Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Turkish red lentil soup, mercimek çorbası, is a smooth, comforting soup built around red lentils, onion and warm spices. Lemon at the table is an essential finishing touch for many servings.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups red lentils 300 g, rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 6 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth 1.4 L
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
- Black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter optional
- 1 tsp pul biber or red pepper flakes optional
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Rinse lentils until the water runs mostly clear.
- Heat olive oil and soften onion and carrot.
- Stir in tomato paste, cumin and paprika for about 30 seconds.
- Add lentils and broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20–25 minutes until lentils are very soft.
- Blend until smooth or leave slightly textured.
- Adjust salt and consistency with hot water.
- Optional: melt butter with pul biber and spoon over bowls. Serve with lemon.
Notes
Cooking times can vary by equipment and ingredient size. Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands, and portion sizes.