!! I think the lemon made the greens bitter after it sat overnight.

We liked this soup, but it was sooo salty. I would make it again and cut way down on the salt. I am going to try watering the leftovers down to reduce some saltiness- maybe only use half. I put in less lemon based on some of the other reviews but I was squeezing it in my bowl as I seemed to think it needed it.

This is a great way to eat collard greens. As one who is not a big fan of greens but trying to learn how to enjoy them, this is the recipe of choice. This is a recipe I'll repeat often, I look forward to trying it cold in the summer.

This was so good that my husband made a batch to freeze the same day I made it for us the first time. Loved it!

This was one of the most delicious soups I have tasted. Simple, but hearty and yummy. No changes.

This soup is Awesome... my only recommendation is to use Vegetable stock instead of water (and then leave out the salt). It makes the flavor more complex. I also divided the garlic and sauteed some with the greens... this recipe is a keeper!

I was not a fan of the cinnamon. The lemon juice cut the cinnamon a little, but not enough for my taste. Will not make again.

Nice taste. Be sure to measure out the lemon juice to your personal taste. I, too, think I added too much when I used 1/3c. Be warned, I made this over lunchtime and everyone who was in the house while it was cooking all went outside and smelled of cumin and onion 0 and not in a nice way. I even had a person comment! I'd make this again although I'll have the windows open next time.

Delicious! I made a few minor tweaks. For 1/3 of the water I used chicken stock. Added a little celery and leaves. Added turmeric and curry powder. I had scaled for one so I eyeballed the amount. The flavors were great and it was very filling!

Amazing! Such a unique flavor!

This soup was absolutely delicious! Haven't tried it cold yet, and can't wait until we have the right weather for it. I followed the ingredients faithfully, but threw in a few mushrooms because they had to get used up! I did change the method some, as I could not see why a second pan needed to be dirtied to cook the greens -- I added them raw towards the end of the first long cooking of the lentils and it was great! Thanks so much for a real keeper! I've also added sauteed sliced sausage for a full meal.

Delicious! The only changes I made were to substitute vegetable stock for the water and to use less salt. Very nice; thanks for sharing.

I was surprised at how delicious this soup was. The cinnamon ... perfect, so was the lemon juice. I didn't have cumin, so I used curry powder and I have to say, it was so darn good I was asked by everyone the recipe and if I could make more. I did and stuck with the curry powder. Thanks.

Delicious!

Loved this as did my kids. I used less water I also bloomed my spices with the greens. I added a little paprika too.

My hubby and I loved this soup. Easy, healthy, delicious! Yes, definitely stick with the red lentils.

Outstanding! Some people may feel that the lemon juice is overpowering, but the soup tasted exactly like lebanese lentil soup served in a local restaurant near me. And, I appreciated the use of collards instead of spinach! I made it with chicken broth.

Deliciously healthy, comfort soup.

This was unexpectedly good. I was trying to get rid of a bag of mixed greens in my fridge before it went bad. I was nervous when I was browning the greens because they tasted bitter, so I put them in my food processor and cut them very small. It ended up blending in beautifully with the lentils, which thickened up into an almost porrige-like consistency. The cinnamon and the cumin bolstered the background flavors nicely and the lemon really brightened and balanced it with a nice finish. Not only was this yummy, it was also healthy. A great way to get your greens.

It is awesome my family really enjoyed it. They don't care for collard greens but now I found a taste way they will eat it. Yummy.

This is a simply fantastic soup! I made it exactly per the directions, and the complexity of flavors is wonderful. while it was cooking, the aroma was heavenly. I will say that it is a bit salty for my taste, but not to the point that it ruins the dish for me. I will be making this again but will cut back on the salt. I served it with everything flatbread crackers, and it was so hearty, filling and delicious! I made it on Sunday, refrigerated it overnight and served it last night (Monday), and the flavors were just amazing. It heats well as a leftover. Mine was not watery at all but formed a pea soup like consistency while cooking. I used Ziyad red lentils. Fantastic recipe, and so easy to make!

The soup is very good they way it is. However, I made this mainly because I had collards on hand and needed a recipe. I am wondering about the calories?? Is there really 307 calories per serving?? What is the serving size?? 1 cup? Thanks

Delicious, even hubs loved it. I only used half the lentils because I was going to halve the recipe but spaced it and made whole. Eyeballed the spices and lemon. Really enjoyed it and super easy to make.

I LOVED this recipe! I also took the advice from other reviews and cooked the onions and garlic together. The end result was great, but I would have liked a bit more spice. I only used one fresh lemon...Next time, I might add some chiles or ground red pepper to give it a bit of kick!

I guess you really have to like cummin to like this recipe. That is all I could taste. I just didn't like the soup, alltogether.

Great tasting soup. I only put in 2 tsp of salt and it was still a little too salty for my taste, so next time (there surely will be a next time) I will put in less. I also only put in 1 tsp cumin and about 3 tbsp lemon juice, and I sauteed the garlic with the onion. I overcooked the lentils. Still, it was really good.

I loved this soup! It was easy to make and my friend who is vegan loved it too! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe.