This stew was really good! Even my picky husband went back for seconds.

This was one of the most delicious things I've ever cooked. LOVED it. We gobbled it up and were sad when it was gone. I used orzo, and used canned tomatoes. Perfection.

I thought this dish was fantastic! It had a lot of flavor and was incredibly lite at the same time. I do not normally lean towards these types of spices and I loved it! Only change I made was that I used an entire can of drained/washed garbanzo beans instead of the dry ones. There's only 1/2 cup of orzo, don't skip it! That extra bit of texture is good. I was very skeptical of the dates too, but they are actually very subtle chopped. Don't substitute for a squishy raisin! Really pleased!!

I doubled this recipe so I had a lot to sharen n n n n n ..and what a HIT! Everybody LOVED it! I used vermicelli, but next time In n n n n n ll use the orzo for the sizen n n n n n n n n n n n .I found the pasta was important to really round this recipe out. I loved the idea of datesn n n n n n but if I hadnn n n n n n t put them in myself I would never believe they where in there, next time In n n n n n ll try raisins.

Hello There Wilma53, This is not a hich calorie dish at all. Take a second look at the ingredients. monetgardening

This is an amazing stew - one of my favourites. I think the orzo is perfect in the soup, but will try adding it seperately. Great with flatbread. or pita brushed with a little olive oil and cumin and grilled or browned.

I substituted raisins for the dates because they hold their shape; it's what's used in most Moroccan recipes. I also agree...skip the pasta.

I'm not sure about the dates, I've never heard of that - how about a little honey, if anything? I would be inclined to skip the pasta as well, in favor of a smooth textures soup. Does anyone think, who's made it, that would be okay? I'm interested in reproducing a natural foods carton soup I am mad for, a golden lentil with a nice bite.

This is one of my favorite soups. It has such a depth of flavor from all the seasonings, etc. I tend to prefer small portions, but I think this amount is actually right for 8 (hungry) people. It is delicious leftover, but I will say the orzo swells up, and that combined with the lentils turn the leftovers into more of a tasty glop than soup! : ) If you are making it to freeze or have leftovers I would cook and keep the orzo separate until serving. Enjoy!

This is THE best lentil soup I have ever had, homemade or bought. It is definitely worth trying...this recipe makes a lot so I would suggest cutting it in half.