Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası)
This hearty and flavorful Turkish red lentil soup is a staple, known for its vibrant color and comforting taste. It's a simple, nourishing, and naturally vegan soup, perfect for a light lunch or a starter.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Per serving
- 437 kcal
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cupred lentil, rinsed
- 1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pcscarrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 6 cupvegetable broth
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tspdried mint
- 0.5 tspred pepper flake
- 0.5 tspcumin, ground
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper, ground
garnish
- 0.5 pcslemon, for serving(optional)
Equipment
large pot · knife · cutting board · immersion blender
The method
Step by step
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
About 1 min
- 2
Add the yellow onion and carrot to the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
About 7 min
Cook’s note: Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 3
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, dried mint, red pepper flake, and cumin. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- 4
Add the rinsed red lentil and vegetable broth to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper.
About 1 min
- 5
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are very tender.
About 25 min
Cook’s note: Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils don't stick to the bottom.
- 6
Carefully blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer batches to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: If using a regular blender, be cautious when blending hot liquids, and do not overfill the blender.
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
About 1 min
- 8
Serve hot, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lemon if desired.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 436.9kcal
- Protein
- 25.1g
- Carbs
- 66g
- Fat
- 8.6g
- Fibre
- 11.8g
- Sugar
- 6.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if it's too thick.
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